Mindful in 5 Podcast

Avoid Toxic Positivity with Karen Richard

• Spiwe Jefferson • Season 3 • Episode 74

Share episode

Join my returning guest, Karen Richard, as we explore the flip side of healthy optimism.

Toxic positivity refers to the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of positive thinking, which can lead to dismissal and invalidation of genuine human emotional experiences. It can also contribute to emotional repression and gaslighting.

Karen and I discuss the negative effects of toxic positivity and share strategies for avoiding it, drawing from experiences in our own lives. Karen also shares practical tools for how to navigate negative emotions and still maintain a positive outlook.

Please join us for this important and enlightening conversation with Karen. She is the senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Anderson Corporation. She was named one of the Top 100 HR professionals at the 2022 OnCon Icon Awards. She has a passion for improving the lives of busy leaders and avoiding toxic positivity at home and at work is key to living a life of greater peace, joy, and clarity.

Topics Discussed

  • What is toxic positivity?
  • The difference between optimism and toxic positivity
  • The detrimental impact of toxic positivity on children
  • How we strike the balance between being vulnerable - especially with our children - with being strong and available for them
  • How toxic positivity shows up at work and how leaders can address it

As always, remember that mindfulness is a practice, so do your best to be present with us for the next few minutes, and let's get started. Avoid toxic positivity to bring your whole self to the table and feel more self-supported.

Related Links


More Links and Resources