Stop The Lies. Positive ≠ Optimistic.

What does it really mean to be “positive”?

Photograph by Ba Tik from Canva

One of the things I dislike most as an advocate for and avid learner of positive psychology is the ongoing battle with the imbecilic notion that a positive mindset is equal to some sort of boundless optimism. As if the inherent struggle of positive versus negative wasn’t already enough. It seems as though this idea has become so ingrained in the minds of the general public, that we have collectively devolved into a hopeless subcategory conversation between positivity and negativity known as the poorly defined and majorly depressive topic of “toxic positivity.”

When I published my first book, The Book of Positive Affirmationsº, I was met with a ton of responses, most of which can be filed under three distinct categories or types. At the front of the line we have the critics. From people who have known me since I was a small child, to people who never met me until after the book had been published, there has been a whole lot of cynicism and general side talk. (Even to this day… a whole two years later!) Then we have the grateful and supportive bunch. These are the folks who have talked about how they’ve been inspired, taken a new course of action in their lives since using the book, and even bought copies of the book for people they love. (This is the group my book actually belongs to…