AnnaSilverberg Listener Profile

AnnaSilverberg

177 741,708

L Epitome 15

Rating

Active Listening is more than hearing the words, it is fully attuning to feelings being shared, showing unbiased acceptance and validation.

Number of ratings89 Number of reviews80 Listens toTeens & Over 18 LanguagesEnglish, Icelandic Listener sinceOct 17, 2022 Last activein last week GenderFemale PathStep 430 People helped226 Chats8,067 Group support chats2,596 Listener group chats5,194 Forum posts1,209 Forum upvotes4,222

Bio

🔕Currently not accepting new member chats🔕
Feel free to find a listener by going to www.7cups.com/BrowseListeners

.·:*¨Welcome¨*:·.

✨ I am Anna ✨
💙 A Verified Listener here on 7Cups 💙

• ───── • ✧ • ───── • 𖥸 • ───── • ✧ • ───── •
✨💙✨𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼✨💙✨

I am glad that you have decided to get support
✨ Taking this big step can be challenging, but you did it! ✨

💕We all deserve to feel seen and heard💕
🌍To have a safe space in this world 🌍
Our struggles, big or small.
🤗 Are all equally valid 🤗

I am here to provide support and listen,
I don’t give advice, that’s not what I’m for.
I will explore with you, support you.
And through our talk, you might find a solution.

⋆˙⟡♡₊˚⊹. Healing isn’t linear .⊹˚₊♡⟡˙⋆

☆⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁ ⠂⠄⠄☆
💕 Listener Twins 💕

Twin Brian
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: * Jenna * :･ﾟ✧* :･ﾟ✧

Caring Twin
✦•┈๑⋅⋯YourCaringConfidant ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
☆⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁ ⠂⠄⠄☆

A bit about me:
I am really passionate about emotional and mental well-being.
I have always loved supporting and helping others, it's something that gives me joy.
My hobbies are mostly artistic, I like drawing, writing, photography and crocheting.
I listen to music every day and I love all kinds of music.
☕️ I also like sitting down with a cup of coffee ☕️

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

My Roles Here At 7Cups:
Ambassador - Listener Coaching Team & Quality Mentors
ATL (Adult Teen Listener), Chat Room Mentor
Chat Room Moderator - Global
Chat Support, Peer Supporter
Quality Mentor & Leader

💓🐑💓✨Owner of ✨Sheepness Sparkle Room✨ (teens)✨💓🐑💓

✨💙✨
I am also a graduate from:
🎓
The Quality Listening Program
Leadership Development Program - With honors
Group Internship Program - With honors
✨💙✨

Here are the topics that I provide support on:

ADHD, Anxiety, Autism
Chronic Pain, Domestic Violence
Family Stress, Financial Stress
General Mental Health, Getting Unstuck,
Managing Emotions, OCD, Panic Attacks,
PTSD(Trauma), Self-Esteem,
Sleeping Well, Work Stress

── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ──

🔕Topics I cannot support on🔕
.Loneliness.
.Relationship Stress.
.Men's issues.
.Terminal illnesses.
.Break ups.
.Grief.

── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ── ⭑ ☆ ⭑ ──

🔔 My chats last for around 40-60 minutes 🔔

💠I'm unavailable during weekends💠
My time zone is GMT.
To make sure I'm able to provide without too many interruptions,
I only take scheduled chats in the evening time after 10 PM - GMT time.

My online status:
🟢Green: I'm online, feel free to message me.
🟠Orange: I'm online, but busy, slow replies can be expected.
🔴 Red: I'm offline, replies can be up to 48 hours, if weekend is not ahead.

⟡• ───── • ✧ • ───── • 𖥸 • ───── • ✧ • ───── •⟡

Recent forum posts

Happy birthday YourCaringConfidant 🎉🎂🎉

Positivity & Gratitude / by AnnaSilverberg

June 12th

...See more ✨ Hayo you wonderfuls! ✨ Today is such a wonderfully special day, it’s Desiree’s birthday! 🎂 @Yourcaringconfidant 💗💗 Desiree, you are such a magically rare and beautiful soul 🌈 And you truly make every space brighter simply by being in it 💗💗 🤗🤗 I still remember the work we did together on PAT, and I am always so amazed by the beautiful care you show our community 🥹🥹 🌈You are endlessly kind, always so uplifting and your humor is absolutely out of this world and never fails to make me laugh!🌈 🤗From the moment I met you here on Cups, my caring colorful twin of joy, I have been amazed by your constant kindness, care and brilliance!🤗 ✨🌈✨ ☀️Your light truly shines everywhere you go and you are always such a caring joy to be around!☀️ 🤗To those who haven’t had the honor of meeting Des yet,🤗 you have probably seen her share her joy in the forums, uplifting everyone in our community! 🌈🎂🌈 She’s the kind of person who reminds us that a little care and laughter can turn any day around, and I can truly say that this community wouldn’t be the same without her warmth and sparkle✨ 🎈🎊🎉🥳 So let’s celebrate her properly! 🥳🎉🎊🎈 Drop your birthday wishes, gifs, and favorite Desiree moments below. 🌈🎂🌈 🎈🥳 Let’s fill this thread with the same joy she brings to all of us! 🥳🎈 Tagging a few fantastic people: @Heather225 @GlenM @Amanda84 @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @trueconfidant123 @Tinywhisper11 @mytwistedsoul @fossilfellow @SafeEmbrace @MeilleureAmie @ACozyBunny @SweetSoul771 @jesusredeemedme2425 @BlueDarkAurora @ShadowFaerie @SolitaryBird

