{"id":1230,"date":"2023-01-08T11:55:25","date_gmt":"2023-01-08T11:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/?p=1230"},"modified":"2023-01-08T11:55:51","modified_gmt":"2023-01-08T11:55:51","slug":"toxic-positivity-examples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Toxic Positivity Examples: Have You Lost Touch with Reality and Yourself?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Be positive. We hear this piece of advice all the time. While realistic optimism is great, it\u2019s important to not fall victim to <em>blind positivity<\/em>, which can prove more harmful than it may seem. First of all, you need to be aware of how it shows up in daily life, and that\u2019s why we list a few toxic positivity examples below.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #222222;color:#222222\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #222222;color:#222222\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#What_Is_Toxic_Positivity_The_Definition\" title=\"What Is Toxic Positivity? The Definition\">What Is Toxic Positivity? The Definition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#8_Toxic_Positivity_Examples_You_Should_Be_Aware_of\" title=\"8 Toxic Positivity Examples You Should Be Aware of\">8 Toxic Positivity Examples You Should Be Aware of<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#1_Running_away_from_negative_experiences\" title=\"1. Running away from negative experiences\">1. Running away from negative experiences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#2_Avoiding_uncomfortable_conversations\" title=\"2. Avoiding uncomfortable conversations\">2. Avoiding uncomfortable conversations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#3_Bottling_up_your_negative_emotions\" title=\"3. Bottling up your negative emotions\">3. Bottling up your negative emotions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#4_Zero_tolerance_for_criticism\" title=\"4. Zero tolerance for criticism\">4. Zero tolerance for criticism<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#5_Faking_your_emotions\" title=\"5. Faking your emotions\">5. Faking your emotions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#6_Being_selfish\" title=\"6. Being selfish\">6. Being selfish<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#7_Neglecting_the_truth\" title=\"7. Neglecting the truth\">7. Neglecting the truth<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/#8_Being_naive_and_believing_that_positivity_is_the_answer_to_all_problems\" title=\"8. Being na\u00efve and believing that positivity is the answer to all problems\">8. Being na\u00efve and believing that positivity is the answer to all problems<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Toxic_Positivity_The_Definition\"><\/span>What Is Toxic Positivity? The Definition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It means practicing unrealistic and blind positive thinking, which makes you overlook potential risks in any given situation and avoid every bit of negativity, including your own feelings.<\/p>\n<p>This approach may leave you suppressing your negative emotions because you seek to stay positive all the time. This can have lasting effects on your mental and physical health, so toxic positivity can do more harm than you think. In essence, this mindset makes you <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/how-to-be-true-to-yourself\/\">lose touch both with reality and yourself<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The point is to be able to tell the difference between healthy positivity and toxic one. If you suspect that you might suffer from this way of thinking, read through the toxic positivity examples below.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Toxic_Positivity_Examples_You_Should_Be_Aware_of\"><\/span>8 Toxic Positivity Examples You Should Be Aware of<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Running_away_from_negative_experiences\"><\/span>1. Running away from negative experiences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Life is complex and consists of both negative and positive experiences. You can\u2019t just push a button and switch off every bit of negativity in your life.<\/p>\n<p>A telling example of toxic positivity is when you try to avoid problems and challenges out of fear that facing them will make you feel bad. You need to stay positive 24\/7, right?<\/p>\n<p>In reality, you can\u2019t. Healthy positive thinking is not about forcing yourself to feel happy all the time. It\u2019s about reminding yourself of the bright side of life when everything goes wrong.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: Your special someone\u2019s behavior has been annoying you for a while now, but you don\u2019t call him\/her out. Instead, you put up with the situation and try to pretend like the problem is not there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Avoiding_uncomfortable_conversations\"><\/span>2. Avoiding uncomfortable conversations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-938\" src=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/feeling-unappreciated-in-a-relationship.jpg\" alt=\"feeling unappreciated in a relationship\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/feeling-unappreciated-in-a-relationship.jpg 800w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/feeling-unappreciated-in-a-relationship-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/feeling-unappreciated-in-a-relationship-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In a similar way, you can\u2019t talk only about positive things all the time. It\u2019s also not possible to entirely avoid misunderstandings and arguments. You will inevitably need to have conversations on difficult, depressing, and boring topics.