Well, this is at least my way of explaining reversals. I acutally don’t read them anymore unless it is for a specific spread such as the Potent Self spread I discussed in a recent blog.
Reversals can be extremely confusing. The one thing that worked for me when I was first learning the Tarot was to think of reversals as a lessening of the energy of the card. So the Fool reversed would still be a desire to do new things, learn new songs, take new trips, but there would be a tempering of that desire. It would be deeper. Perhaps less accessible to the querent.
Or a traditionally “bad” card like the Three of Swords would be an avoidance of that act. Instead of your heart being broken, you would narrowly miss that sorrow. Or a traditionally “good” card like the Eight of Pentacles would be you not getting that training you needed. 
I think if you know the upright positions and then cast a shadow over that knowledge, you will be able to grasp reversals more easily. I do think there is enough good and bad in each card that it really isn’t necessary to turn them upside down. Take the Sun for instance. I always talk about the brightness of the Sun and the aspects of health and family and joy along with the admonition to not burn out by overdoing things.
So when tackling reversals, just make sure you know the upright meanings inside and out even if it is just a few key phrases. And remember that by being fluid with your readings, you can intuit the meanings. Just because your gut doesn’t agree with the LWB (Little White Book), doesn’t mean you are wrong!