🌙 When the Garden of Emotions Feels Quiet

Positivity & Gratitude / by AnnaSilverberg

April 26th

...See more ✨Hay you wonderful sparks of amazement✨ We have a new Tea & Talk for you! 💓🐑💓 But first! I need you to take a lookie here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/groupmod/GroupSupportRolesSpotlight_2698/WelcomingaNewFriendlyFacetotheTeenRoomsTeenCheerleader_379654/] We have a new friend, Teeny! @TeenCheerleader They won’t be in our stories, but they are very supportive of them Today, we’ll explore our garden of emotions again! 🌸💮🪷🌹🪻🌷🌼🌻🌺 Sometimes, our garden can feel different. Not a bad kind of different or a sad kind of a different, just simply different. We can feel like we’re missing something 🤔 💓🐨🦕🐈🐑💓 When Pete woke up today, he noticed something was odd in his emotional garden, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it 🤔 🦕He sat down with his cup of tea and said to 🐨Malu and 🐈Saja, “I don’t feel like myself today. Not happy, not sad. I just feel.. nothing.”🤔 🐨Malu nodded in agreement. “Am feeling same way. Is like feelings took nap” He said as he sighed 😮‍💨 🐈Saja curled her tail around herself as she looked at them. “You know,” she said softly, “gardens have seasons.🌻 Sometimes everything in them blossoms and sometimes everything rests”😴 They all sat in quiet calm together as they drank their tea peacefully,🫖🍵 and then 🐨Malu nudged them quietly so they could all take a moment to walk through their emotional garden. 🌼 As they looked around, they noticed how some flowers were closed.🥀 How some leaves drooped gently, how everything remained still. 🍂🍃 Nothing was wrong with the garden, everything was there just like it should be, it was simply a quiet day. 💓 🤔“You see, feeling numb does not mean that you’re broken, it simply means your heart and mind is resting.😴 It means that you have been carrying a whole lot, things you noticed and things you weren’t even aware of” 🫂 Saja said, as they looked over the garden. 🐈 🦕Pete looked like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. 😯 “Wait!” he said, “So.. it’s okay if I don’t feel anything right now?” 🤗 Saja gave Pete a warm smile, “It’s more than okay,” she said.🐈 “It’s absolutely natural. Our emotions are like seasons, they come and go. And yet they all have their place”🙂‍↕️ 🐨 Malu took a deep breath and said “Maybe Malu will be gentle with self today”😮‍💨 🦕Pete nodded in agreement “I think I’ll do just the same, Malu.”🙂‍↕️ They all sat together in a calming quiet, not sharing words and simply enjoying each other’s presence. Allowing themselves to recharge and simply be. 💓🐨🦕🐈🐑💓 🔕🐨 Note: 🐨🔕 Malu is a Koala that is deaf and always has been. He does not know how words sound and therefore the way he speaks can look differently to us, but in the ASL language, the words "I" or "You" are not used. To learn more about ASL, click here [https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/what-is-american-sign-language/] 💓🐑💓 🌱Some Questions to reflect on🤔 🦖 Have you ever had a day where your emotions felt “quiet” or far away? 🦕 What helps you feel safe or grounded when you’re not feeling much at all? 🦖 If your heart needed rest today, what kind of rest would feel kind? Tag list: @Heather225 @GlenM @theboymoana @Moonlight52 @DarkerPlaces @sunnyTangerine8329 @CommunityModIris @TeenCheerleader @peachThinker662 @Mesther93 @treefrog1234 @Kristynsmama @Walker7957 @fairyava

Teens interviewing Glen - Part 2!

