Countless times, I have heard people say they are not and can't be happy because they couldn't get an admission in college, they don't have a degree, a job, a relationship, they are not married, others are doing better than them, they are going through major challenges or they don't have a child. While it's normal to get sad about these things, they are not a criteria for happiness.
Your happiness begins with you, not what you have or what you do, not even the people around you, if you can't be happy without those things the believe me, you can't be happy even with them.
I remember sometime ago, I just completed my OND and was seeking admission for my B.sc. Sadly, I didn't get any, I was sad and depressed over it, I felt I was going to be left behind and all, how did I get over it? Well, keep reading.
maintaining a positive attitude despite a negative circumstance
This was our discussion on @air-clinic discord channel and @Antigenx made a post about it. Your attitude during difficult times will also determine your happiness, you need to understand that life is made with challenges, taking up those challenges and working towards making them better and also accepting that tragedy is also normal and life and no matter what you'll make it through is very necessary.
When I didn't get the admission, I was sad for a while, then I thought to myself "I'm still very young, I still have other options, it's not about starting first but by being productive of the race" I realized I had been measuring myself using someone else's ruler, I realised I had to stop and let things happen in it's own time. After then, I picked a part-time form and applied for a direct entry admission which I got.
Unless you are happy with yourself and accept that challenges and even defeats are part of life, then all other things can only offer you temporary happiness which can be taken from you at anytime. Channel your mind to be positive irrespective of the circumstance, rather than worry, work on achieving a positive outcome from your challenges. Sometime last year I had major challenges which led to severe depression and suicidal thoughts, I had lost the will to live but rediscovering myself and knowing that my circumstances can't define showed me that I was the light I was looking for in the tunnel.
Your happiness starts with your mind, it starts with you loving yourself despite your flaws, it starts with accepting the fact that challenges is part of life, it starts with being positive and knowing that you are responsible for your own happiness, it starts wit knowing that everyone is here for a purpose so the only competition you have is bettering yourself, it starts when you stop measuring yourself with someone else's ruler. REMEMBER: it's all about you.....