POSITIVELY TOXIC

‘NO MATTER HOW BAD LIFE IS, YOU’RE EXPECTED TO SLAP ON A HAPPY FACE AND SOLDIER ON’

YOU’RE having a truly awful day: your boss just yelled at you, there’s talk of retrenchments, you’re worried about a sick relative – and now as you stand in an elevator, a complete stranger tells you to “cheer up”.

You feel like giving him a piece of your mind but instead decide to vent on social media. Surely your friends will understand? But when you open up your Face-book feed, it’s just wall-to-wall inspiration, with people sharing platitudes such as