Toxic positivity can leave the room.
I saw a post on LinkedIn that said -
”You can accomplish everything you set your mind to if you work hard and have a positive mindset.”
And I couldn’t help myself, I replied. I won’t share with you the reply, unless you REALLY want to read it (shoot me an email).
ASIDE - Do you ever have those moments where you hear or read something, and you cannot help but comment back highlighting why the comment isn’t 100% correct? And then you say it, or click “enter” and you wait for the backlash?
Readers, here’s a little secret - you don’t always accomplish everything you set your mind to, no matter how hard you work or how positive your mindset is. That’s a sweeping statement, and a LOT of toxic positivity.
I know I will have written about toxic positivity before, it’s a personal bug bear, you can’t “live laugh love” your way through life. You can’t manifest $$$ just from thinking good thoughts or working hard. Because - LIFE.
I see signs like “good vibes only” and I inwardly yell “FUCK OFF!!!” Because ignoring the whole self, ignoring the pain, the boredom, the sadness, the stress, the anxiety - that’s not living your whole life.
Why are empty platitudes toxic? Because they make you reflect on your life and you realise “shit, I have not accomplished everything I set my mind to - is it because I don’t work hard enough or have a positive attitude?!”
No, no, no.
And most days you know that, except the days you’re feeling a little low so scroll for longer than usual and see the empty platitudes and then start to feel a little worse about yourself because you’re not feeling positive and maybe that’s the reason why your life feels like it sucks a little more than usual.
The reason you haven’t accomplished everything you set your mind to is because you aren’t an upper class white cis male. It has nothing to do with how hard you work, or how positive you make yourself feel.
I love a good quote, I love feeling empowered by the things others say, BUT if you’re telling me that all my dreams (a camper van, a family trip to Disney, mortgage free living, a stress free business, kids who sleep through the night, the ability to teleport) can be achieved by working harder and being positive - you can quite frankly piss off.
Until next time - L xx
