Staying Confident Through Troubled Times

Staying in a good frame of mind when things start going bad can be very difficult. It is very easy to slip into a depressing or negative mood. But in order to pull through when things are going bad, you need to maintain a good spirited attitude.

What keeps your confidence to overcome intact has a lot to do with resilience to the circumstance you are under. Resilience is the ability to bounce or spring back into shape - to recover strengths, spirits and good humor when confronted with obstacles.

When you are hit with difficulties, you have to let some of the negatives roll off your back and gain knowledge of what doesn't work so that you can be better prepared for the next step.

Here are three things I've learned to help you maintain confidence and deal with difficult times:

1. Implementation vs Procrastination - So many times people will say, "you can't do that" or "that will never work". There are many people out there whom will offer discouragement instead of encouragement. Try everything, never say never and take encouragement where you can, leave discouragement behind you.

2. Master Mentors - Developing friendships and getting to know people in varied ways gives you a wealth of experience to draw from. These people can teach you valuable lessons without 'sugar coating' the information. Mentors do not necessarily need to be a person; it can be a book or a special quote. Use and reuse those resources as age and experience change over time.

3. Control You Environment - What you think about and who you surround yourself with determine your attitude and confidence more than any other factor. If you constantly hang around negative people, you will inherit those traits. If you hang around positive and successful people, you will inherit those traits as well. I have heard it said, "you don't just pick up on other people's knowledge and experience; you pick up on their energy, too."