Happy Front-Row Friday! This week, I’m excited to delve into a topic close to my heart. As a lifelong optimist, I would like to pose an interesting question, can you be too positive? After a post on the importance of having a positive mental attitude, I was accused of promoting ‘toxic positivity’. I hadn’t heard the term before, so I took a deeper look into its meaning.
I have a friend and colleague who is a cancer and brain aneurysm survivor who had just written an article about the topic. I learned from Courtney Clark, that there is an intricate dance between maintaining a positive outlook and honoring our genuine emotions.
Decoding Toxic Positivity: I learned and explain in today’s video the nuances behind this modern term and why it’s capturing so much attention. Toxic Positivity is when you feel pressured to force yourself to be positive even when you’re not feeling it.
Where does authenticity fit into the discussion? If you force anything, covering up your authentic self, your emotional health takes a hit. Embracing your true feelings is essential and it’s completely okay to feel less than perfect.
Emotional Mindfulness: If you have a belief that you must be positive at all costs, you may show insensitively to others who come to you with their true feelings. If you respond with “Get over it!” or “Stay positive!”, you rob someone of the validation of how they are doing. If anyone suppresses how they really feel to put on a brave face, eventually the truth will come out. If there is a LOT of emotion suppressed, that’s when people lose it, or even flip out over something that doesn’t warrant such an overreaction. Today’s video will help you navigate your emotions with grace and compassion, transforming how you respond to life’s ups and downs.
One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer is to go to your inner-circle of friends, or your ‘front-row’ friends who you trust. Go to these people in time of need and let them know how you are really feeling so they can offer you the support you need. I don’t recommend sharing all your issues to the masses on social media, as you invite unwanted and unsolicited advice and judgement from people you don’t know. Turn to your trusted allies who can hold space for you when times get tough.
Finally, I asked the question “Can you be too positive?” to a dear friend who is facing a re-occurrence of a cancer diagnosis. His answer will surprise and inspire you!
Embracing our difficult emotions can lead to faster emotional recovery. This key insight from today’s discussion could be a game-changer for how you handle challenges.
If you enjoy today’s video, feel free to spread the word by sharing it with someone in need of a little genuine positivity.
Wishing you a joyful weekend with genuine connections,
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
P.S. Let me know your thoughts on today’s episode or share your own experiences with balancing positivity and reality. Eager for more topics? Let me know what you’d like to see more of in this Front-Row Friday series. As always, thanks for watching!
