Take the quiz to find out which side you’re on.
A few weeks ago I received a comment on my blog accusing me of promoting “the cult of positivity.” To make sure I wasn’t blindly encouraging thinking and actions that could be harmful to others, I did a little research. What I found is that although some believe that positivity is a dangerous “cult” there are as many, or more, who recognize that positive emotions and optimism offer many benefits to a person’s life. Still, it is always SMART to stay awake and aware of both the benefits and hazards of any line of thinking. With that in mind, here’s a quiz to help you discover whether what you believe about positivity is either true or false.
- Positivity is a cult.
FALSE: The Free Dictionary.com defines a cult as: “A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader.” Positivity, on the other hand, is a philosophy, attitude or mindset that people choose to live by however and whenever they want. Positivity has no leader unless you consider personalities like Oprah Winfrey, Wayne Dyer or others like them as authoritarian leaders.
- A positive attitude helps us live longer, have a better memory and even sharper hearing.
TRUE: Yale University psychologist Becca Levy, PhD found that happy, positive people generally live longer than those who constantly worry or feel bad about aging. Her work suggests that a negative approach to life is similar to smoking or heavy alcohol use.
- Many of America’s problems result from a focus on positivity.
FALSE: One of the most popular detractors of positivity is Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Bright-Sided: How The Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Underminded America. Just one of her claims against positivity is, “The relentlessly optimistic forecasts about subprime mortgages and endless increases in real estate values were the product of the positive-thinking culture.” Yet nearly six years later nearly everyone agrees with Mark Gilbert, author of Complicit: How Greed & Collusion Made the Credit Crisis Unstoppable. Gilbert lays out facts that show it was “…a conspiracy of greed among bankers, investors, rating agencies and regulators.” Unfortunately as many of us know, greedy people are greedy people, regardless of whether they have a negative or positive approach to life. And to believe that our country is being underminded by those who are overly optimistic, seems far too simplistic for such an issue.
- Positivity suggests you can heal yourself of any illness by just being positive.
FALSE: I’ve actually written another post about this from a personal level that you can read here: The Power of Positive Thinking. However, a big argument for thinking this is true comes from author Barbara Ehrenreich after discovering she had breast cancer. She says that she was told, “If I don’t get better, it’s my fault.” Ehrenreich believes, “It’s a clever blame-the-victim sort of thing.” And while I don’t deny that some people take the extreme approach to positive thinking as a form of “bullying,” just about every one of us has had an opposite experience of being bullied by people who practice extreme forms of negativity, or other thinking that is different than our own. Again, rude and unkind people are rude and unkind people regardless of what kind of thinking they push on to you when you are most vulnerable.
- Happiness makes people more successful and productive.
TRUE: Shawn Achor in his book The Happiness Advantage says, “Study after study shows that happiness precedes important outcomes and indicators of thriving.” He claims, “A positive mindset results in 23% greater energy in the midst of stress, 31% higher productivity, 37% higher levels of sales, 40% higher likelihood to be promoted, and improved longevity.” Of special note, Achor uses the Greek definition of happiness, which is, “The joy we feel striving after our potential.”
- Thinking positive makes us more creative and gives us more options and possibilities.
TRUE: Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D. professor of psychology at the University of Chapel Hill, NC and, author of Positivity explains that when people experience positive emotions like love, joy, contentment and gratitude, their minds expand, and they open up to new ideas, are more creative, and are more open minded in general.
- Positive people are naïve and unrealistic about how life really is.
FALSE: According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD and professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, “My students and I have found that truly happy individuals construe life events and daily situations in ways that seem to maintain their happiness, while unhappy individuals construe experiences in ways that seem to reinforce unhappiness. In essence, our research shows that happy individuals experience and react to events and circumstances in relatively more positive and more adaptive ways.”
Instead, those who challenge the benefits of positivity are likely suffering from what is called “naïve realism.” Ariana Shives from CivilPolitics.org says, “Naive realism… is defined as: “the conviction that one’s own views are objective and unbiased, whereas the other’s views are biased by ideology, self-interest and irrationality.” Unfortunately naïve realism is rampant in our politics and other areas of disagreement around our world in a wide variety of topics.
- Positive emotions lead to resilience, better coping skills and high life satisfaction.
