I’ve internalized the idea that I need to always be positive. I am adept at forcing myself to find and focus on the silver lining – the key word being ‘force.’ For example, I might say, “I’ve been feeling sad lately. But I think it’s an important part of my growth process.”

On the surface this might sound wise. However, I usually say it because I think I ‘should’ say it, not because I actually believe it. “Fake it ‘till you make it,” as the saying goes. However, sometimes when I know I’m faking it, I judge myself harshly. Other people can sense this, and then they might also judge me. Even if they don’t, I project that idea onto them, and the result for me is the same – a vortex of shame, self-loathing, and negativity.

Ideally, I would stop judging myself as fake. Or better yet, stop getting stuck in long-term bouts of negativity. But if I’m already judging myself, it’s too late – beating myself up about it won’t help. So I figure the next line of defense is acceptance: to take responsibility for the pain which has arisen without blaming myself for it.  That might sound vague, so let me explain how I practice.

The Practice

To me, it’s about cutting out phony positivity. When someone who I want to connect with* asks me how I’m doing, I try to give them the truth, even when it’s not pretty. I might say, “I’m feeling shitty.” So far this has been excruciatingly uncomfortable. I desperately want to flip it into something positive, but I bite my tongue. I’m working towards being able to say it confidently, with no sense of shame behind it – though I doubt I’ll ever get there 100%.

I’ve only just begun this practice, but aside from my own discomfort, the results have been encouraging. From an intrapersonal perspective, I feel more authentic and less guilty. From an interpersonal perspective, I feel more connected to the people I’m talking to. Someone at my office offered to talk more deeply about what I was going through – which was very touching, and I felt it brought us closer without even having that deeper conversation. When I shared my pain with a friend, it opened us up to having a conversation about authenticity, where we both learned from and about one another.

I imagine this practice will evolve the longer I do it, and I hope I can continue to grow from it.

Have you struggled with finding the balance between being positive and being real?  When is it appropriate to “fake it ‘till you make it,” and when isn’t it?  I’m curious about your experience, and your thoughts on what I’ve written here.

*Note – I don’t force myself to do this with everyone. I don’t need to keep it real all the time – Dave Chapelle taught me how that can go wrong. 

I’m writing these posts to help me organize my thoughts and process my spiritual journey. What I mean by spiritual journey is the practice of aligning my actions with the values I hold.

I’m not sure what themes I’ll end up exploring.  I’m interested in mindfulness, social justice, and psychology, though I am no authority in any of these fields. I write about these topics to digest, and as I post them publicly, I feel more accountable to continue practicing them.

I like to be in touch with nature, that’a the main reason I take a natural health supplements rather than conventional pills. I like the idea of being as close to nature as possible. If you would like to learn about what type of supplements I take you can find more information here.

I want these posts to spark dialog so I can learn from and connect with you, the reader. Even if we don’t have a conversation, I hope that sharing my journey helps you on yours.