Novardok
The Alter was positive to the extreme. I met a person who knew him, and said that he was “Simcha plus”. He once said that a person can be smart and make an Ezer (supporter) from a K'negdo (adversary), i.e. when things go wrong, he can Davka come out ahead. There is a famous story when the Alter was alone in the forest in his Bais HaBedidus at night, and his candle burned out.
He walked outside with Bitachon, and a man came from nowhere and gave him a new candle. He kept the candle for many years as a Zecher L'ness, until one day his house burned down and the candle was gone. He said: "Aderaba, this is a proof that we don't need proofs to be M'chazek our Bitachon”. I heard a story about R' Shalom Schwadron Zatzal who was speaking in public and he said something controversial. The first two rows of people walked out in middle of his Drasha. Instead of getting embarrassed, R' Shalom said: “Those people who are standing in the back, now you can come up; you have seating room” R' Avigdor Miller Zatzal was once speaking, and he said something controversial. A man in the back started shouting, and the people wanted to get rid of him, since he was causing embarrassment to R' Miller.
R' Miller Zatzal stopped them and he said: “Let him stay and scream. It brings in more crowds when they see a tumult". A positive thinker has an unending mission to see good in all circumstances, and in Novardok they said that when you do this, you are getting a double Mitzva. Seeing good and saying Gam Zu L'tovah is a Mitzva of Bitachon, and also, since you're going against your nature of being negative, therefore you are also doing the greatest Mitzva of Shviras HaMiddos.
This is one reason why learning so much Mussar is so important. You need to constantly encourage yourself with the proper Mussar Seforim and Ma’amarei Chazal that inspire you to think positively despite being in a negative world. This is why in Elul the Novardokers had a half day Taanis Dibbur, and in general they watched their eyes and ears and mouths during Elul so the Mussar could enter your pure Neshama without so many distractions. Learning Gemara non-stop was extremely important during Elul since וְתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם learning Torah is greater than all the other Mitzvos put together, and you need as many Zechusim as you can get.
