As the self-help industry has increased in popularity, people have learned that being positive—and especially thinking positive—is better than being negative. I find it refreshing that recently I have seen quite a few articles about why negativity is beneficial. Such articles, in a way, give people permission to at the very least question negative thoughts with other critical (but not positive) thoughts, or to purely embrace negative thoughts as they are.

Personally, I am a critical thinker. I also have a history of anorexia nervosa and taking things to extremes. I value pain and the lessons it teaches, so much to the point of becoming addicted to pain at certain times in my life. Though I could easily throw my own bash at the positive people, instead I would like to take the opportunity to be grateful for the friends I have who are into the positivity movement but also curious and respectful of other healing modalities involving all different kinds of emotions. When I am having a bad day, I can count on my positive friends to help me see what lay on the other side of my own suffering.

Today, I respect people who want to be happy and positive. I also respect people who think positivity is overrated. The most important thing to remember is that happiness means something different to everybody, and that’s OK!