If you were to pass me in the street, you probably wouldn’t realise how much I always have on my mind. I am a stay at home mother who is also trying to start a freelance writing career. My days are filled with appointments for my 3 children; two of them have special needs and my third child is on a waiting list. But despite all this, the housework is always up to date and I have a great relationship with my husband. How do I do it? I overcome the stress by thinking with a positive attitude.

When I was going through the toughest time in my life, my mind was plagued with negative thoughts. I didn’t think very highly of myself or believe I was capable of much. Then I changed the way I thought; I believed that if I told myself that I was good enough, then I would be good enough. This positive attitude changed my life and has now given me the beautiful life that I have now.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the stressors in your life, it’s hard to think positive. But sometimes you need to look beyond the surface to find it. Take, for instance, my attitude towards my 3 children. Yes, there are times when they are incredibly draining; both emotionally and physically. But then I look at them, and I see smiling children who are happy because of me. Even though they exhaust me, I know that it will be worth it in the end. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And it’s the reward of seeing my children grow up that makes my writing career worth it. Yes, it is stressful staying up until 2am to write a guest post then waking up at 4am to breastfeed my daughter. Despite all the sleep deprivation, I try to stay positive. I think about where my career is heading and how every post I write takes me one step closer to achieving my writing dreams. I tell myself that it’ll all be worth it in the end.

When you’re stressed, it’s difficult to think beyond the present; you start to wonder whether what you’re doing will be worthwhile. But the more positive you are, the more likely you are to achieve a positive outcome. A positive attitude can help overcome stress, build your self-esteem, give you the courage to challenge yourself, and help others to think positive as well. It can change your life.

You need to stop thinking that your life can’t get any better. You need to start believing that it can. By having a positive attitude, you will be able to overcome stress and be so much closer to having the life that you want.

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.