Positivity & Gratitude / by AnnaSilverberg

April 6th

...See more ✨Hay you wonderfuls✨ Yes, it's finally here! 🥳 The second and last part to our teens asking Glen some fun and interesting questions! Wait, you haven't seen the first one? Oh my!😱 Better take a look right here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/TeaTalkwithPeteMalu_2696/TeensinterviewingGlen_376379/] then! I'm not going to make you wait much further, lets get to reading 💓 @Kitsies What is your most controversial and deeply held opinion that no one can change your mind on, that really is irrelevant? Not an actual deep held belief but something more silly akin to how some people have extremely strong opinions regarding pineapple on pizza. @GlenM I read this the other day and have been trying to think of something. I don’t think I have one. 🙏 @Kitsies What’s the most touching moment you had on the website? @GlenM I had a member a long time ago that lost his parents or his parents were abusive and he entered the foster care system in the US. This is where people care for kids that are orphaned or abused and are removed from their family. The foster mother told the boy about 7 Cups so he could get help if he was struggling. He tried 7 Cups and signed up to be a listener. He was a wounded healer. He wrote to me 6 months later and told me the foster family adopted him. He found a new home. I cried and cried when I read that. Many people have also written to me or shared that 7 Cups saved their life. We don’t fully appreciate the work we do here and how impactful it is. I’m certain we’ve collectively saved over 100,000 lives and it might be much more than that. These kinds of things matter the most to me. I feel like I’m doing what I should be doing and we are collectively doing what we should be doing. This, to me, is the kind of work that matters. It goes straight to the heart and I feel it. 🙏 @Aceofallthespades What made you want to make this, is there a way we can give out advice without breaking rules like CBT skills for example? @GlenM Here is a recent podcast I did that shares more about the story in a more vulnerable way. Let me know what you think if you check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKLY1htVJSk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKLY1htVJSk]. Mostly, I experienced a lot of pain in life and wanted to create a system to help decrease human suffering. 🙏 @Coraline How exactly did you come up with the idea for 7cups? @GlenM Mental health is scary. Trying to get help can be threatening. I wanted to make it easier for people to get help. Our original name was 7 Cups of Tea. I wanted people to get emotional support and have it feel easy and non-threatening. Like having a cup of tea with a friend. Also, there is an amazing Chinese poem called 7 Cups of Tea. Each cup brings another level of healing. Here is the poem: 7 Cups of Tea, by Lu Tong (795 - 835 CE) The first cup kisses away my thirst, and my loneliness is quelled by the second. The third gives insight worthy of ancient scrolls, and the fourth exiles my troubles. My body becomes lighter with the fifth, and the sixth sends word from immortals. But the seventh—oh the seventh cup— if I drink you, a wind will hurry my wings toward the sacred island. 🙏 @politePlace5370 How do you balance keeping a healthy, supportive community with the natural negatives of social media/online communities? (Hate, hyper attention seeking, polarization, self image, trendiness, etc.) @GlenM This is our collective garden and we all take care of it together. I like the saying “culture is caught, not taught” It is mostly in the air we breathe here. It is in all the small things, the nuances, the shout-outs, the GIFS, the words of encouragement and support. All of the little and all of the big things. And, as outlined above, the platform is designed to encourage these behaviors. When you don’t care about culture and do not design things deliberately - especially on the Internet - things tend to unravel and not work out so well. The Internet is like an escalator going down. You have to build a system that will keep taking 3 and 4 steps at a time in order to create something that is strong enough to overcome it. Then, once you do that, it builds and builds and naturally brings life and healing to others. All of us though - had to build this - and overcome entropy to create this city of light. Hats off to all of you. We’ve built it one brick at a time. And now it really is a shining city. Plenty of work left to do, but what we’ve been able to accomplish - to me - feels miraculous. 🙏 @unassumingEyes How do you deal with knowing there's more hurt in the world than you can solve? Is it possible to forgive yourself/the world/God for it? @GlenM I think we have to try to solve the pain in the world. I also think we have to forgive ourselves and others in order to do that. I believe that forgiveness is one of the most therapeutic steps a person can take. The other thing you touch on is if God is good then why is there so much suffering. The theological term for this is theodicy. It is known as the problem of evil. There seem to be 3 options: -God is not good. -God is good, but limited. -God is good. There is suffering. We do not know why. I’m a believer in the third option. I think it is a mystery. In my heart, I feel like it is my job/calling to try to help care for people and heal human suffering. 🙏 @Hereforyou83 What if 7 cups doesn't exist? And have you met anyone who helped out by 7 cups? By the way thank you for this wonderful platform Glen. @GlenM I would be very sad and my life would be a lot less meaningful if 7 Cups didn’t exist. I love this community with all my heart. I think we are a magnet for the very best of humanity. Hopefully we can keep on existing for 100s and 100s of years. Yes, I’ve met many people that were helped by 7 Cups. The lady who gave us this award used 7 Cups our first year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgL5UERnQ4U [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgL5UERnQ4U] 🙏 @lavenderTown1883 What inspired the name of 7 Cups, and how do you think it affects the environment of 7 Cups itself? @GlenM See above for the first part of your question. I’d like to think it does. Names are powerful. They make something that is unseen > seen. They make things unconscious > conscious. That is how talk therapy works. You share something that was hard to put into words before. Then when you put it into words you become aware. I think that is what we are doing here. We are discovering what 7 Cups is and helping it become a better and better version of itself. 🙏 @LovesSprintCars Do you ever expect to see 7 Cups to grow into what it is now? @GlenM Yes, I’ve always had high hopes for 7 Cups. I’d like it to be an incredibly effective and free healthcare system one day. 🙏 @alwaysamy How did you get the name "7 cups" ? Is it from "7up" the beverage? @GlenM See above. I like 7up! 🙏 @ShiningBubble Hey, I wanna ask that if it is okay to be calm? Even in pressure situations like day before exam or a speech, or even a test, as I never become tensed due to these things, so people mostly think that not serious for these things, which is wrong, please answer this. @GlenM We were watching Lost in Translation the other night. My son was enjoying Bill Murray’s character. I bought him a shirt for Christmas that quotes Murray, "Everything is better when you are relaxed.” I was a very anxious person for decades of my life. I thought I had to be and that if I wasn’t then I’d fail or miss things. It turns out that that was false. I highly recommend taking a calm approach to life! The quicker you can get there the better! 💓🙏💓 Closing Note from Glen: Thank you for sharing your questions with me. This was a very fun exercise. I’m really proud of all of you and the work you do on yourselves and the community you are building to better care and bring light and love to our teens that join us from around the globe. Thank you for putting in the effort and for looking out for one another. Keep up the GREAT work!!! With gratitude, Glen 🙏 Taglist: @CommunityModAnne @DarkerPlaces @Kitsies @Aceofallthespades @Coraline @politePlace5370 @unassumingEyes @Hereforyou83 @lavenderTown1883 @LovesSprintCars @KitKatashi @WhiskerLily @alwaysamy @ShiningBubble @Heather225 @GlenM

