Life is beautiful.  It is full of little surprises and shiny smiles. There is the sweet scent of flowers to inhale and the ocean's cold waters to feel. If we are blessed, we will experience many of life’s joys. We will feel the warmth of life’s gifts and appreciate all it gives us.

But, here’s the thing about life. For as beautiful as it is, life can bring hurt and disappointment. That little surprise may cause deep pain.  That shiny smile may be a dam holding back a flood of tears.

Perhaps the only universal truth about life is that it is a journey consisting of a series of twists, turns, ups, and downs. It is seldom a smooth ride without bumps, stops, and maybe even an occasional hazard. Life is unpredictable. Yet, there are some truths about life that cannot be ignored.

Here is one of those truths: No matter what we do, life will not always go according to our plan.

While it is definitely tempting to believe that our plans are infallible, it’s unrealistic to believe that the plan we developed and the strategy we implemented is flawless. 

Life does not succumb to our will. Our plans do not necessarily work out exactly as we imagine. There are always unexpected situations. The bottom line is that setbacks are inevitable.

The issue is not the setbacks. The issue is dealing with the setbacks. It’s not the setback that determines the outcome of your life. The outcome is determined by the way in which you deal with the setback. In order to be able to experience more of life’s pleasures, it is crucial to know how to deal with setbacks.

Dealing with setbacks requires humility and honesty. Addressing a setback is not about pointing fingers or blaming others. It’s about quickly diagnosing what went wrong and then adjusting the approach. 

There have been many times when I assumed that I was taking the right actions, putting in the work, and being strategic. However, life reared its head and I didn’t get the success I expected. I could have blamed someone else. I could have ignored the situation. But instead, I chose to learn from the experience, adjust, and move forward.

If you want to dance in the rain, or frolic in the snow, or laugh until it hurts you have to learn to fight through that setback. Face it, and don’t retreat. Adjust your approach and move forward.

Don’t let setbacks become a permanent part of your life.