Positivity

52 Weeks of Steiner – Week 34  
(This is part of a weekly serial started on Michaelmas 2023. To see the other entries, please see the post linked HERE and scroll down to the bottom for individual links)

Positivity has had some bad publicity recently. The phrase “toxic positivity” has had a lot of play time in the world and has been described as a social ill, stemming from the plethora of self-help books and gurus that champion positive thinking and manifestation. Defined as an obsession with positive thinking where there is no room or allowance for negative thought, it is the polar opposite of constant negativity (another rampant social ill in my opinion). It sometimes feels like society right now is in a constant state of bouncing from one polar opposite to the other! Neither constant forced positivity or impenetrable negativity are healthy. But where is the middle?

We need negative feelings. To even call them negative feelings denotes that they lack in something. But sadness, anger, frustration, jealousy, fear, rejection and a myriad of other so-called negative feelings have a solid place in the human experience. There have been many studies that show humans need to move through these feelings to build empathy, a belief in themselves and an awareness that the negative feelings and hardship will end. It is only when we cannot see beyond these feelings, or when we allow our feelings to rule us, that an imbalance occurs and we live in the poles of ecstasy or misery.

Steiner’s fourth practical activity was the act of positivity, impartiality or freedom from prejudice. The way I have used this exercise is to connect with something that I have an aversion to. To find out something more about it so I can “know” it beyond my negativity towards it. It doesn’t always take away my dislike, but that isn’t the purpose. The purpose is to gain a different perspective, to be come interested in the thing that we dislike, to bring some light of positivity. To find the middle.

In my handwork teacher training with Waldorf Handwork Educators we had the gift of meeting with Betty Staley to discuss Steiner’s six foundational exercises and she had an activity for flexing our positivity skills that I just loved and am going to share here.

Firstly, write a list of things you dislike. As humans, there will be a lot in this list! And that’s okay! The point of positivity isn’t to stop disliking things, it is to make a conscious effort to see that they aren’t all bad. Just plop down everything that comes to mind in one minute.

I came up with 15 things in my minute, and top of the list was socks.

I really dislike socks. My feet feel suffocated in socks, they never seems to sit right on my feet, and when I have them on, they distract me. They are the first thing I take off when I walk in the door, after my shoes obviously, but I don’t even wait to move into the house, the socks get removed right after the shoes. Bare feet are definitely in my like column.

So, you’ve written your list, now YOU choose the item you dislike the most. Then go find out about it.

At first I wrote down the many things I already knew about socks, like they keep feet warm, prevent frost bite, prevent blisters, can be made of many different fibres, come in different lengths etc. Then I went deeper. I looked into the history of socks and WOW did I enter into a rabbit hole! There is so much to learn about the history of socks! I’ll not bog you down with the details, but it really gave me a new appreciation for the uncomfortable footwear.

I still dislike socks, but now I hold more positivity towards them. And that interest, that warming, the practice of intentionally looking deeper at a dislike, creates space for positivity and impartiality. It opens up the middle space, the balance.

I encourage you to try it out! Especially before the next week because Steiner’s fifth exercise is open-mindedness and I find it very closely related to positivity.

Until next time,
Marina