Teens interviewing Glen

Positivity & Gratitude / by AnnaSilverberg

March 9th

...See more ✨ Hay you wonderfuls! ✨ Our brilliant teens had some fantastic questions for our brilliant @GlenM (And @CommunityModAnne had a question too) 🤭 And Glen took the time to answer them all! Yes! Every single question! 💓🐑💓 Now🤔 So this doesn't get too long, I'll be posting this in a two post series. So 😲 Stay tuned!! 💓🐑💓 @CommunityModAnne What is your best tip for community mods and other leaders supporting teens on 7 Cups? GlenM Practice high warmth and high expectations. This is the way you bring out the best in others. 🙏 @DarkerPlaces If u could only eat food from 1 country for a whole week which country's food would u choose? GlenM Warm chocolate croissants from Italy. 🥐 Preferably by the sea with a delicious cup of coffee in the sun. 🙏 @Kitsies 7cups has 3 different ways that members and listeners can interact with each other; forums, group chats, and 1-1 conversations. All of these are distinct and offer different types of support. I would like to ask Glen, focusing specifically on teens in your response, what are the challenges that each of these 3 pillars of cups currently face from your perspective and what steps are being taken to work on improving these areas? 🤔 GlenM Great insight and good question. The core of 7 cups is caring for one another. That is the underlying central energy/goal/impulse. That occurs through the 3 mechanisms you’ve outlined. The mechanisms are also designed to promote that sense of better caring for one another (all of our game mechanics like hearting, badges, points, just-in-time-training etc.). Beyond these parameters, the 3 mechanisms are mostly neutral - like blank canvases - where a person enters info. For example, think of a book - a book is a very old technology. Books can be good, neutral, or bad. What matters is the text/structure etc. of the story or book. It is the same with the 3 mechanisms you described. The more we heal as individuals and as a community the better the content/care/love/compassion we send to others. Therefore, the very best thing we can do is help one another heal and recover so we can do a better job of caring for one another. This then becomes a sort of virtuous circle where it compounds and grows. We’ve been doing this for 12 years and I can tell you, as a community, we are a lot better at it now, compared to when we started in 2013 and we’ll keep making gains - hopefully more significant gains - month over month and year over year. 🙏 @Kitsies Focusing on teens, are there any plans to change the listener application process? Currently the way that it's set up feels very dated and not adjusted to the way that teens learn today. 🤔 GlenM No plans, but I’m always open to ideas. We can experiment and build on what we have. If you’d like to run some experiments - using the platform as it is - then I’d happily support those efforts! 🙏 @KitKatashi What do you think is the best advice you have ever given or received that sticks by you today and has actually contributed to changing your outlook on life's aspects?🙂 GlenM Love your neighbor as you love yourself. 🙏💓 🙏 @WhiskerLily If empathy were a school subject, what do you think the final exam should look like?🤔 GlenM It is a life subject (more important than school) and we are tested each day and every interaction 🙂 Thank you all so so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! 🥳 Thank you Glen for taking the time to answer all our questions! Want to see the next part? Go here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/gratitude/TeaTalkwithPeteMalu_2696/TeensinterviewingGlenPart2_378589/] ✨Have a wonderful rest of your day everyone ✨ ✨💙✨ ✨ Taglist: @CommunityModAnne @DarkerPlaces @Kitsies @Aceofallthespades @Coraline @politePlace5370 @unassumingEyes @Hereforyou83 @lavenderTown1883 @LovesSprintCars @KitKatashi @WhiskerLily @alwaysamy @ShiningBubble @Heather225 @GlenM

