STAY POSITIVE

Stay positive. It’s a phrase that seems to have woven itself into the fabric of our everyday lives, often delivered with the best of intentions. But for those standing on the edge of something immense—something with real stakes, real consequences—those two little words can feel like a slap in the face. When you're fighting tooth and nail to make something happen, only to be met with obstacles at every turn, the advice to “stay positive” can feel not only hollow but deeply disconnected from the reality of your situation.

In a world where positivity is sometimes a scarce resource, it's easy to feel deflated when someone casually tosses out this phrase. When there’s so much on the line—your career, your dreams, your relationships, your sense of self—being told to stay positive can feel almost dismissive, as if your struggles are being minimized or brushed aside. It doesn’t acknowledge the heavy weight you’re carrying or the very real challenges you’re facing. In those moments, stay positive sounds more like a platitude than a rallying cry.

But here’s the thing: positivity isn’t something you can just flip on like a switch. It's not a default setting that automatically kicks in when things get tough. When every step forward feels like two steps back, staying positive isn’t just hard—it can feel impossible. And that’s okay. It’s okay to acknowledge the difficulty of the journey, to admit that you’re tired, frustrated, and maybe even a little scared. You don’t have to force yourself to be positive all the time, especially when the world seems intent on knocking you down.

So how does one dig deep when positivity feels scarce? How do you find the strength to keep going when all you want to do is throw in the towel? The answer might lie in a different kind of resilience—one that doesn’t demand constant positivity, but rather an unyielding commitment to keep showing up, even when it feels like the odds are stacked against you.

Keep your chin up might sound like another empty saying, but it carries with it a different kind of energy. It’s not about pretending everything is okay; it’s about refusing to let the weight of the world drag you down. Keeping your chin up is a reminder that, even when things are tough, you’re still here. You’re still fighting. You’re still in the game, and that counts for something.

Sometimes, digging deep means allowing yourself to feel every emotion—the anger, the sadness, the frustration—without letting those emotions define you. It means finding strength not in forced positivity, but in the raw, unfiltered reality of your situation. It means recognizing that some days, just getting through is enough. And that’s where real resilience lies.

Positivity isn’t about plastering a smile on your face and pretending everything’s fine. It’s about finding moments of hope, however small, and using them as fuel to keep going. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who understand that "stay positive" isn’t always the answer, and who are willing to sit with you in the darkness without trying to fix it. It’s about acknowledging that the road is hard, but also remembering that you’re capable of walking it—even when it feels like you can’t.

So, the next time someone tells you to stay positive, allow yourself a moment of honesty. Maybe positivity isn’t in reach right now, and that’s okay. Focus on keeping your chin up instead, on finding the strength to take the next step, however small. Because sometimes, that’s all you can do—and that’s more than enough.

With purpose,
Impact&Agency