TRUE: Michael A. Cohen from Harvard University and other researchers completed a study in 2011 confirming this assertion along with the statement, “participants who experienced frequent positive emotions became more satisfied not simply because they were enjoying themselves, but because they built resources that help deal with a wide range of life’s challenges.” He goes on to say, “Positive emotions are a powerful source of growth and change, predicting both individuals’ judgments about life and their skills for living well.”
- Positive people are always happy and never have bad things happen to them.
FALSE: Negative things happen to all of us regardless of whether we are positive or negatively biased. But according to the paper The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affects, authored by Sonja Lyubomirsky and others, “research has demonstrated that optimistic individuals…use humor and positive reframing, instead of denial, when coping with highly stressful events.” As I’ve written about before (Beyond Suffering—What The Buddha Teaches About Tragedy), rather than deny that bad things happen, positive people instead choose to find ways to cope that allow them to move past the negative experience with the least amount of trauma and the greatest amount of recovery.
10. Happy people have better and longer marriages and friendships.
TRUE: According to the paper The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affects, “Happy individuals tend to have fulfilling marriages and to be more satisfied with their marriages. Indeed, several writers have suggested that satisfaction with marriage and family life is the strongest correlate of happiness.” The paper goes on to say that, “respondents like happy people much more than they like their less-than-happy peers. Happy and satisfied individuals are judged as more physically attractive; more intelligent and competent; more friendly, warm, and assertive; less selfish; more moral; and even more likely to go to heaven.”
Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD and author of The How Of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want continues with, “The benefits of happiness include larger social rewards (e.g., more satisfying and longer marriages, more friends, stronger social support, and richer social interactions), more activity, energy, and flow, and better physical health (e.g., a bolstered immune system, lowered stress levels, and less pain) and even longer life.”
11. Positivity makes people more generous and kind.
TRUE: Happy people appear to volunteer at higher levels than their unhappy peers for charity and community service groups, including religious, political, educational, and health-related organizations (Krueger, Hicks, & McGue, 2001; Thoits & Hewitt, 2001)
There are likely more claims both for and against positivity than what I have covered here but I think most of us get the idea. Of course as with anything, ideas can be distorted or taken to the extreme in ways that are not helpful, so moderation and balance is usually wise. Plus, my intention here on SMART Living is never to tell you what to think, only that you should think, stay aware, and make up your mind and your world in a way that brings you to the most peace, contentment and fulfilling life possible. Ultimately, only you can decide how that journey unfolds.
Links:
Levy: http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov06/healthy.aspx
Ehrenreich: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/books/10ehrenreich.html?_r=3&
Cohen, et. al: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3126102/
Benefits Of Frequent Positive Affect: http://sonjalyubomirsky.com/wp-content/themes/sonjalyubomirsky/papers/LKD2005.pdf
Lyubomirsky: http://sonjalyubomirsky.com/
This article, while making excellent points about the benefits of positive thinking is a straw man argument based partially on a misreading of Ehrenreich, who does not disagree with the benefits of positive thinking, nor does she claim all positive thinking is bad or wrong, but rather wisely points out the abuses and misuses of positive thinking, for instance to demand conformity to group values or to repress genuine fear, anger or sadness.
Hi Joseph! While Ehreneich might not believe ALL positive thinking is bad, she has been quite the outspoken proponent against the practice both on the web and in her book. I read in several places where she implies that positive thinkers are convinced that people can heal themselves by just thinking positive. She was also very clear about the fact that she felt the mortgage collapse of 2008 was largely brought about by positive thinkers. While my associations might not be as “tight” as you prefer, it is difficult to image that she is in support of the philosophy at all. While I agree that every way of thinking has abusers, that does not make those who practice it delusional or wrong. And while awareness and clear thinking are always desirable, I think the optimistic approach to most things is beneficial in the long run. ~Kathy
Dear Kathy, Your points are well taken. However, they still do not address the issue. It is that there is a position or perspective that transcends and includes both positive thinking and experiences that one does not view as positive, nor do we, when we find ourselves in such circumstances, able to authentically find positive thinking as a realistic or helpful response to that. There are such situations in life; surely you have experienced them. Those who make positivity into a cult, that is, a fundamental belief system which they build their lives around and have faith in, cannot conceive of such a position; they therefore ignore, repress, and generally refuse to listen to the opportunities presented by accepting the reality of negativity, as a pole of reality and life. By doing so, they simply block higher order synthesis, all the time sure that they are on the road to enlightenment. This is a subset of positive thinkers. This is not a statement that applies to all of them. That is the distinction, and your remarks about the benefits of positive thinking would be more credible if it took that distinction into account. Thanks for your thoughtful post. J
