Is Positivity Toxic? WTF?
Is positivity toxic?
Article Summary
Toxic Positivity is a term thrown out there instead of “forced positivity.” Kathie discusses the term and why this is her most polarizing topic.
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The first time I heard the term!
I first heard this term about a year ago. It just feels wrong to me. But I truly wanted to understand this concept so I did some research. I now understand why and when someone would view thinking positively as toxic. But positivity itself is NOT toxic. What is toxic? FORCED positivity.
🥴Who came up with this term anyhow? First of all, positivity is not even a real word. And second of all, if it were the two terms do not go together. It is a true oxymoron.
So what is toxic positivity? Well, I find it to be when something really tragic happens and someone tells you, "Everything happens for a reason." or "Just think positive it will be over soon." That my friends are forcing positive vibes on someone who needs to grieve. That is FORCED positivity.
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A book called Toxic Positivity!?
@sitwithwhit on Instagram is releasing a book titled Toxic Positivity.🤢 Her content is spot on and excellent so I am sure the book will be as well. But what she is really talking about is FORCED positivity. I do wish she would change the title. But as it is with kids nowadays, (yes I can call them kids, I am in my 50s) they go with whatever is hip! And unfortunately, toxic positivity is hip!
I have been labeled 'toxic positivity' by @miriamfried when the race situation was going on in June 2020. She posted that she was angry and I replied anger never solved anything. She totally laid into me that I was "blinded by the light" because I would not get angry with her and that I unfollowed her due to this.
Little did she know, or even try to understand, that I had unfollowed her months ago due to her prissy pants attitude about how she is, and has been, forcing (see the diagram above) her ideas of change in the fitness industry, instead of acknowledging the great way she could be an influence, with power. And she has 140,000 followers.😲 Poor gal, her mind is in the wrong place. Not always, just don't get on her bad side or disagree with her because she can be downright mean.
You see, I told her that I was listening to Abraham Hicks and their thoughts on the world instead of getting angry. Miriam quickly shouted back at me (in front of all her followers who rallied against me as well - how rude!) that she did not care what the 'white people' I follow were saying.
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Abraham Hicks is a spiritual entity
"Um, Miriam, Abraham is a spiritual entity. They are not of color. Nor are they forcing their influence onto blind followers." But she would not hear any of it.
I still check in on Miriam from time to time, just to see how that "toxic positivity" is working for her. Let's just say, she's still forcing her opinions down her poor followers' throats. And she's not open to anything else. That is toxic!! But to each his own.
I continue to watch for toxic positivity and what it really means. It means that you are forcing positive thinking on someone who is still grieving. Grief takes time. Go through the stages and trust the process.
Life is not about everything being rosy all the time, otherwise, we might not appreciate what is going on in the present moment.
Perhaps all those who think positivity is toxic need to re-read that sentence. Or maybe they would see that as toxic. 😯