Maintaining the right attitude during difficult times is definitely not the easiest of tasks, but it is probably the most essential ingredient required for overcoming challenging circumstances. Unfortunately, during difficult times, such as the current financial crisis, we often unconsciously become a product of our environments and reflect our negative surroundings through pessimism.

Maintaining the right attitude requires discipline and it is this discipline that determines our success and satisfaction in life. It is important to remember that discipline, like attitude, is 100 per cent within our control. In order to maintain a positive attitude and discipline, we must truly believe in ourselves and our capabilities.

Such an attitude strengthens our most important relationship – the one we have with ourselves. We must believe that we are each here for a reason. It means having the faith that every (seemingly) unfortunate event we encounter is occurring for a reason. It may be to help build our characters, to give us a reality check or to simply get us back on the track where we belong.

Moreover, by believing in ourselves we have the confidence to face our daily and most severe challenges knowing that eventually we can overcome them. Whether it be the loss of a loved one, bankruptcy or loneliness, maintaining a positive attitude and upholding our discipline at all times is crucial for survival and the realisation of our dreams and goals.

It’s important to recognise the extent to which our thoughts can and do influence our actions and our future. If we think about losing our jobs we may actually increase our chances of it happening because what we think about is often what we attract. As the economy unpredictably moves on a downward spiral, people’s attitudes tend to follow the same erratic path.

Their pessimistic mindset causes them to fritter away time thinking and talking about “things” beyond their control instead of investing their energy on things which are within their control.

What we think about, what we say to ourselves and the manner in which we act are all part of the law of attraction. We need to be aware of our thoughts, our dialogue and our actions; and understand how they affect our overall wellbeing in order to maintain a positive attitude. We need to catch ourselves during acts of self pity, self criticism, jealousy or anger and then, replace this type of negativity with optimism.

As we become aware of potential obstacles during challenging times, it can be helpful to create contingency plans. The advantage of such planning, should a potential obstacle become a reality, is it won’t instigate a sense of urgency because the contingency plan can be quickly implemented.

Realistic goals can be outlined, planned, implemented and accomplished with the right attitude and discipline. We can endure adversity, hardship, setbacks and ultimately, achieve success in every area of our lives simply by being optimistic and consistently responsible for our actions.

These qualities award us control in the midst of trouble and heartache by allowing us to see the ‘bigger picture’ without losing sight of our goals and our future. If we embrace the right attitude and discipline when others criticise, then, we listen but refuse to allow their opinions to dictate our thoughts or direction. We accept full responsibility for all of our actions. We know who we are.

Difficult and challenging times offer the perfect opportunity to define what we want out of life. These complex times encourage us to look in the mirror and possibly reconsider where we want to go, who we want to be and what we really want to do. We must regain control of our life and our attitude. We must refuse to allow ourselves to become victims of circumstance. Moreover, these taxing times remind us to define our life goals and make them happen.

Above all, we have to remember that we alone are responsible for making a difference in our own lives. If that means a shift of attitude, acquiring some discipline and becoming self aware, isn’t it worth adopting positive habits in order live the life we crave?