Hi Joseph! Ah, now I see where we are out of alignment. You’ll have to forgive me, after nearly 350 blog posts here on SMART Living, AND the fact that I wrote that post over a year and a half ago it is challenging for me to recapture everything I was thinking at the time. Plus, I do attempt to keep my posts between 1,000 and 1,500 words so I don’t always fully explore each idea as completely as they possibly deserve. If I understand you correctly, there are benefits to a more pessimistic approach to certain things. And I wrote about THAT in the blog post: http://smartliving365.com/the-benefits-of-pessimism-and-the-prevention-focused-among-us/ I think that post might more directly answer the point you shared in your comment. Is it? ~Kathy
Dear Kathy, Thanks for your thoughtful reply and the referral to the other note you wrote on pessimism. Just as there is a dialectic of thesis, antithesis, synthesis, there is a higher order integration of all opposites that is available. For example, positivity and pessimism, promotion-focus and prevention focus, nurturance and security, or in the field of relationships, dependence, independence and interdependency. Clearly, there are advantages and disadvantages to each, and it is difficult to argue that either opposition is superior to access to both polarities based on the circumstances at hand. That is my point about positivity. When people emphasize it to the exclusion of what I would call reason and healthy questioning, they deprive themselves of ever reaching any higher order integration of the two. Cordially, J
I think that people must first be happy alone and with your soulmate. If your happiness depends to the attachment of another person in the moment when you broke up you will be mega sad and where is your happines now? So be happy alone and you will be happy whith every person in your life. Thanks
I feel pity those that say positivity is a cult …
I look at them and they are so hollow and ignorant.
Usually they are at the same place that we started from a few years back.
They have what Zig calls stinking thinking… attitude.Anyone who starts to improve himself and his life will come across and learn about positive thoughts and its not just positive thoughts , there are so many things to learn.
Two years back I was stuck and reading changed my life after I did what was written.
I’m on the side with the knowledge not criticism.
love how you debunked the positivity is a cult myth! how anyone would think being positive and having a positive outlook is bad is beyond me.
I never thought that positivity at any given point of time in life can be harmful; today its positive psychology, wherein all the positive emotions like love, peace, joy, happiness, forgiveness, patience, kindness, gratitude to name a few are being discussed and talked about and encouraged to practice to live happy, peace and productive life…. it is very important to understand what we mean when we say about being positive….. it does not mean faking, ignoring, pretending, manipulating, exploiting, being irresponsible and wishing that problems disappear – positivity must be interpreted in terms of loving self, taking responsibility for one’s own thoughts, feelings & behaviour and being realistic , practical in dealing with all types of issues and still walk with faith, integrity, hope and living meaningful lives… Thanks for sharing your post !!
Hi G Angela! I know that people like you and me have are surprised when we hear that some people actually think positivity is a cult! I sure was!! But when I researched it online I saw that there were more than one of them! But I think what you say is true…unless we define it clearly and put it in context, it can be seen in a more negative light. Unfortunately as you probably know quite well, if a person doesn’t want to believe in something, there is little the rest of us can do to convince him/her. Instead, I think it is good to merely remind people (like you did with your clear definition of positive psychology) that there are many ways to see the issue and that having a positive outlook hold tremendous value to us all. Thanks as always for your thoughts on this. ~Kathy
Hey Kathy, I wonder if people who see positivity as a form of white-washing feel that way because they think positivity is sometimes disingenuous. My observation is that people can act falsely in any and all ways — falsely positive, falsely complimentary, falsely encouraging. My response to the threat of a cult of positivity would be to say that one can be positive AND not gloss over the truths and realities. Call a sh*t sandwich what it is, and still have a positive outlook. Anyway, that’s what occurred to me as I read your post, although I would never think of your writing and outlook as anything but authentic. For me, that comes through the computer screen. 🙂
Hi Kathy,
First this is a Great Article , and Really Good Work , While I agree that positivity is NOT a cult, it definitely helps in steering through difficult times. Positive thoughts play a big and significant role in getting well. The willpower of living and recovering from an illness contributes 50% in addition to medical help. Experience of a number of people would corroborate this fact.i am impress you Post , Superb information ,
Thank You for Sharing me , Keep it up ,
Jassica
Hi Jassica! Thanks for stopping by SMART Living and sharing your thoughts. I’m glad you enjoyed the article and that it reminded you of all the many reasons that it is good for us to stay as positive as we can within our circumstances.~Kathy
I think we’re on the same page, Kathy. I feel that helping people is something that is easier to do if one is coming from a position of personal strength. I agree that being happy and positive is part of that.
