What is Toxic Positivity?

 

A label that makes no sense

I recently heard a podcast that demystified this “spiritual word”. These days it seems like the western world is obsessed with clinical terms to describe people. People love to diagnose themselves, especially on Instagram — creating labeling, judgement and separation as a result.

The term actually makes no sense. In 2021, there has been a lot of labeling and name calling on social media. This is causing people to pull back from posting their joyous moments. It is preventing people from shining their fullest light.

What does this term actually mean? It doesn’t make sense to me at all. There is nothing toxic about positivity. In fact, every spiritual practice is based on gratitude and positivity. Even if you don’t believe that, there are hundreds of scientific studies that have proven the benefits of a positive outlook on your health, your longevity and your overall quality of life. In fact, positivity is the least toxic thing that you can do.

Sadly, there are many that want to share their life, their joy, their gatherings, singing, dancing and connecting on social media but they don’t share because they are afraid people will call them a “toxic positive”. That one term that someone made up one day may well have created a social media phenomenon.

In fact, song, dance community, connecting to the earth and connecting to our ancestors are sacred practices. Our joy is sacred. There is nothing toxic about it. We should never let anyone who saw it on social media tell us that our joy should be hidden to make other people feel comfortable. Spiritual practices say that our natural state is bliss. We are joy. Look at any child and you will see it in their eyes, in their essence.

We have just forgotten. We have created a self-demeaning culture where we have to hide our joy, our bliss, our positivity to make others who are stuck in their fear and are addicted to their suffering, feel better about their choices.

Suffering is a choice just as is joy. Being positive doesn’t mean that you haven’t dealt with trauma or aren’t even dealing with heavy circumstances at this time. It means that you are remaining optimistic despite it. You see your traumas as part of your gifts, your mess as part of your message. It just means you are alive.

Being positive even when you are in the midst of the denser emotions brings you healing. Emotions are not the end-they are a temporary experience.

People are not joyful because they are more privileged than you. They are joyful because they chose to be. They cultivate daily practices to cultivate more joy. Some of the most joyful people in the world are some of the most resource poor and some of the least joyful people in the world have been the most resource rich.

Positivity is the light that brings us through the darkness. We’ve seen a positive outlook bring people through the holocaust, homelessness, and countless other atrocities.

Let us stop labeling other people’s joys, harmony, gratitude as “toxic positive” just because it may not by your current experience.