Toxic Positivity Is on the Rise. Are You Guilty of Spreading It? “Research has shown that accepting negative emotions, rather than dismissing them, may be more beneficial for a person’s mental health in the long run. As Zuckerman says, ‘Feel your feelings. Sit with them. Do not avoid them. Avoiding discomfort only prolongs its existence.‘” I was taught a pretty curdled kind of resilience as a kid, then a very animal kind of resilience in a more institutional setting.