<\/p>\n<p>The truth is that negative experiences and phenomena are the ones that prompt us to think and grow. So, when you refuse to ponder and talk about frustrating things, it can be a sign that your positive thinking is unrealistic and unproductive.<\/p>\n<p>This behavior is among the examples of toxic positivity because you seek to avoid anything that could make you feel low.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: Your friend is telling you about a negative scenario for the world economy, and you begin to feel worried. Instead of listening to him and thinking it over, you are trying to end the conversation as soon as possible and shift it to a more pleasant topic.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Bottling_up_your_negative_emotions\"><\/span>3. Bottling up your negative emotions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you feel angry at someone or <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/feeling-defeated-in-life\/\">disappointed with your life<\/a>, you run away from what you feel and try to convince yourself that everything is fine and you are calm and happy. You basically don\u2019t allow yourself to feel every bit of negativity.<\/p>\n<p>This is not a healthy approach, and it only leads you to suppress your emotions, which can have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2764381\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">adverse effects on your health<\/a>. We are only humans and it\u2019s natural to experience both positive and negative emotions.<\/p>\n<p>Facing your discontent or anger is the first step in overcoming it. If you pretend like it doesn\u2019t exist, you are forcing yourself into toxic positivity, which doesn\u2019t help you deal with the actual situation.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: For the last few months, you\u2019ve been feeling like your life is a joke and you are walking the wrong path. Everything you do feels dull and pointless. But instead of asking yourself why you are experiencing this <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/existential-depression-signs\/\">existential crisis<\/a>, you keep convincing yourself that it\u2019s all fine and your life is great.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Zero_tolerance_for_criticism\"><\/span>4. Zero tolerance for criticism<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Toxic positivity means a lack of realistic perception, and it often leaves us being overly confident of ourselves and our plans. We neglect the risks and overlook our faults. We think like whatever we do is right and we are going to succeed no matter what.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why it is also called <em>blind positivity<\/em>\u2014it clouds your judgment and doesn\u2019t let you see the actual situation.<\/p>\n<p>This also means that a person who thinks this way won\u2019t easily accept criticism, even if it\u2019s constructive. They will take it as a personal attack and accuse you of ruining their dreams and being too negative.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: You are telling your friend about your plan to open a yoga studio. She says that your neighborhood already has some yoga classes, so maybe you should think about opening it somewhere else. You get upset and accuse your friend of being overly critical and negative.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Faking_your_emotions\"><\/span>5. Faking your emotions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1235\" src=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faking-emotions.jpg\" alt=\"fake positivity examples\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faking-emotions.jpg 800w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faking-emotions-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/faking-emotions-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes it\u2019s also called <em>fake positivity<\/em>. And this term makes perfect sense, since an unhealthy urge to stay positive all the time can prompt you to fake your feelings. The biggest problem is that you don\u2019t just pretend around other people, but you also don\u2019t face what you feel when you are alone.<\/p>\n<p>You run away from your negative emotions and fake being happy. You think that your strained smiles and the words you don\u2019t mean are an indication of being a positive person who is always nice to everybody. In reality, such behavior is a sign of toxic positivity and fakeness.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: You are holding grudges against your sister for an argument you recently had. Instead of talking it out, you keep acting like nothing happened and pretend to be friendly and cheerful while even being around her makes you feel bitter.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Being_selfish\"><\/span>6. Being selfish<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Toxic positivity can sometimes make us pretty selfish and unfeeling. We are so obsessed with staying positive and avoiding the slightest frustration that we end up dismissing other people\u2019s feelings.<\/p>\n<p>When someone you care about deals with a challenging situation, you may choose to avoid them instead of helping them out. This is because even talking about the problem they face is going to fill you with negativity. Such an approach is among the most telling examples of toxic positivity.