🌊What’s up with that River🌊

Positivity & Gratitude / by AnnaSilverberg

February 13th

...See more Welcome to Part 1 of the: What’s up with that River (A unique version of The Way of the River series [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/GlensNookCommunity_547/PartITheRiverExploringLifeasaRiver_296728/]) Alright, so like, imagine that life is like this giant river and you’re in a kayak you did not ask for. No tutorials included or how-to videos. No safety explanation. 🛶 Just all sorts of vibes and mild to extreme panic.🫨 We’re all in, no other option, sorry! 😭 Day one? You’re crashing into rocks 🪨, losing your paddle like it’s a slippery chicken nugget🍗 and spinning around like a fidget spinner. It’s fine. Totally fine. Then you start to feel the current pulling you. Sometimes you’re like, “Aye, take me where I need to go.” 🙂‍↕️ Other times you’re like, “Uuuh no, I want that awesome spot over there,” and you start paddling like you’re trying to escape a swarm of bees with clown faces. 🐝🤡 You fight the current the whole way, sweat😥, struggle, nearly cry once or twice😭 … and when you finally get there? It’s mid. No magic. Not worth the sweat. Just… meh.😒😒 It’s giving… disappointment. Like, “I did all that for THIS?” energy. 😒🤨 Some of us need to repeat this mistake 67 times before we get the memo. It’s okay. Growth era, we’re leveling up! 🎚️ But eventually, you start trusting the current. Like, “Heeey, it’s not that bad”. 🙂‍↕️ And suddenly it’s taking you past the places you thought you wanted, only to drop you off somewhere way better. Yaaas! Time to slay! ✨✨💅💅 And of course you’re like, “Wow, look at me discovering things, Yaaaas!” even though the current literally dragged you there like a mom pulling a toddler out of Target. 🎯 But the river isn’t always chill.🙂‍↔️Sometimes it’s like “Time for character development!” for reals, and throws you into rapids full of rocks, whirlpools, a group of ducks🦆, and sticks that seem personally offended by your existence.🧐 You flip over, get soaked, lose your cool status, and immediately blame the river like it’s out to get you. So unfair! 😩😩 So why does the hard stuff happen? 🤔 Because that’s where we level up! Where our character gets XP and even add-ons! Nobody becomes a pro kayaker on calm water. The rapids are where you level up.🙂‍↔️ Them stoic oldies aka the ancient kings of “it is what it is” said, “the problem is the path.” 👴 Those therapists that do ACT therapy agree: challenges are basically quests you’ve been avoiding. Side quests included.🙂‍↕️✨ A dude named Maslow goes full inspirational Tik Tok on us and says challenges are gifts, for real. Like weird, stressful, slightly cursed gifts, but still gifts.🎁🤓 Life’s river has chill parts, deep parts, and absolute chaotic and rocky parts. Not to mention those ducks! 🚣 But there are good news! You’re not paddling alone. Nu uh! We got you! 🫂 Fellow kayakers show up and teach you things that help navigating your now very awesome kayak. They come from all places and throughout many times in our journey to the river, for real. The goal to remember🥅: stop fighting the current like it insulted your dog🐶. Trust it a little more and it will take you places that you never imagined you’d travel to. There might even be some cookies included! 🍪 Reflection: 🤔 Think about a tough time you already survived. What would you tell a friend who’s currently getting emotionally yeeted around by the rapids? 🫂 ------------------------- Thank you all for reading! And thank you @GlenM for allowing me to tell your story in a different way! ✨💙✨ ✨

