Why Positive Thinking Fails AND What Actually Works

Inside Nat's Notebook - Real Reflections for Real Change

Hey You -

Let’s get this straight: Blessons and gratitude are NOT positive thinking.

I recoil in horror when people mix them up, because I used to do exactly that, YEP. Back when I was trying to “fix” myself from burnout, I leaned hard into positive thinking. 

I told myself:

Just think good thoughts! Focus on the bright side! Find the silver lining!

And yet, every time life got messy, that fragile positivity crumbled like a cheap biscuit into my tea. I couldn’t maintain it when things got really sticky.

So, I started looking elsewhere.

I studied gratitude.

I sat in gratitude circles.

I wrote gratitude journals.

I looked at gratitude and its impact on the body and mind, I explored a new way of seeing life.

And that’s where Blessons came in.

Why Positive Thinking Fails AND What Works 

Positive thinking is like slapping a plaster on a broken bone. It asks you to push aside the uncomfortable. To ignore the hard stuff. To force a smile even when life is knocking you sideways.

But what happens when things fall apart, say:

Your job is at risk? A relationship crumbles? Your health takes a hit?

You can’t force positivity through moments like these. And when you try? It makes you feel like you’ve failed just because you’re not positive enough. That stings, I know, I felt it!

I realised it was not the solution, it’s actually avoidance.

Blessons & Gratitude are the Real Deal

What’s a Blesson?

A Blesson is when life knocks you on your arse, BUT leaves you with wisdom.  It’s the lesson inside the struggle. The thing you walk away with, the thing that changes you.

Blessons don’t ask you to ignore pain. 

They ask:

🧡 What is this teaching me?

🧡 How is this shaping me?

🧡 What strength am I building from this?

🧡 What is this showing me?

And that changes everything.

Gratitude Isn’t Fake Positivity

Gratitude isn’t pretending everything is fine. It’s perspective. It’s making space for both the hard and the beautiful to exist together.

When life gets tough, gratitude doesn’t say:

Just be positive. It could be worse, or look on the bright side.

It says:

🧡 This is hard, but I’m grateful for what I’m learning.

🧡 This moment hurts, but that's OK because it's showing me something.

🧡 I don’t have to love this, but I can grow from it.

And that? That’s real power.

Why This Changes Everything

When you ditch surface-level positivity and lean into Blessons and gratitude, life shifts:

You stop avoiding reality. Instead of fearing struggle, you learn from it. You build real strength. Not the fake kind that crumbles at the first sign of stress. You trust yourself. No more fragile self-esteem that depends on things being perfect.

And you stop seeing hard moments as failures. Instead, they become part of your strength.

#RebelMoment: 

Let’s shake things up.

Next time life throws you a curveball, don’t reach for positive thinking.

Instead, pause. Ask yourself:

🧡 What if this moment is here to teach me something?

🧡 What if I don’t need to rush past it, but actually feel it?

Because this is where the real shift happens. Not in pretending everything is fine, but in learning from what’s here.

Contemplate this: 

If positive thinking actually worked, wouldn’t we all be thriving?

Maybe it’s time to try something different!

Curious about how this shift can change everything?

This is exactly what I teach inside my reset sessions, where we don’t just talk about inner strength, we embody it. Get Involved here:  Weekly Reset

What’s a Blesson you’ve learned recently? Drop it in the comments, I’d love to hear!

The real rebellion? Choosing to pause, reset, and listen.

✨ You’ve got this. ✨

Burnout isn’t a failure, it’s a signal. Let it guide you to Reset, Realign + Rise.

Life feels lighter when your nervous system is your ally.

Stay Blessed

LoveLove

Nat x

🧡 Your Burnout Bestie 🧡

Ready to Break Free from the Cycle of Overdoing + Find Your Flow?

💡 Weekly Reset: 

Breath + movement resets designed to fit your real life. Shift stress, clear your mind and reset your nervous system in minutes.  Join Me Here 

🍂 Seasonal Reset:

A deep exhale for your nervous system. These seasonal workshops are designed to sync with nature’s rhythm, helping you reset before you hit the wall. Let’s Reset

🌀 1:1 Mentorship:

Feeling stuck in survival mode? Let’s map out a way forward that actually works for you. Personalised nervous system support to help you thrive, not just survive. Learn More

💡 Not sure where to start?

Take the 2-Minute Quiz to Decode Your Stress Signals + get simple, science-backed steps to reset. Take the Quiz

📩 Prefer a weekly nudge?

Nat’s Natterings is your love note to your nervous system, a reminder to step off the hamster wheel and start living from a place of calm inner power. Get on the List

---

About Nat

Nat Creasy, aka Your Burnout Bestie, doesn’t sugarcoat the hustle, she calls it out for what it is: an exhausting lie that’s making us all sick.

As a Nervous System Mentor, Nat teaches people how to break free from overthinking, exhaustion, and survival mode, helping them operate from a place of power, flow and clarity.

She gets it. After burning out so hard it left her bedridden for 18 months, Nat learned the hard way that pushing through isn’t the answer. 

The real win? Learning how to work with your nervous system, not against it.

Now, she teaches people how to Reset, Realign + Rise trading burnout for ease, exhaustion for clarity, and hustle for a life that actually feels good.

Tired of running on empty? It’s time to reclaim your energy.

👉 www.littlesoulshack.com