Summary

The web page emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and accepting the presence of brokenness and negativity in life, rather than promoting a toxic positivity that ignores reality.

Abstract

The web page titled "Everything Isn’t Awesome" discusses the concept of toxic positivity, where people are expected to only share positive experiences and feelings. The author argues that this is not a realistic or healthy approach, as it ignores the brokenness and negative aspects that are a natural part of life. The article suggests that it is crucial to acknowledge and accept these negative experiences, and to be present and supportive for others during their difficult times. The author emphasizes that being authentic and understanding is more important than trying to fix someone's problems or only focusing on the positive aspects of their life.

Bullet points

The web page challenges the idea that everything is always awesome, as promoted in popular culture and media.
The author criticizes the prevalence of toxic positivity on social media and blogging platforms, where people are expected to only share positive experiences.
The article argues that ignoring brokenness and negativity is dishonest and disregards people's feelings.
The author suggests that it is important to acknowledge and accept brokenness as a natural part of life.
The article emphasizes the importance of being present and supportive for others during their difficult times, rather than trying to fix their problems.
The author encourages readers to be authentic and understanding, and not to shy away from the negative aspects of life.

Everything Isn’t Awesome

At least not all the time…

In one of my daughter’s favorite movies, The Lego Movie, the song “Everything is Awesome” runs through the entire Lego community — an upbeat, catchy tune that insists that everything is, indeed, awesome.

Except it isn’t.

It’s not in the movie, and it definitely isn’t in life.

But you wouldn’t know it based on what shows up in all sorts of places.

Social Media and blogging websites (including this one) are besieged by a form of toxic positivity that insists you can only ever write about positive things. It’s not only toxic, but it doesn’t reflect the reality of life.

When we push the narrative that things always have to be good, we don’t leave space for the honesty of brokenness. When we ignore the brokenness that is a regular part of life, we ignore the needs that come along with that. We are all broken at different parts of our lives, and failing to acknowledge that means we miss some of the important parts of life.

When someone is broken, or feeling brokenness it is dishonest to say otherwise — and completely disregards their feelings.

When we do this, when we disregard the fact that they’re feeling broken, we limit how people are feeling because it makes us feel uncomfortable.

I’ve been broken.

I’ve sat with broken people.

It is ugly and uncomfortable for everyone involved, but it is such a necessary part of life.

Because it makes us feel uncomfortable, our immediate thought is “how can I fix this?” but that’s disingenuous and doesn’t provide the right level of authentic relationship to that moment. Mostly, it isn’t ours to fix. It’s something that can take time and care to fix — but mostly it isn’t ours to fix.

The best we can do is to sit and be immediately present with someone who is broken — to give them someone who isn’t going to fix them, but will sit with them in their brokenness.

Who will sit with them in the raw honesty that brokenness brings.

Who will just sit with them.

Everything isn’t awesome.

We shouldn’t pretend it is.

We shouldn’t demand only the good parts of people’s lives.

If we are to be truly and authentically present with people, then we need to sit with them and simply be present.

Everything isn’t awesome, at least not all of the time. We owe it to the people we care about to be authentic and to not be scared off when things aren’t awesome.