It can be difficult finding ways to stay optimistic when life seems to be throwing you curveballs left and right. With the right tools and a positive mindset, you can learn to work for the life you want, be grateful for what you have, and find optimism to carry you through tough times.
How to Stay Optimistic When Times Are Difficult
Think back to a time in your past — five, 10, 15, or even 20 years ago. Maybe you envisioned a happy future making more money, having more fun, a family of your own, or living in a bigger place.
Few things turn out perfectly, but chances are your life saw some growth and improvement in at least one area. A 30 or 40-something-year-old adult’s standards are going to be different than those of a teenager. In that sense, most of us have undergone economic, personal, and career upgrades, even if you might be disappointed with the outcome thus far making it hard to stay optimistic.
The Seasons of Life
All life on this planet goes through seasons. We’ll experience spring-like blooms, the reaping of summer, the preparations of fall, and the chill and severity that winter brings. These cycles affect us individually and globally. At times, even the world as a whole experiences something like a severe economic winter.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that we’ve all experienced times of growth and improvement in our individual lives. Even during periods of lack and want, we can look forward to a time of prosperity again. All it takes is readjusting back to a mindset that focuses on the future so we can stay optimistic. That starts with accepting and embracing the now.
3 Tips to Stay Optimistic During Your “Winter Times”
By far, the toughest cycle we’ll experience is our “winter times,” whether it’s cold outside or not. Even the grasshopper needs to be told by the Ant to prepare for winter, so the old story goes. The other seasons are often times easier, if not more enjoyable.
As tough as things can seem during harsh times, winter provides the opportunity to recover and start planning for the next spring ahead—the same kind of spring that gave us relief before and will bring us relief again. With this mindset, we can find ways to stay optimistic despite the cold. These 3 tips for learning how to stay optimistic can help you even in the most difficult of times:
1. You can do this by defining what you want to create. Be specific. Sometimes luck helps, but there’s no way to get what you want until you’ve defined what you want, and, just as important, why you want it. Your motivations will steer you through any winter storm.
2. Also, taking inventory. List those attributes that enhance the quality of your life right here and now — family, friends, the network of colleagues who might help you take that next step, and resources that are helping you economically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You might be surprised at just how many resources are at your disposal.
3. Lastly, be grateful. For every “negative” thing that may be happening to you, someone else is likely undergoing more pressing challenges. Gratitude has a way of dispelling fear, anxiety, and a self-defeating attitude. You can’t focus on what you don’t have when you’re grateful for what you do have. How we progress through the seasons isn’t based on what we don’t have, or what we might’ve done or not done in the past. It’s about how we use what we do have now to stay optimistic and to sow seeds of growth that we can reap later.
I want to leave you with one last thought. Winters can seem to go on forever, but they don’t. That’s as true for the world as it is in our individual lives. When in ‘winter’, use this time to re-focus, heal, enjoy your blessings, and start planning your next spring now.
Give us your thoughts on life’s “seasons,” whether they apply to your personal or professional life. Where are you in your life’s cycle? How do you navigate your seasons? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about these tips for staying optimistic during difficult times. Each and every one of your comments is meaningful and valuable.
For Your Freedom,
After reading this article it makes so much sense as it pertains to the seasons in your life. I feel like it’s personal for me because it’s talking about my professional life and personal life. I feel like I am in the season of reaping. I navigate my seasons by staying my faith and being connected with god. I really enjoyed the article, it had so many great points. The harvest is here and I can’t wait to see what god has in store for me.
Lakeisha Comer I appreciate everything I am learning now and is truly inspirational thank you so much
It’s difficult to understand……
Thank you very much for the lessons. During winter times l stay focused being encouraged by the word o of God .
Dear Harv,
I agree with you, season’s in life and how it affect the emotions of individual positive or negative. And if we do not know how to manage and use best of those time especially winter season.
I am in winter season in my professional life for past more than a year, no job, no work. Initially I could not understand why this happened to me and making everything to comeback, but could not succeed.
Then I read few life lessons of successful people and that helped me understand the importance of time. I started building positive thinking and controlling negative ones.
Building repository of knowledge in my field and developing new one to prepare for next season.
I continue to build the same in present.
Dear Harv, I totally agree and take for me your three tips.
I have unconsciously applied the principle of gratitude in winter times and it truly helps us to stay positive by dispelling fear, anxiety and self-destructive attitude.
Hi Harv, I totally agree with your three tips to stay positive. I have gone through a rough patch, but just reading these three tips has energized me to start thinking positively about the coming season. Man am I looking forward to the new life. I really feel excited.
I know what you are talking about when you talk about winter. I have been unemployed for 2 years now ever since I graduated but I have never let that bring me down. I see my peers that I graduated with driving nice car and all that but somehow I have learned to be grateful for what I have now.
Hi Harv,
Winter… is only for a short period of time and part of life. Spring is coming and all other seasons will follow. I embrace them all, for each one has its benefits and lessons.
Thanks.
