There is so much truth in this paragraph:<\/p>\n
“Think of this mindset as one that responds to all human anxiety, or sadness, with uncompromising optimism. It can be found in sentences that start with those negating words \u201cAt least,\u201d which are followed by a suggestion that however bad you\u2019re feeling, at least you\u2019ve got plenty else that should offset and outweigh it. Even the oppressive insistence that we should love our body, no matter what, can tip into upbeat intolerance by implying that it\u2019s not OK to want to work on tummy folds or laugh lines.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
We talk often about how to support someone who is struggling, and in those conversations, we talk about spending less time worrying about what to say, and more time just being present. On the other hand, there are absolutely things you should not say, and if you find yourself starting sentences with “At least”, I want you to reconsider. I want you to think about how using those two words completely obliterates any space for what someone is actually feeling in that moment, and sends the message that what they are feeling is, in fact, invalid. Instead of offering support and understanding, their emotional struggle is met with “it could be worse…”<\/p>\n
Don’t do that.<\/p>\n