Encouraging words can be helpful, but pushing away negative emotions quickly might do more harm than good. This behavior is known as toxic positivity, often well-intentioned but potentially damaging.
In some places, there's a strong emphasis on positive emotions, seen in slogans like "Positive Vibes Only." The problem arises when people feel pressured to suppress genuine feelings of doubt, hurt, fear, or pain. This pressure can backfire, making individuals feel less safe, positive, connected, and resilient. Many may not realize the harm in using well-intended but dismissive phrases until they experience it themselves. Rethinking what a "positive attitude" truly means is crucial for fostering a safe, supportive, and ultimately productive environment without excessively dwelling excessively on the negative aspects.
What Is Toxic Positivity?
Toxic positivity is the belief that people should stay positive regardless of their circumstances, taking optimism to an extreme by dismissing or rejecting negative feelings. While optimism involves actively working toward a better outcome, toxic positivity consists of pretending everything is perfect and refusing to acknowledge negativity. This mindset, experienced by about 68% of people in a recent survey, leads many to ignore their emotions to appear happy.
While staying positive is generally good, excessive focus on "being positive" can be harmful. Dr. Heather Myers, an organizational psychologist, explains that toxic positivity occurs when positive thinking denies the reality of perceived negative emotions. This approach can shut down conversations about uncomfortable topics and suppress negative emotions. It hinders judgment, decision-making, and the ability to address concerns effectively.
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Signs That There Is Toxic Positivity in Your Workplace
Toxic positivity can be prevalent at work, where constant positivity is often expected. Given the significant time spent working, this unrealistic standard can lead to problems. If your workplace has impossible positivity expectations, look out for signs like employees hesitating to voice concerns and fearing dismissal. Co-workers may urge each other to ignore struggles, and managers might insist that working harder can overcome any challenge. Encouraging cheerfulness while discouraging the acknowledgment of negative feelings can create an environment where genuine concerns are rarely addressed in meetings.
Why Is Toxic Positivity Harmful?
When you begin to repress your bad feelings to keep a positive outlook, positivity can become toxic and negatively impact your relationships, physical and mental health, and overall well-being.
Ignoring Problems
- Toxic positivity encourages avoiding difficult situations by downplaying issues, making identifying and solving problems harder.
Creating Shame and Isolation
- Suppressing negative emotions can make individuals feel like something is wrong with them, leading to shame and guilt. This cycle of stress makes it challenging to overcome difficulties.
Hindering Trust, Creativity, and Productivity
- A psychologically unsafe environment, fostered by toxic positivity, stifles trust and inhibits the free expression of concerns. This hampers creativity and productivity, as valid issues cannot be raised and addressed effectively.
Resulting in Burnout
- Suppressing struggles can lead to burnout and long-term damage to mental health.
How to Avoid and Deal with Toxic Positivity at Work
After the recognition of toxic positivity in both yourself and others, you can take the following actions:
Speak Up about Struggles
- Instead of avoiding uncomfortable conversations, check in with yourself and express your feelings. Be proactive, use assertive statements, and initiate conversations about acknowledging and solving problems.
Call Out Toxic Positivity
- Make people aware of harmful behavior by calmly explaining why their remarks are unhelpful. Encourage addressing problems rather than solely promoting positivity.
Practice Empathy
- Understand others' feelings before offering advice. Acknowledge emotions and seek understanding by saying, "This must feel [describe emotion]. Tell me about it."
Create a Safe Space
- As a leader, establish a safe environment for questions and concerns. Share your struggles to show it's okay to discuss complex topics and provide dedicated channels for expressing concerns without fear of judgment.
Share Resources
- Introduce external resources like books, videos, articles, or talks on toxic positivity. Equip colleagues with tools to handle challenges healthily.
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