The problem with positive thinking as an approach is that it operates at the surface level of conscious thoughts. It does nothing to contend with the subconscious mind where negative self-talk and limiting beliefs really live. If you've tried thinking positively, you know that it can be a difficult habit to maintain.
2) Positive thinking can set up unrealistic expectations.
If you buy into the idea that positive thinking alone will bring happiness, health or success and those things do not manifest, you will be disappointed and perhaps feel resentful. Thinking doesn't make it so. Thoughts are just thoughts.
While it may not work any immediate miracles, positive thinking that acknowledges reality can benefit us all in the long run. Hope and growth are good for your health and wellness. Some people are more optimistic than others, but that doesn't mean you can't learn to see the opportunities and silver linings in life.
It's natural to feel more pessimistic when things aren't going so well in our lives. Regular or even constant negative thinking can also be a sign of anxiety, depression, stress or low self-esteem. This sounds a bit strange, but negativity can also be contagious.
The human brain has a natural tendency to give weight to (and remember) negative experiences or interactions more than positive ones—they stand out more. Psychologists refer to this as negativity bias. “Our brains are wired to scout for the bad stuff” and fixate on the threat, says psychologist and author Rick Hanson.
Health experts warn that just like anything done in excess, too much positivity can trivialize a person's pain. Research has long shown that suppressed emotions can lead to more stress on the body and brain.
The brain registers, focuses, stores and recalls negative events much more readily than positive ones. Studies have shown that the brains' electrical activity increases when focusing on negative stimuli as compared to positive.
In brief, almost all negativity has its roots in one of three deep-seated fears: the fear of being disrespected by others, the fear of not being loved by others, and the fear that “bad things” are going to happen.
Toxic negativity is about someone projecting their inner pain, even though they might strongly deny that. There's no need to walk on eggshells around them, because that means that – at some level – you're taking personal responsibility for their pain and emotions.
Toxic positivity can manifest itself as guilt. You may think you have no right to feel negatively in a situation because everything else in your life is good. That kind of toxic behavior invalidates your feelings and stacks another negative emotion on top of what you're already experiencing.
Toxic positivity arises from an unrealistic expectation of having perfectly happy lives all the time. When this does not happen, people "can feel shame or guilt" by being unable to attain the perfection desired.
Too much positivity is toxic because it can harm people who are going through difficult times. Rather than being able to share genuine human emotions and gain unconditional support, people who are faced with toxic positivity find their feelings dismissed, ignored, or outright invalidated.
“Toxic positivity” is not a toxic level of authentic positive emotions. It is emotional avoidance and invalidation. Authentic positivity never denies reality. You can acknowledge your very real pain and simultaneously experience genuine positive emotions like love, inspiration, and hope.
Spiraling negative thoughts can be a result of overthinking. This tends to happen when we have few distractions – which is why lying awake at night churning things over in our mind is a familiar feeling to many. At the time, negative thoughts may seem completely rational and logical. So we believe them to be true.
Constant worrying, complaining about anything and everything, lack of confidence, gloom and anxiety can be soul-destroying. These are the traits common among negative people. In life, as they say, there will be always good times and bad times too.
If you have a negative attitude, you're more likely to negatively impact everything around you. By taking active steps to cultivate positivity, you can counteract and change a negative attitude. Let go of expectations. Negativity often begins with expectations of yourself or others.