The delulu mindset, steamrolled by social media, predominantly TikTok, posits that everything will go your way and that “your crush does like you back.” However, is it healthy to always be delulu? How is being delusional affecting your mental health?
Delulu is the Solulu
The ‘delulu is the solulu‘ mindset is essentially Gen Z’s philosophy of believing that with a positive mindset and a few affirmations the universe will yield to all your desires. The ideology is not new as it existed almost 2 decades ago as ‘The Law of Attraction’ posited by the 2006 Rhonda Byrne book “The Secret”. This time taking on a more modern form with the TikTok hashtag (#delulu) garnering over 2.3 billion views of people sharing how they go about their relationships, jobs, education and daily life with the most unrealistic of expectations that everything will go their way. This phenomenon is also known as ‘Toxic Positivity’ in Psychology.
How can Positivity be Toxic?
“Toxic Positivity is, at its core, gaslighting yourself” says psychotherapist Whitney Goodman to the Washington Post. Denying the existence of your very real crippling circumstances and invalidating your natural negative reactions to these emotions can lead to shame, guilt and depression. When you start to feel negative emotions like disappointment and sadness that “you aren’t supposed to feel” the consequences could be dire for your mental health.
It’s Okay Not to be Okay
In a post-Covid Namibia plagued by staggering youth unemployment rates and other socio-economic issues. To acknowledge and admit that one is not always fine should not be a taboo or shameful experience. The healthier way we can go about dealing with our problems and failures due to circumstances out of our control is by shining a light on them. By acknowledging them and their effects on our mental wellbeing, thereby opening ourselves up to learning invaluable lessons for the future.
Healthy Optimism
Acknowledging your shortcomings and having a healthy grip on reality does not mean you shouldn’t be optimistic about the future. In the pursuit of your career and life goals you may exercise a little delusion if it helps you dream bigger and aim higher. But, as long as you put the work in.
Finally, while ‘being delulu’ can be a powerful tool for personal manifestation, it’s crucial to balance it with a realistic understanding of emotions and challenges. Striking a harmonious balance between positivity and acknowledging our true feelings is the key to a healthier and more authentic journey towards our goals.