<\/p>\n<p>You are so busy with keeping a positive state of mind that you find it easier to <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/communication\/stay-away-from-negative-people\/\">stay away from anyone<\/a> who is having a hard time. Yes, it makes sense to keep a distance from chronic complainers and <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/personality\/bitter-person-definition-signs\/\">bitter people<\/a>, but this is different from giving a hand to a friend who happens to be in trouble.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: Your friend has ongoing issues in his relationship and wants to talk about it, but you avoid him because you don\u2019t want to have a depressing conversation and deal with his disappointments and hurt feelings.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Neglecting_the_truth\"><\/span>7. Neglecting the truth<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Blind positivity makes you neglect the truth and live in an illusory world where it\u2019s all rainbows and butterflies. Real life is nothing like that.<\/p>\n<p>When you choose to ignore objective factors out of the need to always stay positive, you set yourself up for failure. As we already said above, positivity is good as long as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4467896\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">it\u2019s realistic<\/a>. When it makes you turn a blind eye to the sober reality of life, it becomes toxic.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: Take the toxic positivity example above where a woman talks to her friend about opening a yoga studio. Instead of taking constructive feedback into account, she is busy accusing her friend of negativity. She overlooks the risks of opening a studio in a neighborhood where there already are yoga classes.<\/p>\n<p>The result? The woman in our example will probably have trouble attracting clients to her new studio. All because she ignored the reality and focused on keeping a positive mindset.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Being_naive_and_believing_that_positivity_is_the_answer_to_all_problems\"><\/span>8. Being na\u00efve and believing that positivity is the answer to all problems<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-772\" src=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/running-away-from-yourself.jpg\" alt=\"running away from yourself\" width=\"700\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/running-away-from-yourself.jpg 700w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/running-away-from-yourself-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/running-away-from-yourself-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Some people who are obsessed with positivity seem to think that it\u2019s the universal solution for all problems. They say that all you need to do is think positively, and then things will go as you wish.<\/p>\n<p>In reality, if you have a dream or a goal, you need to take drastic action in the first place. Positivity is great only when it\u2019s paired with real effort. If you dream about something but do nothing to achieve it, an optimistic outlook alone won\u2019t work. Sitting and waiting for a miracle to happen is na\u00efve.<\/p>\n<p>I often recommend practicing positive affirmations. They can indeed prove effective for achieving different goals, from <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/affirmations-for-confidence-self-esteem\/\">boosting your self-esteem<\/a> to <a href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/affirmations-for-friendship\/\">making new friends<\/a>. But to make them work, you also need to go out and meet new people if you seek to expand your circle. Just repeating these positive statements and waiting for a new friend to knock on your door is apparently not enough!<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Example: Your college buddy admits he didn\u2019t study enough for the exam, so now he is afraid that he won\u2019t pass it. You tell him that he should think positively, and then everything will be fine.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>To sum up, positive thinking can be a powerful tool for self-improvement and dealing with adversities and disappointments. However, the key point is to keep it realistic. As you have seen in the toxic positivity examples above, practicing blind optimism is more harmful than it is productive.<\/p>\n<p>So, make sure to not lose touch with reality in your attempt to be a more positive person. And most importantly, don&#8217;t lose touch with yourself.<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freepik.com\/free-photo\/stylish-bearded-male-t-shirt-cute-female-with-yellow-headband-smiling-unnaturally-showing-their-white-perfect-teeth_9765312.htm\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Featured image by wayhomestudio<\/a> on Freepik<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Be positive. We hear this piece of advice all the time. While realistic optimism is great, it\u2019s important to not fall victim to blind positivity, which can prove more harmful than it may seem. First of all, you need to be aware of how it shows up in daily life, and that\u2019s why we list &#8230; <a title=\"8 Toxic Positivity Examples: Have You Lost Touch with Reality and Yourself?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/mind\/toxic-positivity-examples\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about 8 Toxic Positivity Examples: Have You Lost Touch with Reality and Yourself?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1230"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1230"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1237,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1230\/revisions\/1237"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/powerofmisfits.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}