"It's all downhill from here": good or bad?

Context, context, context. And perspective.
I’ve used that phrase to mean both things, so I would judge by context, tone of voice, and body language to decide whether to be delighted or distressed.

Well if you’re a keen skier…

Yep, it can mean both things, for me right now, it means a steady decline in terms of age, & finances. lol

@Coloma
You are becoming younger?

@ragingloli hah!

I believe this phrase was uttered by both Donald Trump and Ted Cruz last night.

I just went through this with my mom a couple days ago and actually heard both from Dr’s and Hospice people and they all used both in a row but articulated the gist of “b” first followed by the gist of “a”. Dr’s have to walk a delicate line when conveying terminal prognosis’s and I appreciated the open honest appraisal of my mom’s situation. For 2 months now we had hope and even without the Dr’s words I myself knew the situation had now had all hope removed. Her death will be the easy part….it’s all the damn arrangements when she passes that is the awful part.

I think it’s usually used to mean everything is going to get worse. I use it mostly to mean things are getting worse. However, now that you’ve made me consider how I do use it, I’m pretty sure I use it both ways. I never really thought about it. Full context would be important to be sure someone interpreted my intent correctly.

Both as @canidmajor suggested.

I don’t recall ever hearing the phrase “It’s all downhill from here” used in a negative manner. “His/her (health, financial situation, etc.) is on a downward slope” would imply that there is little, if any, hope of recovery.

Since it sounds more optimistic than “It’s all uphill from here”, then I suggest the phrase is meant to be a positive statement.

@Pied_Pfeffer
I have never heard it used in a positive manner.

Positive would be to say “plain sailing”
Anyone using the “downhill” term as a positive is being clumsy & misleading