Is this Optimism, or is it treading into the territory of toxic positivity?

What if I told you that excessive Optimism often leads to poor decision-making, especially when it comes to finances?

While we see discussions on overcoming negativity/pessimism, I wanted to share the other side of the spectrum that is not widely discussed: Toxic Positivity or Toxic Optimism.

🔴 What is Toxic Positivity?
Toxic positivity is the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state that results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience.

🔴 Signs of Toxic Positivity
1️⃣ Dismissing Negative Emotions: You ignore your or others’ genuine feelings under the guise of looking on the bright side.
2️⃣ Guilt Tripping: Feeling guilty for experiencing sadness, anger, or frustration because you believe it is not a “positive” reaction.
3️⃣ One-size-fits-all Positivity: Using generic positive affirmations in situations that require empathy, understanding, or a listening ear.

🔢 Study Data Points
The study, conducted by the University of Bath in the UK and published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, found that people with lower cognitive function tended to be more optimistic, which led them to make poor financial decisions.

Excessive Optimism inherently causes people to take risks without adequately considering the consequences. Excessive optimists may also believe that everything will turn out well in the end, even though they do not do what is required to achieve that outcome.

This study examined more than 36,000 individuals and found that people with high cognitive ability had realistic expectations and planning processes tended to make wiser decisions than those with more optimistic mindsets.

🔵 Is Realism the best way forward?
Decisions based on inaccurate, overly dramatic beliefs are far more likely to deliver worse outcomes than rational expectations.

People with more realistic expectations (neither excessively positive nor excessively negative) tend to have better overall well-being because they prioritize reality and realistic outcomes.

🛠 Actionable Leadership Tips to avoid toxic positivity in your team.

1️⃣ Acknowledge All Emotions: Allow yourself and others to feel the full spectrum of emotions without judgment. It’s okay not to be okay.
2️⃣ Seek Balance: Find a middle ground where you can be optimistic about the future while being realistic about the present.
3️⃣ Provide Supportive Responses: Instead of defaulting to “just look on the bright side,” try saying, “It’s hard now, and I’m here for you.” It validates feelings while offering support.

Have you ever felt the pressure of toxic positivity in your workplace? How did it impact you, and how did you cope?

#Leadership