I’ve been having quite a long winter and have felt lost in some occasions , but I do I agree Ive submit myself through an important developing process these has probably been the longest and challenging and it seems far from over , but I felt its been the most educative one es well
This is inspiriing. The little I can add to this, if you wish to become successful, don’t have to complain, grumble, or find fault; nor succumb to the felings of envy and greed. Be contentent with what you have now and remember God will never abandon you in your lacking time.
Doing a plan and working on it is what I am gonna do every day. I think it’s quite important to reach your goals. If you are not planning, you will do it for nothing. We are just living 28.105 Days (men) or 29.200 days (women) statistics before we die. What are you waiting for.
Thank Harv for your inspiration and taking time, teaching and sharing your knowledge. Thanks also for the podcast with Tobias Beck. Thank you so much. João
Thanks Harv is a very useful article.
hay dias buenos y dias malos, pero el sol siempre saldra mañana y entonces habra una nueva oportunidad de hacer algo mejor y diferente, seguiré adelante!! Gracias infinitas por toda la información!!!!!!!!!!!!
Despues de leer ese articulo me doy cuenta que ahorra estoy enen una epocca de invierno en la cuall debo de realizar las. Inddicaciones que aquí se comentan, para que en mi proxima primavea me valla mucho mejor y dejar de pensar en lo que me hacce falta, o lo que ya no tengo.
Muchas gracias por el contenido muy educativo, sson cosas tan simples que hacen de nuetra viday unaa experiencia altamente efectiva.
I never thought about seasons but about the waves in my life.
I feel like I am in spring now: I am back to your book ( I red it tree years ago but got lost in day-to-day problems). Your book helped me tree years ago when I just went on my own (don’t you think it belongs to appreciation?)
Anyways, to stay optimistic I watch some comedy movies, find something good that I still have and learn lessons from situations.
I really appreciat this lesson.I now understand better, our personal seasons of life. Thank you.
This article is so on point. It makes lots of sense. This article relates to me both professionally and personally. Like they say, the dawn of day comes just after the darkest hour of the night. I’m so hopeful and optimistic because after winter comes the beautiful spring just as after the darkest hour of the night comes the first light of dawn which shines brighter and brighter.
Thank you Harv Eker and Co.
Great tips thank you😃
Yes the seasons do play their part in all áreas time to time.
I’m in the very beguin of spring🙂
I give my best even when it’s very little
I remaind my self everything will go (Chico clavier)
Gratitude 🙏
Nice piece Harv Eker, John maxwell said motivation gets you going while discipline keeps you growing in his 15 invaluable laws of growth. I want to believe one has to learn to discipline thyself toward being optimistic. It’s really a blessing that am with you in this moment of my life
Adorable lectura. De verdad muy acertada en la época de mi vida que estoy atravesando. Pero me da alegría saber que estoy mejorando y creciendo en todos los sentidos. Muchas Gracias Harv!! Recibe bendiciones.
I agree with you on season’s of life, because I know the feeling of winter season in my life, but it never stop me, and I feel like I am in my spring season because I have made progress in my life and will continue to make progress.
You mentioned the dreams of our youth are modified w/age. Yes, I agree & w/that modification must come the understanding that we may not be where we planned in our youth, we (probably) have as much, if not more, to be grateful, than when we were young.
The seasons is something I had not realized, but also agree w/you. It makes total sense.
Thank you for all you do Mr. Ecker.
Thanks Harv.
I believe we all need our winter times to keep us on our toes.
I agree with you. We need winter times to keep us closer to God
As hard as they are I really am grateful for all the challenges that I’ve overcome so far and all those still ahead. I’ve learned that there is always a lesson wrapped up in them and that’s how I’ve been able to stay optimistic overall. We all have our tough days and I still struggle to keep pushing towards my goals on days when depression tries to rear it’s ugly head but I’m getting better and quicker at recognizing it and putting it back in its box on the shelf and working towards my goals despite how I feel.
I am in winter right now. And yes winter will be over. It’s true that it appears to take forever. With the tips provided I am now navigating my winter and preparing for the coming season
En la vida pasamos por diversas etapas que a la larga nos enseñan a moldear nuestra personalidad. Muy interesante el punto de vista de las estaciones… cada una de ellas son lecciones de vida.
Thanks for article! I am uderstand that I have many good things already.
What an article! Thank you
I am so grateful for my new life! I know all about the seasons.
Paul and Tiffany Rohrbacher are in a season of growth…true bliss!
We have defined what we want…surrounded ourselves with all kinds of support…and remain grateful always.
Dear Harv,
Thank you so much for this extremely valuable information. I am in winter right now and have been for quite a while. With your tips I am positive, and what I am going to learn with you, I am positive that an amazing spring. is right ahead. God bless you!
