How often do you hear phrases like “it could be worse” or “look on the bright side,” and yet somehow you feel worse? Although well-intentioned, phrases like these and many others can do more harm than good. Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter the circumstances, difficult or dire, all people should maintain a positive outlook and mindset. This mindset rejects all hard emotions to ensure a cheerful day and often a false facade. This kind of forced positivity is almost a compulsion to view life as a series of positive events, followed by being hopeful about the positive times to come. However, no matter how well-intended this idea is, people soon realize that life is not always rainbows and butterflies. Just like two positives make a negative — This form of forced positivity denies reality and is not helpful (Tiffany, 2023). Leaning towards a form of toxicity.
