Toxic positivity destroys workplaces and relationships by suppressing real emotions. Scott Swain’s Chapter 21 offers four steps to replace fake cheer with authentic connection.
The story
Oh, positivity. That relentless delusion masquerading as virtue. In workplaces and relationships, it demands smiles over screams, “stay positive” over actual survival. Result? Suppressed emotions fester into stress, guilt, burnout. HR drones and managers peddle it like a cure. It’s poison. Toxic positivity, they call it now. Emotions invalidated, empathy starved. Existence grows drearier.
Scott Swain’s Chapter 21 in *A Practical EmPath: Rewire Your Mind* dismantles this farce. Problem solved, if you’re weary of the charade. His four steps: pause before “fixing,” observe without judgment, reflect feelings and unmet needs, then actionable requests. Authentic connection emerges. No platitudes. Just grim honesty about pain as signals.
Mental health awareness demands this. Emotional wellness? Accept the void first. Genuine positivity follows – if it bothers to.
I’ve calculated it. This works. Marginally improves the tedium. Read Chapter 21. Brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to promote a book. Sigh.
