Being positive is the best way to lead a happy life. Unfortunately, maintaining an attitude of positivity is difficult when you are going through tough times. 

Adversity is a part of the journey. The ride is never smooth. You will encounter roadblocks that force you out of your path. Quitting may seem easier, but building resilience and maintaining a positive attitude is the best way to go. 

Acknowledge hard times for what they are- temporary. When you go through the pain of loss or rejection, you must keep your spirits up because such seasons always come to pass. 

Develop a positive mindset.

To live a meaningful life, you will need a shift in mindset. Once you master control of your mind, you can steer your thoughts and emotions towards positivity. 

The battle to either sink or stay afloat happens in the mind. Your perception determines whether or not you survive. 

Challenges are opportunities to build resilience and grow. It is when you go through rough seasons that you discover more about your endurance. It may be uncomfortable and painful to go through such times, but being positive will sustain you.

A positive mindset seeks to draw valuable lessons from setbacks. Instead of giving up, use challenges as stepping stones. When you choose positivity, encountering a barricade does not mean quitting the journey. You look for alternative ways to reach your destination. Who knows what awesome things you will discover on the alternative path?

Sometimes, even after meticulously laying out your plan of action, failure may still come. Being positive is not packing up the vision. It is going back to the drawing board and rewriting the strategy. When you do not get things right, there is a temptation to label yourself a failure. Most people then choose not to try out anything else because of fear of failing again. 

If you are doing something of significance, you will encounter failure. The difference between positive people and negative people is that the latter beat themselves up after that one fall. They take failure personally. The focus shifts to shortcomings and what role they play in the failure. They attempt nothing else because they camp around that dejection. Positive people acknowledge failure, but they do not give up on their goals. They just reshape them and pursue a different path to attain them.

No matter what you go through, always remember that there is so much more waiting for you on the other side. Adversity will always try to knock you out for the count. You only have to be brave enough to get up. Being positive gives you a chance to fight another day.

How to sustain a positive attitude during seasons of difficulty.

Acknowledge what you are going through.

Being positive is not the same as being in denial. It does not mean ignoring the feelings of hurt, anxiety, anger, betrayal, or disappointment. Many people bury their pain instead of confronting it. It never ends well because you will eventually reach a bursting point. Self-care starts when you acknowledge difficult seasons. You deal better with rough patches in your journey by acknowledging your feelings and sorting through them. Agreeing that things did not go according to plan will help you put everything into perspective. It opens your eyes to solutions to the problems.

Acknowledging what you are going through is not the same as indulging in the negative thoughts that readily come to mind.

Shut out negative feelings.

We are quick to be negative. It just comes naturally for us to retreat, play the victim, or cry about our situation than it is to actively find our way out. The moment negative thoughts take root, it becomes difficult to see anything in a positive light. You will take breakups as a sign that you are unworthy of love. Losing your job will seem like confirmation of some sort of inadequacy on your part. One of the best ways to shut out negativity is through self-awareness. This practice acknowledges your shortcomings while amplifying your capabilities. You acknowledge your weaknesses whilst focusing on building your areas of strength. 

Practice self-affirmation.

One way to stay positive is to speak affirmatively about yourself. How you talk to yourself matters, as it conditions your internal environment. Once you are confident inside, you reflect that confidence on the outside. Remind yourself of your worth right there in those difficult moments. You have what it takes to get through tough times. You just need to keep believing in yourself. Affirmations help you remember the greatness you carry on the inside of you.

Surround yourself with positive influences.

Never underestimate the role your company or your environment plays in determining how you feel. A negative environment will drain you. The same applies to negative people. Both will only make the situation seem worse than it already is. Choose to hang around places with positive people and positive vibes. This will uplift you when you need that boost to get you back on your feet.

Being thankful for all that goes right.

When you keep focusing on all that is going wrong, you will struggle to remain positive. It is good, amid hard times, to look at all the things that are going great in your life. It minimizes the impact of tough times. You get to look beyond the adversity and see the strides you have already made. This gives you hope for a brighter future.  

Sustaining a positive attitude is difficult when you are going through a lot of adversity. It takes determination to look on the brighter side. No matter what you are going through, keep your head held high and keep hope alive.

‘Weeping may endure in the night, but joy comes in the morning.’ Proverb.