Your neocortex is the part of your brain that sees life as it is — clear, grounded, and truthful. No spiraling. No sugarcoating. And this is where “toxic positivity” gets misunderstood. Being positive isn’t the issue. Pretending everything’s fine when it isn’t? That’s bypassing. But when your reptilian or limbic brain kicks in, your neocortex gets pushed aside — hello doubt, procrastination, overwhelm. The fix? Re-engage the neocortex. Set simple, clear goals. Make a plan you can actually follow