I do want to say that if Barbara Ehrenreich has written an unhelpful book that does not contain an element of truth, I would be a bit surprised. Admittedly I’ve only read one book by her, “Nickled and Dimed,” but I do believe everyone should read that one – about the plight of the working poor in America. (It manages to be both hilarious and quite appalling at the same time.) She may not have taken a positive attitude towards this problem, but she did at least take intelligence and a more or less open mind. It took a lot of guts and strength to do what she did to research it, too, and I’m glad we have people like her digging into things even if it takes a certain amount of pessimism to drive them to do it.
Hi again Carol! Yes…I think most people are on the same page when they think it through and see all the science to back it up. But again, if you’ve been “bullied” by some well intentioned (or not so well intentioned) folks you can be a bit bitter about it. I did not read Ehrenreich’s book but instead read several interviews and reviews of the book to use it as an example. She also wrote a book called “Smile Or Die” in which she goes even further. From what I read about them, both are definitely against the more aggressive fundamentalist perspective and frankly so am I. But the title definitely make it appear that being positive is not good–but I’m sure it helped sell some books.
I might have to take a look at her “Nickled and Dimed” though because that is probably something I would really support. As you say, we need to all be digging into topics that have been abused even if it is as happy sounding as optimism. ~Kathy
This is a great post. However, I do think it needs a little qualification.
I don’t have anything against using positivity as a tool to promote one’s own health and well-being in the reasoned and rational way you describe. I think, however, that in your effort to support your very legitimate points, you’re ignoring the fact that “positivity” can also be used as a to facilitate denial and that denial can lead people to fail to take the action needed to fix things. (Like ignoring a lump or a pain, or thinking we don’t need to do anything about global carbon emissions.) “Everything is for the best in this best of all possible worlds” is neither accurate, nor helpful, when there are genuine ills to be confronted. Similarly, it can be hurtful rather than helpful when you are genuinely suffering from a problem that a positive attitude cannot cure and someone comes along and tells you it would all go away if you just looked on the bright side. Looking on the bright side might indeed mitigate your suffering, but there really are people who overstate the benefits and some of them really can make you feel as if you’re blame if you can’t use positivity to magically cure yourself. I think that positivity is like any other tool: to use it safely and effectively you have to know what you’re doing. Clearly you do know what you’re doing, so I applaud your efforts with this post. It does a lot to clarify a lot of important things. (Sorry for the mini-rant.)
Hi Carol! Thank you for stopping by SMART Living and leaving your thoughts on this. You raise a couple of really good points here that should be clear in their minds before they “join the cult” (hahahaha!) I think the most important thing you point out is that anything can be carried away to extreme in a negative way. I don’t think anyone should ever attempt to force another person to think or feel like them–especially when that person is vulnerable. No matter how “right” we think we are with any mindset, I don’t believe we have a right to tell others how they should believe. And while I continually point to things that I believe are important to a person who wants to live a happy life filled with meaning, I hope most of all that my writing helps people think about their own choices and decisions and be satisfied and content with that.
I also agree that denial can have more dire consequences that being a pessimist, especially when carried to extreme. But I personally prefer the outlook of Pollyanna in answer to that problem. While she was undeniably very optimistic and “sunny” no matter what happened, she never, ever ignored people or situations in need. Pollyanna helped people when they needed it, and still managed to keep a smile on her face. Our challenge of course is to remember that fine line and not let our rose-colored glasses help us to ignore situations that not only deserve our help–but those right in front of us.
One of the really good things about being positive that I don’t remember if I mentioned in the post is that in some cases happy people are better able to help others because they aren’t so overwhelmed with some of the terrible things going on. Again, we must not ignore problems, we just have to learn how to be proactive and stay as positive as possible while they are happening. But hey, we ALL have our down times. I just do my best to remember that I feel and “act” so much better when I can swing to the positive.
Thank you so much for your comments. I love talking about this so if you have anything more you want to add…please respond. ~Kathy
Oh that is just to funny! What is so wrong with being positive does this other person sit around cursing at people or crying all day? Who would want to live that life.
