Toxic Positivity

Negative emotions are challenging to deal with—but that doesn't mean we shouldn't feel them. Feeling all of our feelings in full, positive or negative, is part of being human and navigating the world. 

Or, in the words of a children’s adventure song about going on a safari journey, “Can't go over it, can't go under it. Can't go around it. Gotta go through it.” 

Suppressing our emotions does not resolve our problems but tends to cause failure to resolve the underlying issue, and it can also breed feelings of shame, guilt, and anxiety. 

Here are eight indications that it may be time to tackle negative feelings head-on. 

1. When numbing painful emotions, you find that you feel numb to the positive 

emotions as well.

2. When It is hard to remember who you are because you are busy pretending 

to be someone else.

3. When you view negative emotions as bad rather than emotions that are harder 

to experience or that cause more distress. 

4. When you think that suppressing emotions makes them easier to manage.

5. When we overgeneralize how happy we are or deny, minimize and

 invalidate what we are feeling.

6. When we judge how others process their feelings, thus limiting ourselves.

7. When our words don't match our actions, or we refuse to be held accountable.

8. When we use constant positivity as a  form of avoidance.