“Become a Less Aggressive Driver” ~ Suggestion # 57 from Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson, Ph.D.
Distractions
If I don’t consciously think about it, I become an impatient driver. That’s usually because I have too many things I want to get done in every day, and I tend to cut corners on traveling time. During my midlife divorce recovery journey, not only was I often in a hurry, I was almost always distracted.
It seemed in the car, my mind would easily drift off to that horrible land of visualizing what my ex-husband was doing with his new girlfriend, or fuming over some legal issue that had come up in our long, drawn-out divorce proceedings, or wondering why he didn’t love me any more.
Sometimes I would be driving in a haze of distractions that probably made me more than a little dangerous on the roads! I was often not so much an aggressive driver as a distracted one. Both are equally perilous.
Enjoy Your Journey!
Here are some practical suggestions: if you can’t listen to talk radio or if the music always brings back melancholy memories, try getting some CDs to listen to in the car. Get some uplifting CDs about something you’re interested in.
If you’re embarking on a new career or trying to discover your new place in life, there are thousands of encouraging, helpful audio resources available. If you haven’t already, you can order our Experts Collection CD Set. Or get audio books at almost any local library or bookstore.
Right now I actually look forward to my time in the car because I have about six new CDs of hour-long lectures from a conference I recently attended. I can learn as I travel. I can improve my mind on my way to a meeting. Make your own CD of Post Divorce Power Songs.
Positive Changes
Here’s something else I’ve started doing; before adopting this technique, especially if I was in a hurry, I would cuss and get tense every time I hit a red light. I decided that’s not good for me; so now, when I hit a red light, I use that as a time to list things I’m thankful for.
If someone cuts in front of me, instead of giving them the finger, I say a little prayer for them. Those two adjustments completely changed my sense of serenity in the car.
Today, use your traveling time positively. Pray. Sing. Learn. Discover a new peace in your little personal space and time in your car. You might find yourself actually eager to retreat into your mobile educational and relaxation center! You’ll get to where you’re going better and more peaceful than when you started!
“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” ~ John 14:27 (The Living Bible)