I can see how life’s season apply to my personal and professional life. I’m currently in Winter as many different aspects of me are dying, old thought patterns and habits. I’m also looking at my career and how I can change that. I stay optimistic in times like this by practicing gratitude and doing things that I love doing, like having a bath with candles or watching my favourite movie. In my experience the worse the Winter the more wonderful the Spring and Summer. Because I’ve weathered the storm and kept optimistic a renewal of me occurs after that period, I know that my level has risen and I am stronger than ever before, the ever better. So in a way I relish the Winter,
Harv, thank you for the wisdom as l travel thought the season of winter now. You have given me the information needed to find the ROSE in this time of heaviness .
thank you
It’s unbelieveable how life works in cycles. It’s inevitable. No matter how much you wish your ‘spring’ times lasted forever, ‘winter’ sooner or later does come. The lucky part is that every time i come out of winter, i come out stronger and happier than i was before. It makes you prove yourself who you really are. Right now i’m getting out of winter, and i totally agree with you when you say that motives and principles are really important for those times. It keeps you on track
La gratitud te ayuda a aprovechar esas estaciones de invierno, que aunque sean difíciles y parezcan negativas siempre te dejan una enseñanza, un crecimiento algo nuevo que te ayuda a avanzar . Cuando estas agradecido por lo que tienes y te enfocas en los pensamientos positivos atraes mas de lo mismo y cuando nos desviamos del camino, el mismo deseo y la intención que tienes de cambiar la situación atrae artículos como estos. EXCELENTE.
Hola, es increíble como nunca antes me había detenido a analizar mi situación, viviendo en el pasado, queriendo tantas cosas y no esforzándome por ellas.
Gracias.
As i read this article. i realised that i don’t really need to worry about my current hard times that am going through since at least i have success that few people have achieved at my age in my country. Therefore, i left my job because i was’t happy with it and too much pressure so far now its 7 months not earning but happy as i plan to start my new project next month that will give me a peace of mind
Thank You Harv for empowering articles.
Dear Harv
I totally agree with you, there are always going to be difficult times, but if we stay focus on our main goal everything could be solve.
Right now I don’t feel either a good or bad season, but I do feel that this is not what I want for the rest of my life, I’ve always been grateful, but every time there is an obstacle I cocentrats too much in it that forgot my goal of freedom and abundance
Thanks your thoughts
Thank you very much for the wisdom words that you give us, thank you because whe I was more depressed, to read your book for second time, opened my eyes and showed me why I was stuck in my winter. But now I know what I was doing wrong. And now I am changing, I am taking my self out of my confort zone, and I am putting my self in the uncomfortable zone that I used to avoid. Now I am preparing my self for my sping, I know I have to plant the right seeds to create new and stronger roots free of the plague that myself sought to infect.
Dear Harv,
The tips are truly amazing. It added my my strength to move on and keep going with what I am now aiming to hit and dreaming to realize.
It is a great article. The right words. I honestly find it difficult to undertake long term plan. In as much as I hope to always do that; I realize I have some weakness. Yea, I read I need to use my actual to plan ahead. I need help pls
У меня сейчас Весна. Я пробуждаюсь и готова действовать для моего и всеобщего блага. Вперед, к своим целям. Пару дней назад впервые в своей жизни составила четкий финансовый план на 2018 год. Желаю себе выполнить его на 120%!
that’s true and helpful, i am going through one of the most blessed winters in my life, because i have the right toll, which is faith and attitude.
I started to move to absolutely another direction 3 years ago. I left my job and decided to do something for my future that I didn’t do before. It’s a challenge time for me and sometimes it’s realy hard. However, I know that I started new life which will be more better than before. It drives me ahead and makes me strong enough to go ahead.
Харв советы из книги ” думай как миллионер “очень классные.стараюсь внедрить их в своем бизнесе
многое не понятно . .но финансовый план на месяц уже есть .
Muchas gracias, Agradezco el tiempo que tomaste para enviarme esta información, gracias por creer que es importante para mi recibirla. Un abrazo.
De verdad gracias, gracias, por compartir tus conocimientos. Me estoy ¨” devorando ” el libro Los Secretos de la Mente MIllonaria y he encontrado muchos respuestas. NO es fácil cuando se esta pasando por el más terrible invierno de mi vida y cuando no se tiene la edad para comenzar, pero debo ser optimista, y abierta para entender la lección que debo aprender y me hago responsable .
Ojala algún día pueda asistir a su Seminario Intensivo de Mente MIllonaria, sería mi sueño.
Realmente me “toco” entender que no hay tiempo para lamentarse cuando estás en constante agradecimiento por lo que tienes. GRACIAS!
It is like the article gives to answers my problems. I really love it. Thank you professor.
Staying positive is definitely a key part to living a good life! Though sometimes it takes a conscious effort to get into that positive mindset, once done, the world seems right and at peace.
Muchas Gracias por las Enseñanzas.
Me encuentro en la etapa de Primavera, entrando a verano.
Ser Agradecido por cada reto, ya que Dios, el Universo, etc, te está preparando para algo Mejor.
Siendo Optimista, ves la mejor forma de cada problema,