What is Positive Intention and Why does it Matter?

Positive intention gives us hope and is practiced with mindfulness.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Lots and lots of people are struggling.

After 2 years of a seemingly never-ending pandemic, an ugly, pointless war in Ukraine, the dark impact of reactionary conservatives in politics and business, and increasingly illogical anti-science and anti-reason campaigns, I know I’m exhausted. And so is virtually everyone else I know, too.

No matter how strong you are, you can only take so much. Everyone reaches a point of saying, “That’s it! No more! Enough!” And yet — it feels like even with the slightest reprieve, another shoe will drop.

What’s more, the 24-hour news cycle is a constant stream of negativity. Domestic terrorism, gun violence, and talking heads are in your face all the time. And as if that’s not enough — the internet, a great channel for sharing information, is often abused and overrun with propaganda and false information.

Being virtually gut-punched constantly takes a toll on everyone. And that is why positive intention matters more now than ever.

Just want is positive intention? Before I define what it is, I’d like to clarify what it isn’t.

Toxic positivity versus real positivity

Most of us have been exposed to toxic positivity. And like any toxic chemical, that’s going to have a negative impact on you. Rather than physical, it’s more mental, emotional, and/or spiritual.

What is toxic positivity? Toxic positivity is the notion that a positive attitude — while ignoring and disregarding all else — will make the world a better place. If you just think and act positively, all the time, you can improve the world.

There are so many flaws with this idea. And what’s more, practitioners of toxic positivity tend to berate, shame, and disempower you if you fail at practicing positivity.

Let’s get real. Nobody can be positive all the time. Period. Shit happens. You get dumped, fired, in a car accident, dismissed, forgotten, and other negative things utterly outside of your control happen. And your negative feelings in response to these are…