5 ways to bounce back from failure like a boss

Everyone fails. Yes, everyone. If someone claims to have never failed they're either lying or have never tried very hard. Before you can bask in the euphoria of success you've got to hit some pretty low lows... and get right back up and do it again. Here's how.

1) Attitude: This one's on you. A recent study found that adopting an attitude of "realistic optimism" can boost happiness and resilience. In other words: you can ditch the rose-colored glasses and the doomsday scenario for something in between. And when Plan A doesn't work, remember that there are 26 letters in the alphabet. 

2) Notice and appreciate the little things: When you're in the depths of despair it's hard to appreciate how far you've come to get there. But when you stop to appreciate the small wins along the way it becomes more about the journey, not just the destination. 

3) Get by with a little help from your friends: The more robust your support system, the quicker and easier it is to bounce back from life's inevitable setbacks. Plus you are the company you keep, so surrounding yourself with positive role models is a great way to boost your own vibe.

4) Yin and Yang: Life can't always be sunshine and rainbows, so there's no point in feeling like you have to be happy ALL THE TIME. In fact, experiencing negative emotions shouldn't be seen as an impediment to happiness, but rather as a necessary part of the flow. It's 100% okay to feel down and sad when bad stuff happens, but accept it and move on. In even the worst of situations you can almost always find one tiny iota of good. See it, acknowledge it, and write it down. 

5) Seek growth: Believe it or not, there are lots of benefits to failure. In fact, failure can actually be the most valuable learning opportunity out there! But not if you don't take the time to examine the experience in-depth. As painful as it may be, you'll be doing yourself a huge favor when you seek to understand why you failed and what you can do differently next time to avoid a similar outcome. Spoiler alert: the cause of failure is not always something you can control, but it's still worthwhile to have this knowledge in your back pocket. You'll be more savvy about potential variables that could derail your success the next time around.