In this 2-part podcast interview of the super smart both Ph.D. authors Susan David and Brené Brown, I learned exactly how toxic positivity manifests in our lives when Dr. Susan did this exercise with her host Dr. Brené (excerpted from the transcript):

SD: If I invite you to think about the last couple of months, and I invite you on a blank piece of paper to write an emotion you’ve experienced or that’s been tough on you, what would you put?
BB: Okay. Overwhelmed, scared, fearful, weary, confused.
SD: So, if you write these emotions on a piece of paper in a world that tells you to just be positive, they would say, “Turn the piece of paper over now and write why you’re grateful. Okay, write why you’re happy. Write why you’ve got so much more than other people.” And what that is doing is false forced positivity, and it undermines your resilience, and it undermines your emotional agility.

Mind. Blown.

I encourage you to listen to both parts of the episode and enjoy this wonderful emotional intelligence course like I did. We need to hear all of this now more than ever for our mental health and wellbeing and to help those around us.

As for me, I will go read Susan’s book “Emotional Agility” one more time. Highly recommended.