We had to keep this conversation going and go deeper, because your response was so overwhelming! Cecile, Juan, and Shawn continue the discussion on toxic positivity, opening up into their own personal and professional experiences, to find the nuanced nature and at times, hard to find places, it lives in personal relationships, corporate culture, American society, and family dynamics. The reality is that we all have experienced and have displayed toxic positivity at one time or another. Being conscious of how we show up and being authentic in our intentions, interactions, and responses to the people in our lives is the best way to provide what is truly needed and be supportive in difficult situations, rather than over-used, meaningless platitudes and phrases.

Nobody wants to be, or be around, a “Negative Nancy” or “Davy Downer.” The benefits of having an optimistic outlook improve our overall well-being as they boost longevity, help us bounce back from stress, and help regulate emotions. We are often instructed by society to be optimistic and stay positive, especially in American culture. But there’s a fine line between having positive attitude and toxic positivity. It becomes toxic when we ignore reality, suppress negative emotions, and try to be overly positive in every situation, regardless of what is really happening. In this podcast, LA Psychotherapist, John Tsilimparis, joins Cecile, Juan, and Shawn for a deep dive into this topic. We discuss what toxic positivity is, how to recognize it, and why we display it to others, and even to ourselves. John gives us tools we can use to give ourselves the space we need to feel our emotions and acknowledge reality, and have a watchful awareness to build resilience and be supportive.

If you feel like you have been holding and hiding out just to get through the long winter days, it’s time to get up, get out, and start to let go. Spring is here! We jump start this new season of Ends With Z by setting and resetting intentions to embrace nature’s power of rebirth and awakening new energy within us. Spring invites us to be in flow with this season’s transformational power. The signs of change are happening around us. Embracing these shifts gives us the energy to step outside of our comfort zones, to transform our own lives, and to connect more deeply with nature, ourselves, our intention, and our community.