Characters in the movie, Finding Dory, ask, What Would Dory Do (WWDD)? when faced with a difficult situation.  Dory, the friendly but forgetful, blue tang fish goes in search of her long-lost parents and everyone learns a few things along the way.  First and foremost, if you don’t know what else to do – just keep swimming.

Reflecting back on my own life, I realized how often I’d done what Dory did and just kept swimming until I found my way.  What did I do when I suffered multiple miscarriages? I kept swimming and on December 18, 2001 my healthy baby boy was born.  What did I do when my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in his early 60’s?  I kept swimming and loved and cared for him until he died.  What did I  do when the company I’d worked at for 18 years was sold and my role was eliminated? I kept swimming and launched my own business. What did I do when my 20 year relationship and marriage came to an end? I kept swimming and started a new chapter in my life.

Dory has the right idea, sometimes the best thing to do is just keep swimming.  Eventually, you will find your way and the more amazing part can be what happens along the way.  That life plan I had didn’t turn out as I’d expected, but it turned out to be perfectly my life.  All the bits and pieces, pain and joy are part of journey.  I know there will be more obstacles in the years ahead and I find comfort in knowing that if I just keep swimming, I’ll be alright.

Here are a few other life lessons from Dory:

• There is always another way.
• Never give up.
• Sometimes you just have to got for it.
• Play to your strengths.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• Sometimes the craziest ideas are the best ones.

If you have a story or example of how you kept swimming in the face of the unknown and persevered, I’d love it if you shared it with us in the comments.

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