We're pulling back the curtain on gratitude practices and the whole “good vibes only” culture.

Because let’s be real - while gratitude can be beautiful, the way it’s usually pushed on overwhelmed women is often toxic. Instead of helping you feel lighter, it can pile on guilt, shame, and that awful feeling of “what’s wrong with me?” when you don’t feel grateful enough.

I’ll share how toxic positivity silences the very emotions that are trying to save you. We’ll talk about how to flip gratitude into something real, raw, and actually useful for your emotional health.

Real change doesn’t come from writing “I’m grateful for _______”. It comes from facing the truth of what you really feel and taking actions that actually lighten your load so you can do less and live more.

Takeaways

• Gratitude can backfire — sometimes it adds guilt instead of relief.
• Toxic positivity = emotional silence… and that’s what fuels burnout.
• Emotions aren’t flaws — they’re data, your built-in compass.
• Honesty + Action > affirmations — truth moves you forward, not fake mantras.
• Freedom comes when you feel it all — the messy and the magical.

Chapters

00:00 — Why gratitude isn’t always the gift it’s sold as
06:15 — Three underlying principals of toxic positivity
09:08 — Four ways toxic positivity backfires
18:44 — Five practical swaps you can make today
22:10 — Snapping, guilt, and what they’re really telling you

Get on the waitlist for The Reset Monthly Membership opening in October!

www.alyanderson.com/therefuge

For support between episodes:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/itsalyanderson

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aly.anderson

Email - [email protected]

Keywords: gratitude, toxic positivity, burnout, emotional health, self-care, mental health, emotional intelligence, personal growth, self-awareness, exhaustion, motherhood, guilt, snapping