How to Stay Hopeful During Life’s Toughest Moments

We all experience failures, run headfirst into obstacles, or encounter unexpected challenges on our life’s journey.

The blow from these disappointments can often leave us feeling stressed, depressed, or oppressed, yet life continues.

We can’t wish our troubles away, and we can’t erase them.

However, we can stay positive, believing that better days lie ahead.

Don’t sit still or hide away.

Get mad for a minute, but don’t stay mad, and don’t let trials and tribulations get the best of you.

Instead, move on and take steps to remove every threat against you, and do so with an uplifted spirit.

“Life may not be going well for you now, but as long as you are here, as long as you press forward, anything is possible. Hold on to hope.” — Nick Vujicic

Acceptance is the First Step

We must first acknowledge that we live in an imperfect world and that problems are inevitable.

That thought may seem daunting, but it’s reality.

The first step to staying hopeful when facing obstacles is realizing that we will hit bumps along the road, and we can’t always predict when they will happen.

If we keep this mindset, we won’t feel blindsided when we hit a barrier.

This perspective helps us stay positive, knowing the situation is temporary.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

While we accept that problems are a part of reality, we must not allow them to consume all our time and thoughts.

Focusing too much on our challenges can break our spirit, strip our energy, and steal our happiness.

Much of our happiness is up to us.

Here are a few tips to consider when you hit a rough patch and need help staying hopeful about life.

1. Be Deliberate

To remain happy through trials, we must develop the discipline to accept the situation but not allow it to overwhelm us.

We can’t ignore it or pretend it isn’t happening.

However, it shouldn’t dominate our thoughts day and night.

We must identify what is within our control and work to correct it.

Whatever is not in our control, we must set aside—worrying won’t change it.

Overthinking and obsessing won’t resolve the situation.

So, we must do what we can and choose to be happy.

Thinking about a problem over and over increases doubt and reduces happiness.

“I think and think and think, I’ve thought myself out of happiness a million times, but never once into it.” — Jonathan Safran Foer

Happiness is something we must seize.

We must demand it—make it a requirement, not a “nice to have.”

We can’t just say we want to be happy.

We must live out our words and do the things that bring us joy.

That will pour happiness into our hearts and put a smile on our faces.

2. Never Play the Blame Game

Even if someone contributed to the obstacles we face, we should limit how much we focus on anger toward them.

Blowing off steam is fine, but let it go quickly.

Allowing blame and anger to fester will rob you of the ability to think clearly and get ahead.

“Holding on to anger, resentment, and hurt only gives you tense muscles, a headache, and a sore jaw from clenching your teeth. Forgiveness gives you back the laughter and the lightness in your life.” — Joan Lunden

Focusing on others makes the obstacle seem bigger than it is and delays our efforts to resolve it.

We must keep our spirits lifted and our minds optimistic to keep hope alive.

The power is within us.

When we give in to blame and anger, we concede control to others. When we rise above, we take control.

Hold on to your power—smile, and enjoy life.

3. Patience

Troubles come, and troubles go—better times are just ahead.

“Be happy, and a reason will come along.” — Anonymous

We must wait patiently through the storm, so when it’s over, we still have the energy to move forward.

Maintaining patience requires composure.

When we stay calm, we can better assess the situation.

We must accept reality and keep our wits about us to analyze what needs to be done.

Losing patience, taking things personally, or not thinking clearly will lead to losing focus.

Remaining tranquil will help keep our spirits lifted, promoting confidence and the drive to persevere.

4. It’s Up to Us to Stay Hopeful

We can’t rely on others to say or do what we need to be happy.

Life is a mix of good and bad, happy and sad, favor and tribulation.

There will be times when everything goes wrong, and times when everything goes right.

We must be prepared to smile, laugh, and stay upbeat no matter what.

When clouds hover over us, we must keep believing.

Keep working because the clouds will pass, and the sun will shine.

Celebrate your victories during good times, and reflect on past wins when times are tough.

Even in troubling times, we can control our happiness.

Take responsibility, practice patience, and recognize that blaming others won’t change the situation.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

How Do You Stay Hopeful During Tough Times?

What do you tell yourself to stay hopeful when life gets hard?

Do you have any other tips to add to this list of how to be hopeful?

Please let us know in the comment section!

We’d love to hear from you!