Toxic Positivity

I would like to share a post that I have found because I have wanted to address the issue of Toxic Positivity

It can be hard to know when to distinguish between the two, so I hope this post can give guidance to listeners who may struggle with expressing positivity in a healthy way ( it can be hard to do, I struggle with this as well!)

Why is this important? In a forum that is centered around positivity, I think sometimes it can be hard to recognize that we could be (unintentionally) pushing off or ignoring the very real emotions and situations people are going through by saying something along the lines of "Everything will be okay!" "There is nothing to worry about!" etc etc. 

And although, a line like "Everything will be okay" may be helpful coupled with other sentences of empathy and understanding of what the person is going through, words like these can be harmful and can diminish the other people's feelings or concerns when not used in the right context. 

It is also important to make space for negative feelings such as sadness and anger whether it is for yourself or for the people around you. It is healthy to express these emotions with balance and you do not have to be positive/happy/care free all the time! (That is what makes us wonderfully human :) )

This isn't just for listeners but for members as well! Whether it is the fact that you want to be a supportive friend for someone going through a hard time OR you struggle with dealing with your own emotions and hide it with positivity (a lot of people do this so you are not alone!)

I hope this is helpful! Let's be on the journey to healthy positivity together! :)