Thank you, Admins! 🐌

Group Support / by AnnaSilverberg

May 24th

The Harm from Toxic Positivity

General Support / by AnnaSilverberg

July 26th

...See more ✨Hay you wonderfuls!✨ Today, I want to talk about toxic positivity and the harm it causes. It’s so ingrained in society that it feels natural, and often we think we’re helping by using it. But the truth is, it doesn’t help 🙂‍↔️ 🤔What is toxic positivity? It’s the belief that we must stay positive at all times, even when facing pain or hardship. While optimism can be healthy, forcing positivity invalidates emotions and blocks authentic coping. The definition of toxic positivity is the pressure to simply shrug off all our troubles, to stay upbeat no matter what. Whilst dismissing or suppressing difficult emotions like sadness or overwhelm, even grief or anger. 😔Which is far from being healthy. We’ve all heard at some point in our lives things like “Just stay positive”, “Everything happens for a reason”, “It will get better, don’t worry so much about it”, “Good vibes only,” or my personal non-favorite “It could be worse”. 🙄 None of those sayings are helpful. These may be well-intentioned, but they dismiss real feelings and can harm both others and ourselves. 🚫Toxic positivity isn’t real support🚫 🤔Why is it harmful? 🔺 It invalidates emotions, making us feel guilty or weak for having them. 🔺It blocks healthy coping, leaving us unable to process difficult emotions and work through our struggles. It discourages us from working through them. 🔺It worsens mental health, increasing anxiety, depression, and isolation. 🔺It discourages vulnerability, leading to shallow rather than genuine connections. 🔺It replaces empathy with dismissal, leaving people unheard. Toxic positivity is never linked to empathy because you’re not using it when you’re using toxic positivity. You are dismissing what the other person is going through and making them feel like they’re the issue, and they should just stop talking about what they’re going through. 🤔What can we do instead? Acknowledge struggles: Validate that emotions, both good and bad, all emotions are natural. Use balanced optimism: Pair hope with honesty, e.g., “I’m sorry you’re struggling. I hope things get better", and "I’m here for you.” Check language: Avoid dismissive phrases; instead, say, “I hear you, this sounds difficult.” Create space: Allow room for both joy and sorrow, it builds resilience and genuine connection. Tl;dr: Toxic positivity is harmful because it silences real emotions, blocks healing, and isolates people. True well-being comes from embracing the full spectrum of human feelings, both light and dark. 🤔Looking at the 'Swap List' above, which of the 'Toxic' phrases do you find yourself using the most out of habit, and which 'Compassionate Alternative' are you going to challenge yourself to use? 💓🐑💓 Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, I hope this helps you 💓🐑💓 Many thanks to @Heather225 for encouraging me and helping me out! ✨💙✨ ✨

🦕🐨🐈Those opposite emotions 🦕🐨🐈

Positivity & Gratitude / by AnnaSilverberg

October 31st, 2025

...See more ✨Hay you wonderful sparks of amazement✨ We have a new Tea & Talk for you! 💓🐑💓 Pete 🦕, Malu 🐨 & Saja 🐈 have been spending their days in their wonderful emotional garden, watering sunflowers of joy🌻, trimming lavender of calm🪻, and gently tending to the cactus of anxiety🌵 They’ve been talking a lot about how feelings aren’t always neat or singular🤔 Because sometimes, they show up in pairs, sitting side by side like siblings who don’t always agree, but still both belong. Malu 🐨 feels like it’s confusing that those two opposite emotions can be present at the same time and Pete🦕 completely agrees🙂‍↕️ But Saja🐈 wags her tail, and kindly reminds them that emotions don’t wait their turn🙂‍↔️ Pete🦕, once worried that making a mistake meant he wasn’t growing. But Saja🐈 calmly reminded him: “Growth and mistakes can bloom together. One doesn’t cancel the other.” Pete🙂‍↕️ nodded, then planted a new sprout labeled Resilience🌱 💡Two Opposite Things Can Be True at the Same Time 😮 This idea can really help when life feels tough😩 If you’re dealing with stuff like sadness or stress, you might see things in black and white. But real life is full of grey areas🩶 Same with relationship🙂‍↕️ You might love someone, but also know they’re not good for you. It’s okay to feel both. That’s how you start healing. 🌼 Things That Can Co-Exist in the Garden of Feelings🌼 Growing & Messing Up: Saja🐈 tripped over a rock while chasing butterflies🦋 She felt clumsy, but Malu🐨 said, “That’s how we learn where the rocks are”🪨 Feeling Anxious & Being Brave: Malu🐨 gets nervous before trying new things, like painting with his hearing aids in🦻 But each brushstroke builds courage🎨🖌️ Owning Mistakes & Forgiving Yourself: Pete🦕 once forgot to water💦 the cactus🌵 He felt bad, but he apologized and gave it extra care💓 the next day Wanting More & Being Grateful: Malu🐨 dreams of climbing the tallest eucalyptus tree 🌳 but he also loves his cozy naps under the weighted blanket 🥱😴 Being Vulnerable & Strong: Saja 🐈 cried when she missed her favorite star🌟 Pete held her paw 🐾 and said, “Tears are strong too.” 💓 Grieving & Laughing: 💐They planted forget-me-nots for someone they missed💐 Then they danced in the rain🌧️💃🕺 Being Scared & Showing Up Anyway: Saja🐈 was scared to speak up, but she did it anyway💪 Pete called it “bravery in bloom.” 🪻 Caring & Letting Go: Pete🦕 learned to let go of a wilting flower🥀 but still whispered, “Thank you for growing with me”🫂 Having a Plan & Feeling Unsure: Malu🐨 packed a picnic for a new trail🎒 unsure of the path but excited for the journey 🤔 Being Strong & Asking for Help: Saja🐈 asked Malu🐨 to carry the watering can💦 Malu🐨 smiled and said, “Even strong tails need a break.” 💓🐑💓 🌙 In Pete 🦕, Malu 🐨 and Saja’s 🐈 world, feelings don’t fight for space, instead they learn to breathe together. Healing isn’t about choosing one over the other. It’s about holding both gently, like flower petals in the wind. 🤔 Some questions for you 🤔 🌻 Have you ever felt two opposite emotions at once? What was that like? 🌵 How could knowing that emotions can mix help you deal with tough stuff? 🪻 Which pair above do you relate to most? Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this, this post is 100% inspired by post that @daydreammemories created and they deserve full credit for all the work 💓 Here is a link to their post [https://www.7cups.com/forum/anxiety/General_2428/EmbracingComplexityThingsthatcanCoExist_367211/](clickable) [https://www.7cups.com/forum/anxiety/General_2428/EmbracingComplexityThingsthatcanCoExist_367211/] ✨Remember that you are all sparks of amazement, capable of endless kindness ✨ ✨💙✨ ✨ Tagging a few friends: @theboymoana @moonlight52 @admirableNarwhal879 @selanaluna77 @kitsies @Pickoff @Lumibree @SingingOcean4 @DarkerPlaces @aquaaaaa @bugsreverywhere @NobleSeeker @Falco18 @yourlocalIKEA @treefrog1234 @Angiewaa

