Today, I like roller coasters, but it hasn’t always been that way. They used to scare me. When the coaster would speed over the top and drop straight down, I would grab the bar in front of me hanging on for dear life. My knuckles were white, my eyes were closed, and my teeth were clinched. It would be an understatement to say that I didn’t enjoy the experience.

However, that all changed some years ago when it occurred to me that life is full of roller coasters…both literal and metaphorically. There will always be rollercoasters. I finally learned to accept roller coasters on their terms. Today. I’m at the front of the line for any roller coaster ride! I get in with heart pumping, juices flowing, and adrenaline surging. When the roller coaster plummets downhill, I can be seen holding my hands high in the air, leaning forward, and thinking, “Give me your best shot.”

It’s sort of the same way when a conflict comes along. Sometimes, the best thing to do is grab it with gusto and deal with it. Learn to enjoy the process of dealing with an issue and the people involved. I think you’ll see that there is real joy in being the one who leans forward…making sense of the senseless…and finding real solutions.