Despite the notion that positive thinking leads to positive results, an overly positive mindset might be counterproductive in many ways.
Join The Balanced Mindset as we delve deeper into the pitfalls of positive thinking, from our professional life coach’s perspective.
The Benefits
When applied appropriately, positive thinking can have numerous benefits, including:
- Improved mood – Focusing on the positive, instead of the negative, can significantly boost mood.
- Clearer thoughts – Without the anxiousness and stress associated with negative thinking, you’re able to think clearly and make rational decisions.
- Increased creativity and productivity – With the improved mood and clearer thoughts, your creativity and productivity can soar to new heights; you’ll no longer feel restricted by pessimistic feelings.
The Hidden Drawbacks
Although optimism has its benefits, excessive and/or forced optimism can lead to the following:
- Suppression of genuine emotions and experiences – By only focusing on the positive, this may cause you to minimise or overlook serious problems that need addressing, which could include health issues.
- Bottling up your true emotions in favour of the positive feelings is unhealthy and prevents you from experiencing these difficult emotions and experiences. As a result, you’re restricted from learning from your mistakes and these experiences, which are often opportunities for change.
- Unrealistic expectations – Constant positivity can create expectations that are simply impractical, resulting in disappointment and frustration.
- Increased anxiety and stress – Although positive thinking is designed to minimise these feelings, striving for constant positivity may actually increase anxiety and stress. This is known as toxic positivity, and can even lead to feelings of guilt and self-blame if you can’t feel positive.
- Acting insensitive – While there’s nothing wrong with being a positive person, having an overly positive attitude can appear insensitive or dismissive, especially when other people are sharing their struggles with you.
A Balanced Approach
When it comes to positive thinking, you shouldn’t place it as the highest priority for personal development. Instead, consider a balanced approach that acknowledges both the positive and negative aspects of life. Both negative and positive emotions should be recognised and processed for genuine growth — this way, you’ll be able to understand yourself during the good and bad times, allowing you to be true to yourself.
In turn, you’ll be empowered with the ability to understand and manage your emotions, which is essential for shifting your mindset to accomplish your goals.
For life coaching in NZ, The Balanced Mindset and our life coach, Chevy Chisholm, can help you unlock the power of perspective. Find the key to true happiness and success with our life coaching sessions, designed to help you recognise and process all of your emotions, to shift your thinking and achieve the results that you desire. Contact us today to learn more.