Search more from @AnnaSilverberg

Feedback & Reviews

Helped alot it means alot to me

Thank you Anna for giving me a safe place every Tuesday. You always listen with care and I feel like I can be true to myself when talking to you.

Best listener I’ve had. The very best. I always feel lighter after chatting. Provides questions and useful tools. Just amazing. Thank you Anna.

Anna is my favorite mentor of all time! 🫶They are always patiently explaining how things work in chatrooms, welcoming new members and creating laughters. In 1-1 Their light never failed to guide me to improve 🥹

Wonderful, beautiful, amazing woman

very helpful, sweet, funny, and talented

Anna has been patient, positive and understanding listener all the way. And she really cares. Thank you for being a good one!

Anna was attentive and responsive with flexible thought.

Anna is a good listener. On point supportive words, shares coping techniques and reframes words for our better understanding

Thank you!

Beautiful listener.

Felt at ease, soothing and understanding. A warm presence that does not judge and is always welcoming. A rare treat.

Fantastic listener. The queen of Hyperborea.

Thank you for helping make things clear for me. Great Listener!

A ray of light and hope. Infinite gratitude.

She is wonderful. Really knew how to relate and was patient, attentive and empathetic.

Wonderful listener, listens attentively and helped me a lot

Awesome Listener, really helped me to work through the pros and cons of a difficult situation. Thanks 💕

good

Super supportive. Anna thank you for listening to me about the stress that I have been under and for making me feel like it was okay to take care of myself. You're awesome, here's some glitter, you deserve it, you awesome person

Anna is an example for all who wish to be a Listener.

Hello Ms. Anna. I am very grateful to meet you. I had a emotional crisis before meeting you and after our conversation I've felt a lil better and relieved, thank you. While I share my secret to you I feel very comfortable. Thank you for voluntarily choosing to help people here. You helped a lot. Once again, thank you.

Amazing super understanding!

Anna is such as amazing person! She is so dedicated to everything she does. Thank you so much for being a wonderful human. ❤️

Very kind hearted.

Great listener and understanding

Thank you for your kindness

She listened to me very attentively, was patient, kind with her words and I definitely felt comfortable sharing things with her, thank you so much for your time

Always kind and supportive

You've been with me thru thick and thin. Thanks

Very caring, concerning; she talked with me as a friend would do in a long night crowded of thoughts. Thanks for your presence Anna 🍃

Thank you Anna for consistently supporting me thru no matter what is going on. Means the world to me.

Always very caring and concerned about me. Thank you!

Thank you for you kindness and concern for my wellbeing

Anna, Anna, Anna. How can I describe Anna. Caring, knowledge, truthful, wise, unique. The list goes on. Anna, Anna, Anna.

