when life kicks you in the teeth, how do you deal with it?

When I feel like life kicks me in the face, it tends to sharpen my awareness as to what is going on. I am usually just bowling along through life takes things for granted, sort of resting on my laurels. There is nearly always a lesson to be learned there somewhere usually it is about paying greater attention. To me it's karma as I chose a Zen path many decades ago and the "rewards" are hard won, but I wouldn't have it any other way, although sometimes whilst going through it I get a bit miffed. Life is a roller coaster and it's always best to participate in the ride of the car rather than slow it down so that it hasn't got enough momentum to get up the other side.

The Way I deal with it is by going quiet and shutting everything out for a time so that I can come to terms with it Once I have come to terms with it I come back up very slowly and carefully

Well of course I'm not thrilled when life kicks me in the teeth and god knows I've had my share of bizzare setbacks and detours...some of the events that I've been through would've defeated most people...but one friend of mine said I'm a very strong person..I just have to have more faith in myself--hard to do at times..but when something heavy duty does come my way, I don't hide my head in the sand...I make moves to do something about it...guess there's a bit of the fighter in me..I'm just to stubborn to back down and give in to defeat