Toxic Positivity: Smiling Through the Pain Isn’t the Answer

Calm it Down

Chad Lawson

Mental Health, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 896 Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2025

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Have you ever had someone tell you to just be positive when you’re having a hard day? It might sound kind, but sometimes that kind of forced optimism can make us shut down instead of feel better.In this episode, we’ll talk about why real connection begins with honesty, not just surface smiles. And we’ll explore how making space for hard emotions can actually bring the deepest healing.Let’s look at the difference between toxic positivity and true hope… as we Calm it Down in 3…2…1.

Transcript

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0:00.0	All right, let's be honest.
0:02.8	This podcast, it's not powered by a giant team.
0:06.9	It's just me, a piano, and a very questionable sleep schedule.
0:11.7	Yeah.
0:12.2	But if you've ever listened and thought,
0:15.1	oh, I needed to hear that.
0:17.9	Well, there is a way to support it.
0:20.4	Calm it down deeper. It gives you early
0:23.1	access to episodes. You get daily affirmations every weekday. And then just a feeling of the cozy
0:30.2	feeling of helping this stay afloat. I mean, think of it like tossing a coin into the fountain,
0:36.5	right? But instead of wishes, you get soft piano music and breathwork and just a better perspective on looking at the everyday life.
0:46.2	Commentdown, podcast.com, look for deeper.
0:49.5	Thanks.
0:50.6	Now on with the show.
0:53.4	Is there a trouble of being too positive?
0:56.4	You're having a rough day, right?
0:58.7	You didn't sleep well.
1:00.5	Something that you were really looking forward to.
1:03.6	It just fell through.
1:05.6	Your head is foggy, you're low, you're just off.
1:09.2	And then someone chimes in with, hey, just stay positive.
1:16.0	You smile, you nod, but inside it lands wrong.
	...

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