U r da best Anna!

Anna, you are beyond wonderful and I want you and the world to know that. Please keep up the outstanding work you do on 7 cups.

I am grateful for Anna and her calming spirit. She helps me settle down and honestly think thru things. Thank you 7 cups for having Anna as a listener.

Best listener on range platform!!!

Anna is superb. And they give the best hugs. Thank you.

Very sweet person. ♡ Thanks for allowing me to open up and vent.

Absolutely fantastic chat. Highly recommend that you give her a raise.

Gentle and kind listener. Helped bring down my anxiety.

Anna is absolutely amazing. She is one of the sweetest people on this app. She always is such a safe and supportive person for me to come to and chat about anything that is bothering me. I never feel any judgement from her. Nothing but love and genuine support. I can talk to her about things that I may not feel comfortable talking to others about. She asks really awesome and thought provoking questions that allow me to think about my situation from a point of view that I may not have considered. If you are looking for an amazing listener that really does care, I would definitely recommend messaging Anna. You will walk away from the chat feeling just a little lighter

Truly amazing!Very helpful!

Anna is such a down-to-earth person who really takes time with the conversation and I'm glad that I chose her.

Wonderful and really patient listener. I appreciated Anna's punctuality and the thoughtful questions that were asked during our conversation. Gave me the space to talk, and a really confortable chat overall. Much appreciated

Undoubtedly the best listener!!! Very respectful, patient. Just amazing!

I don't even know if I can leave 2 rewiews but here goes my second one, considering the first doesn't make justice to all I could say about her. Anna is the perfect definition of a good listener. She's empathetic and natural and absolutely human. I know I'm already a better person in comparison to what I was before we met, and I can't thank her enough for working with me, for me. She showed me hope and for the first time in years, I found a listener who cared to look a little bit deeper than my defenses. She reminded me of the good in myself, and i know that if I can help one person the way she helped me, then I'm in the right path in my life. Really, thank you for always listening, and for being here.

Very knowledgeable, insightful, validating and friendly. 10 out of 10 would recommend.

Anna is just a wonderful person in so so many ways. She listened to me, she made me feel heard and the chat was amazing. I appreciate Anna so so much and she has helped me loads. Anna you're truly amazing ♡ You helped me more than anyone else ever has in my life and I cant thank you enough ♡♡

Anna is such a darling

Anna is a wonderful listener who really listened and didn't get upset with me for having unusual problems. I just loved her. Hope we can chat again. She's got a beautiful heart. ❤

I really liked to talk to Anna, It was really peacefull and understanding :)

Anna seems like a very caring and sensitive person. I appreciate her honesty and willingness to listen to my concerns with an open mind. Nice person.

a lovely person, made my time a little easier.

Anna is a real credit to 7cups. Felt safe talking with her. She listened without judging. Made it easier for me. Thank you Anna.

She was so awesome and listened to everything I'm going through. I was nervous at first but she's really easy to talk to. I'm so glad we connected.

amazing listener

Very kind and helpful. I felt reassured and the chat put me in a better peace of mind.

Doing great at listening and being respectful

Absolutely fantastic ❤️

Truly amazing person heart of gold helped me in my time of need

Great listener and highly empathic

Anna has been an empathetic and understanding listener to me. She really knows what being a listener is.

Really empathetic person, felt like a part of my family, such a good and natural chat. Absolutely wonderful.

The best listener!Kind, understanding, sympathetic, smart and caring!

Had a fantastic chat with her, she is very reliable and has great advice. Please try her for your troubles, as she is extremely helpful. Thank you so much.

So wise, intelligent and kind. Thank you

Outstanding listener, thoughtful and inspirational, stuck with me through a lot before I could turn around my attitude, I'm feeling better now

unbelievably smart, insightful. just wonderful

Lovely listener, thank you.

What an amazing listener. asked thought provoking questions. was engaged. I felt great throughout the entire session. fully recommend

A really good listener, kind and understands well. Gives great advice also, thanks very much for your time. A great chat.

Excellent and intelligent listener!

loved it! awesome chat!

Great listener. Talking to her helped me. She genuinely tries to help. I appreciate that.

very good and clean simple chat , i felt understood

loved it! awesome chat!

she is an incredible listener she is a great person she is kind-hearted and incredibly smart , talented, wise, and gives amazing advices she is honest and relatable she is passionate about helping others she is like the person you all wished to have in your life she absolutely deserves some kind of a medal I can go on but let's not make it too long for readers but do not miss trying to chat with her whenever she is free she is a person made of gold

Bio

Recent forum posts

About Us

Get Started

Online Therapy

Terms

Bio

Recent forum posts

About Us

Get Started

Online Therapy

Terms

Personal Conversation Requests

General Conversation Requests

New Messages