Hi Rena! Yes it does seem pretty funny for any of us who lean toward the positive. I’m just hoping that anyone who might be a little unsure about the “why” would take the time to read this and be reassured–because living the opposite sure doesn’t appeal to me either. ~Kathy
As a former Glass Half Empty person I really don’t care if I’m considered a member of a cult. I’m just thrilled to be on the half full team. This transformation didn’t come easily for me either but it has changed my life in ways I can’t even articulate.
Hi Laura! Good for you for learning to turn yourself around. That of course is the subject to another post (and I’ll be we can find one on your page too) but another important aspect to being positive. That would have made a good question too right?
Question #12: Can Glass Half Empty people turn it around and learn to be more positive? YES!
Thanks for adding that Laura. ~Kathy
I tried it and it works. Seeing things in a positive way has helped me so much in my life!
Hi Nikky! Yes I think those of us who tend to be positive KNOW that it helps our lives. While obviously not everyone does, I’m betting that most people who read SMART Living do! ~Kathy
I couldn’t agree more Kathy. Being a ‘glass half full’ type of person I find myself to be a lot more content than the ‘glass half empty’ people that I am acquainted with. Great post.
Hi Kathy M. Yes, isn’t it interesting how studies are now “proving” that, “Happy and satisfied individuals are judged as more physically attractive; more intelligent and competent; more friendly, warm, and assertive; less selfish; more moral; and even more likely to go to heaven.” Those aren’t my words but those of the researchers. I’m like you and definitely prefer to hang out with people who are positive MUCH more than those that aren’t. ~Kathy
I see absolutely nothing wrong with being positive and everything wrong with a negative outlook.
My ex husband has a negative outlook and all the fears and paranoia that go along with that. after several years I found myself so miserable most of the time, I just wasn’t ‘me’ anymore. I’m back to being happy since we divorced.
Hi River! You comment reminded me of that saying, “Some people brighten the room when they walk into it. Others brighten the room when they leave.” I am glad to hear that you are now experiencing the “real” you and are much happier now! Thanks for sharing that story with us! ~Kathy
Kathy, what an interesting way to answer a critic.
Being positive does make life easier, not perfect, but easier. Negative people are like a black hole sucking you in until you feel similar emotions. It’s the same with music, upbeat music will give us more energy than depressing music. That said, positivity must be tempered with reality. At the height of the housing boom I looked at buying a home in the Phoenix area. The price to get in was good but the uncertainty of the increased prices over the years scared me off. The agent pushed me to buy telling me my income would rise at the same time my mortgage would. I walked, no way could I trust income and prices would rise equally. Sometimes we want things so much we close our eyes to the reality, which is the opposite of living positively.
Hi Lois! I’m glad you appreciated my creativity with this post! As I told Thom, I doubt I was really answering the person who left the comment (no I didn’t save it because it was pretty much a “troll” comment with lots of other negative remarks as well.) But I had never heard of the “cult of positivity” before and when I googled it I saw quite a few references. Go figure!
More than anything, I was hoping that if people hear about such a thing, are curious enough to go searching on the internet, that there should be a way for them to see it from a broader perspective. Sort of like my post about “proof of life after death.” Of course I have my own opinion about these things and I’m sure it comes through, but I hope that I at least present different versions that a reader might not have considered.
With that said I so agree….”Being positive does make life easier, not perfect, but easier.” That is such a nice and simple way of explaining it. And yes we still cannot ignore some of the issue around us and “pretend” that life is always pleasant or that challenges don’t happen to us all. As usual, thanks for your perspective on this! ~Kathy
Good grief. Until I read this I didn’t even know there was such a relentless backlash against being happy. Over the years, I have just as relentlessly evicted the negative “realists” out of my life because their “realism” is almost always more about making themselves feel superior by making others feel bad than anything else, their self-righteous protests notwithstanding. I’m an engineer & a scientist. I love reality. But I also know for a fact that “real” is a matter of perspective (ask any physicist!). Your attitude determines what your reality is, and I’d rather have my reality based on an upbeat, positive & optimistic outlook over doom & gloom scenarios any day! Great article!
Hi Susann! Thank you so much for stopping by SMART Living and leaving your thoughts on this. Yes, isn’t the topic of “realism” so interesting? As you say, they want you to see their “real” world and want you to ignore yours. Isn’t that concept of naive realism interesting? And with your background as a scientist and an engineer you know that what is real is always a “matter of perspective.” Thanks again for your thoughts. ~Kathy
I totally agree about happy people living longer. In the documentary on happiness someone they interviewed said that laughter and happiness sparks dopamine in your brain. Without it the sensors die out and you develop Parkinsons. I had a family member who was notoriously negative pass away from Parkinsons.
