I often receive compliments about how positive a person I am and how I always see the silver lining to everything. A few years ago, this wasn’t the case at all.

Before I met my husband, I was in a really bad place. I was at the lowest point in my life and I found it difficult to see the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. Wanting to distract myself and use my time more productively, I threw myself into my studies.

Focusing on my education DID work. At least, for a while. It increased my self-esteem; it made me feel better about myself. The more I achieved, the happier I felt.

But the negativity of my friends at the time, impacted me tremendously and caused my success to falter. They disagreed with my focus on education; they criticised me for “talking too much about school”. Considering the emotional situation I was in at the time, it was a good thing that I had something to distract myself at all.

I remember feeling trapped; I didn’t want to feel down because I wanted to move beyond the past, but I didn’t want to be happy because my friends made me feel like I couldn’t.

But I have since realised that in order to be successful in life, you must surround yourself with positive people. You should spend your precious time with people who encourage you, support you and motivate you to achieve your personal best.

And it’s a funny thing, because when you become a parent, there is so much judgement involved. People are quick to talk about what you’re doing, comment on whether it’s right or wrong, and how you should be doing it instead. But you need to free yourself from that negativity and be around those who help you flourish as a parent.

Because, in spite of all my difficulties, I am now the epitome of positivity. I try not to dwell in the past, I see the silver lining in everything and I believe that everything happens for a reason.

I owe a lot of my recent success as a writer to my supportive family and friends. They HAVE encouraged me, supported me and motivated me. They are TRULY amazing.

Be the positive person that your family and friends deserve; you could end up making such a positive difference in their lives.

Thuy Le (formerly known as Thuy Yau) is a freelance writer and Youth Work graduate living in Perth, Australia. She loves to share her own personal experiences about overcoming adversity, as she believes that human beings are more capable than they realise. She writes to make a positive difference in the world and to inspire others to learn from themselves and their own experiences. Her writing has been discussed on radio, won writing contests, appeared on The Huffington Post UK and major Australian sites such as news.com.au, SMH, Kidspot and Essential Kids. She has just completed her first book – a memoir - and is on the search for a publisher.