"I have to think positively."
Mira murmured quietly. In the library, Hiyori and Sora were sitting next to her.
"But I can't," Mira continued.
Hiyori asked gently, "What happened?"
"When I consulted a friend, they said 'why don't you think more positively?' But I just can't be positive."
Sora looked up from the book. "You don't need to force yourself to be positive."
"What?" Mira was surprised.
"Positive thinking has its limits," Sora explained.
Hiyori nodded. "In fact, forcing yourself to be positive can sometimes be counterproductive."
"Counterproductive?"
"There's a concept called toxic positivity," Sora said.
"Toxic positivity?" Mira asked back.
"The thinking that denies negative emotions and forces constant positivity," Hiyori explained.
"Is that bad?"
"It suppresses real emotions," Sora answered. "Psychologically unhealthy."
Mira thought. "So it's okay to be negative?"
"Negative emotions are natural and normal," Hiyori said. "Sadness, anxiety, anger. These are basic human emotions."
Sora supplemented, "The problem is denying those emotions. Trying to forcibly erase them without accepting them."
"But staying in negative feelings is painful," Mira said honestly.
"Of course," Hiyori acknowledged. "But to change emotions, recognition and acceptance come first."
"Recognition and acceptance?"
"Acknowledge that you're sad now. Don't deny it," Sora explained.
Mira asked, "Then what happens?"
"Paradoxically, when you accept emotions, those emotions soften," Hiyori answered.
"Why?"
"Because resistance disappears," Sora said. "When you don't fight emotions and just acknowledge them, they naturally flow."
Mira asked curiously, "Isn't that different from giving up?"
"Completely different," Hiyori answered immediately. "Giving up is helplessness. Acceptance is the power to cope after recognizing reality."
Sora gave an example. "Say you failed an exam. Toxic positivity denies it: 'Don't worry, there's next time!'"
"What about acceptance?"
"'I'm sad about failing. That's a natural emotion.' Acknowledge it. Then, 'Let me think about what to do next.'"
Mira understood. "Acknowledge emotions, then take action."
"Exactly," Hiyori smiled.
Sora continued, "In psychology, realistic optimism is recommended."
"Realistic optimism?"
"Acknowledging negative reality while focusing on what can be done."
Hiyori supplemented, "Not ignoring problems, but finding solvable parts."
Mira asked, "So complete positive thinking is bad?"
"Blind optimism is dangerous," Sora answered. "Ignoring risks or neglecting preparation."
"But pessimism isn't good either," Hiyori added. "It leads to helplessness."
"Balance is important," Sora summarized.
Mira thought deeply. "That's difficult."
"It's difficult at first," Hiyori acknowledged. "But you can practice."
"How?"
"Keep an emotion journal," Sora proposed. "Record what emotions you felt today."
"And then?"
"By naming emotions, you can objectify them," Hiyori explained. "'I am angry' versus 'There is an emotion of anger.'"
Sora supplemented, "Separate emotion from self. Emotions are temporary."
Mira said quietly, "Right now, I'm sad. But I'm not equal to sadness."
"Perfect," Hiyori acknowledged.
Sora continued, "Another one is self-compassion."
"Self-compassion?"
"Kindness to yourself," Hiyori translated. "Especially when feeling negative, be kind to yourself."
"How do I be kind?" Mira asked.
"Say to yourself what you'd say to a friend," Sora answered. "'It's tough, isn't it? You don't have to force it.'"
Mira almost started crying. "I've never said that to myself."
Hiyori said gently, "You can start from now."
Sora summarized, "It's okay to have days when you can't be positive. That's natural as a human."
"The important thing is not denying those emotions," Hiyori added.
Mira took a deep breath. "Today, I can't be positive. And that's okay."
"That's okay," Hiyori repeated.
Sora said quietly, "Negative emotions also carry messages."
"Messages?"
"Anxiety teaches that preparation is needed. Sadness teaches that something was lost. Anger teaches that boundaries were violated."
Hiyori nodded. "Emotions aren't enemies, but information."
Mira smiled. "I'll try treating emotions more carefully."
"That's emotional intelligence," Sora said.
Outside the window, rain began falling.
"On rainy days, you don't have to be positive," Mira murmured.
"Rainy days have their own beauty," Hiyori said.
The three quietly watched the rain. Negative emotions are also part of life. Accepting them is true strength.