Borrowing from pop culture, I have 3 words for you: “Haters ‘gonna hate!” 🙂
Cult of Positivity? What a crock! Sounds like the musing of a perpetual Negative Nelly. 🙂
Hi Nancy! Amen sister! I think we both try our best to avoid Negative Nelly AND Debbie Downer! ~Kathy
Sometimes I think people write these silly books (like Bright-Sided) just to stir up controversy and profit from unhappiness. Anyone who confuses the greed of Wall Street with too much positive thinking can’t be credible.
I am a positive person by nature, but I’m far from naïve. I have found over and over that looking for the best in people and expecting good things to happen has served me well. Of course I’ve been disappointed many times but I’ve been rewarded with positive outcomes much more often.
Hi Janis! I have to admit that I thought the same thing about writing a sensational title like she did. And yes, can you imagine blaming what happened in the mortgage crisis with positivity? As you say, staying awake, aware and keeping your eyes open is always SMART. What is the saying, “expecting the best but preparing for the worst” can sometimes be exactly the right approach. Thanks for your thoughts. ~Kathy
Kathy I love this. Many people get #2 and #4 mixed up. I too had people tell me to just keep a positive attitude as a healing mechanism during my breast cancer treatments and that I must have wanted it and that is why I got cancer! Stupidity can be from positive and negative people!
Hi Haralee! I’m so sorry that you were bullied by positivity! Bullying is nasty wherever it comes from! And I love what you say, “Stupidity can be from positive and negative people!” Hopefully people read this post when they are in the space to freely make up their mind, not because someone else told them, but because they are ready to hear it. Thanks for your thoughts on this! ~Kathy
Hi Kathy,
While I agree that positivity is NOT a cult, it definitely helps in steering through difficult times. Positive thoughts play a big and significant role in getting well. The willpower of living and recovering from an illness contributes 50% in addition to medical help. Experience of a number of people would corroborate this fact.
It is almost a cliché that ‘everything lies in our mind’… if you think you can, you will and I have always believed that. All the determination, the fortitude, the resilience are the qualities of the mind and thoughts we think, which germinate based on positive or negative thinking.
Those who pass on the blame to others and negative thoughts, actually fail to train their mind. I completely agree with you Kathy, positive minded people are happy and benevolent, they live longer, they don’t focus on criticism, they look ahead and refuse to be pulled down by others’ judgment.
Thanks for a nice, thought-provoking post!
Hi Balroop! Thank you so much for adding your thoughts to this idea. I think I’m probably “preaching to the choir” with most of my readers, but I do hope that others read this post, especially those who might have heard of that idea of positivity being a cult. While there are so many of us who know the power of leaning toward the positive, just like with any line of thinking we have to remember not to go extreme on those who choose not to think that way, right? If there is a negative to being positive, it is trying to push it on others at the wrong time and place. Much better to be a good example right? Thanks again for sharing your perspective. ~Kathy
Okay, Kathy, I had to read this post because the whole notion of a “cult of positivity” made me laugh! I didn’t realize it was actually a “thing.”
I think there does come a point where it is helpful to look at and understand “negative” thoughts, because they are usually a reaction to misunderstanding or misperception. And just fighting them will not clear up those misunderstandings. But if that’s really the case, then a positive mindset would be our minds’ natural state, would it not? 😉
Hi Bethany! Yes it is pretty funny when you think about it for sure. I sure never knew that there was such a suspicion until I looked it up. I realize that not everyone approaches life in the same way and especially when going through tough times it might seem impossible to reach for happiness, but some of the accusations where quite aggressive! And as you say, fighting things doesn’t usually make things better in any way. But I felt it was worthy of exploring in case there are some people out there wondering if being positive is really a good thing. I hope this article helps them make up their minds. ~Kathy
Thanks for showing us all the evidence that a positive outlook works best! My own experience has been my best teacher. How can expecting the worst, and having a negative view of life make your life better?
Hi Laura Lee! You’re welcome! I was actually quite surprised to see how much confusion there is out there (at least on the internet) about why people might want to at least try to be more positive. I know that it comes more easily to some of us than others but there certainly is such a growing amount of information about the benefits that I’m hoping people take the time to read. And yes, as you say, so many of us have the experience to back it up! Thanks for checking in. ~Kathy