Yep – You CAN be TOO Positive!

Heard from a person who follows my professional Facebook page. We spoke of toxic positivity.

That is when people try to out-do the negative by being totally positive.

We’ll get through this.

Think positive thoughts.

Surround yourself with goodness.

That toxic positivity can inadvertently disallow a person to mourn or address real issues affecting themselves.

It can create conditions where the person feels to blame for their situation or health matters because of not trying to be positive enough.

It can set up unrealistic expectations thus dooming one to feeling a bigger failure when things don’t work out.

Rather than that positive and unrealistic positivity, consider honesty, authenticity and transparency.

Be open to discuss the pain and accept circumstances. Address that which is painful and distressing.

Therein we acknowledge our humanity.

Therein we may come to terms with the issues of our pain.

Therein we find connection with others.

Therein we come to acknowledge and legitimize our experience and with that, may find acceptance.

I appreciated this person’s conversation as well as their struggles.

Seek to keep it real.

---

Are you following me on Facebook yet? If not, you are missing many more posts!

I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice. I am available in person and by video conferencing.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW

gary@yoursocialworker.com
www.yoursocialworker.com for counseling and support

www.garydirenfeld.com – to build your successful practice

Gary Direnfeld is a social worker. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider him an expert in social work, marital and family therapy, child development, parent-child relations and custody and access matters. Gary is the host of the TV reality show, Newlywed, Nearly Dead, former parenting columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and author of Marriage Rescue: Overcoming the ten deadly sins in failing relationships. Gary maintains a private practice in Georgina Ontario, providing a range of services for people in distress. He speaks at conferences and workshops throughout North America. He consults to mental health professionals as well as to mediators and collaborative law professionals about good practice as well as building their practice.