Attitude Quote by Harriet Lerner
“Although it's not useful to drown in despair, it's also not useful to keep a 'positive attitude' when this means concealing or denying real emotions.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Dance of Anger, Harriet Lerner, 1985
Suppressing emotions under a forced positivity is unhelpful; authentic feeling is necessary for healing.
In simple terms: True emotions matter more than fake positivity.
Allow genuine feelings, not just optimism.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- therapy sessions
- stressful workday
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When have you hidden feelings?
- How can you honor your emotions?
Denial can worsen distress.