Are new years resolutions just another form of toxic positivity? + Why positive affirmations don't work in the long run

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SHOW DESCRIPTION: New Year’s resolutions may seem great on the surface, but they can also be a form of toxic positivity. As I discuss in detail in this podcast when we fail to keep a resolution (which often happens!), we can feel really bad about it. We often experience shame because we often think that there must be something wrong with us, or we think that we always fail and are so bad at all this “life” stuff. But that’s not the case at all! So in this episode I share how to correctly rewire your brain to create sustainable habits, why positive affirmations are not sustainable solutions, why giving up on goals may actually be a good thing, and more!

Show blog: https://drleaf.com/blogs/news/are-new-year-s-resolutions-just-another-form-of-toxic-positivity-why-positive-affirmations-dont-work-in-the-long-run

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PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS:

1:49 How New Year’s resolutions can be a form of toxic positivity

2:46 It is okay to change or even not make a New Year’s resolution!

4:12 Why it can be difficult to build a new mental habit and change your lifestyle

5:02 How much time it really takes to change your mind

14:52 Why shaming yourself for not keeping a resolution will damage your mental health

16:30 Why failure is good for us and how we can learn from our experiences

19:47 Keeping a resolution won’t make you happy all the time or take away all your issues

22:00 Why negative emotions and feelings are telling us something about ourselves

23:10 Why “bad” emotions are a normal part of life, and why it is okay to be unhappy

26:00 How to change your mind and keep your resolutions

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