KeithI’m a great believer in positive thinking. However, as hundreds of online influencers press hard for you to “think positive”, I think it’s time that we looked at the other side of positive thinking, the side that hardly ever gets a mention.
Toxic Positivity
When something bad happens to you, and it will even if you constantly think positive, it is very important that you “feel” those emotions that come with the “event” rather than trying to out positive each and every situation.
Feelings, emotions, are meant to be felt. If you constantly cover them up with positivity and ignore them, eventually they will rise up within you and create problems, this could be a physical health problem, or a mental health problem. Positivity can quickly turn to toxicity if you ignore your emotions.
Positive thinking does create better life situations, this is true. By being positive, you will attract better situations into your life, we know this because even a smile has the power to light up other human beings. But, ignore your emotions at your peril, we need time and space to feel and process emotions such as grief, heartbreak, etc. Plastering over these emotions by just being positive can store up huge physical and mental problems in the future.
Let go, let it all out.
Denial Of Reality
Overemphasizing positive thinking can also lead to ignoring real problems. If someone believes that just thinking positively will solve everything, they might avoid taking necessary actions, whether it’s addressing financial struggles, health issues, or relationship problems.
Positive thinking is definitely an asset but it won’t replace action. Dealing with your problems through action is far better than just adopting positive thinking to think that somehow they will all disappear.
A False Sense Of Control
While a positive mindset can improve motivation, it doesn’t mean that we control everything. The idea that “good vibes attract good things” oversimplifies reality and can lead to disappointment when things don’t go as expected. Good vibes are better than bad vibes and positive thinking in the long term can change things some things for the better, but we must also be realistic in the fact that we can’t change everything with positive thinking.
Sometimes, happy positive people have bad things happen to them and also on the flipside, some negative people have good things happen to them. Not all millionaires are happy and not all poor people are miserable. Positive thinking, although admirable, it does have its grey areas.
I hope this post has given you a realistic idea about positive thinking. I’ve studied human psychology for over 40 years and I trust positive thinking to attract a better life as an alternative to thinking negatively, but like anyone, I have my bad days. Thinking positively doesn’t mean you always say, think and feel the right things.
When bad things happen to you, and they will, take time to feel and process how you feel about it. don’t cover up feelings, let them out and express them as any human being should.
A final word from me: Take care of yourself, don’t let life get you down, make the most of what you have and enjoy it. Seek help if you are finding it difficult to cope and don’t wait for happiness to tap you on the shoulder, it’s already yours. You are happy, the moment you decide you are. Life may be difficult at times but just like winter and summer, it comes and goes.
I hope you liked this post, if you did, why not share it on social media, and do leave a comment below.
Have a great day
Keith
P.S If you suffer from any of the issues mentioned in this post, please go to Mental Health UK
Mental Health America or find your country’s mental health establishment by typing Mental Health followed by your country into Google.
Add comment