“Life is such a strange journey for pretty much all of us. It is a book being written every day, each new chapter unknown to the reader, who is experiencing a path that could turn at any moment.” Pauly Perrette penned these words in an article she wrote for TV Guide magazine in December 2016. Ms. Perrette is known for her role as Abby Sciuto on the American television show, NCIS.
These words are so true. We never know from day to day what twists and turns life will hold. However, it is a certainty that at some point we will experience some sort of change; something will be made different from what it once was.
Our life journey is similar to riding a roller coaster. There will always be ups, those times when the journey is filled with joy, happiness, laughter, smiles, special moments, celebrations, blessings, opportunities… There will always be downs, those times when the journey is filled sadness, heartache, disappointment, hardship, obstacles, challenges, lessons… As someone said, “…Sometimes you close your eyes and hold on in sheer terror and other times you just have to raise your hands in the air and enjoy the ride.”
It is easy to enjoy the good moments in our life journey; not so much so when the moments are dark and challenging. While on your life journey, remember to:
Become objective after the emotional response to change.
Separate what is under your control from what is not.
Maintain perspective.
Be open.
Be willing to “soul search” to determine if you are moving in the right direction or taking the appropriate course of action.
Relax.
Engage in thoughtful reflection.
Be positive.
Look for opportunities in each situation.
Maintain your sense of humor even in the most difficult of times; smile and laugh.
Know what you want out of life; know where you want to go.
Relax.
Keep true to your vision; believe in yourself. 
Hold strong to your values.
Cherish memories in your heart.
Listen to your inner voice; do what you feel is right.
Avoid having regrets.
Relax.
Ask questions.
Venture beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone once in a while. 
Avoid being the victim.
Believe that everything happens for a reason (even if it isn’t understandable at the moment).
Look for the rainbows; something beautiful often follows a storm.
Relax.
Move forward always; only look back to see how far you’ve come. 
Do all the good you can.
Have a network of people to whom you can turn in times of need.
Embrace change.
Relax.
Someone said, “If you align in any moment with the flow of life as it presents itself, all will unfold in the right way at the right time with a certain spontaneity and ease.” In our life journey, we are all going to have times in our lives when we struggle with something. We need to learn to with the flow. The roller coaster of life will most certainly have ups and downs. When the roller coaster has us ‘down,’ it is important to remember that the down will be followed by an up so we shouldn’t be thrown off track by the down. Just let things be; things will work themselves out. While things are working themselves out, we need not dwell on the situation but rather accept what is happening, deal with what we are facing, and look to how we can learn and grow from the experience. For remember, the ‘up’ after the ‘down’ is coming and in that up, things will be better, we will be happier, and we will continue on the “track” of this life journey never knowing what is around the next bend, or up, or down but able to handle whatever does come our way. And, remember, ENJOY THE RIDE!
Author Becky Johnen 