FUEL FOR THE MINDFUL DRIVER: Escape the Drama
This is a beautiful story told by a courageous driver who was able to recognize that the thoughts in his head were a self-created drama designed to make him right and others wrong. We all do this at one time or an other, but rarely do we catch ourselves or have the universe give us a wake-up call.
In MINDFUL DRIVING we attend to WHAT IS, not to what IT SHOULD be, or what WE WANT IT TO BE. That also includes being aware of feeling irritated, or being in a rush.
MINDFULNESS does not ask for the emotions to be eliminated, denied or judged wrong. They want to be heard, they have a deeper message that most likely has very little to do with driving. We may be in a rush. We left later than we should have and now worry about the consequences. Now every person becomes an obstacle and we judge them to be too slow. At that moment we are driving under the INFLUENCE OF INTENSE EMOTIONS, or MINDLESSLY.
I am hoping that you will read this story and see if you can catch yourself in your own story. Like the bumper sticker says: Don’t believe everything you think!
From Psychology Today, article by Gregg McBride
“How to Escape the Drama in Our Own Heads – A lesson in understanding, and counting your blessings.
I got a well-deserved slap from the universe the other day. Well, it wasn’t as much of a slap as a gentle nudge. But I was grateful for the reminder to step outside of own head, and I’m happy to share it with you—just in case you can use one yourself.
It began one morning while driving to my favorite coffee shop. I usually make coffee at home, but every couple of days I treat myself to a stronger brew that I didn’t make myself. To get to this spot during the morning rush, one has to deal with heavy traffic—something I don’t normally have to contend with since I work from home. Adding to the journey is an awkward (yet legal) left turn into the shop’s parking lot.
On this recent outing, as I waited to make my left turn, I noticed an older man and woman walking across the driveway entrance. And so I waited to turn, even though there was no oncoming traffic…” More…
Image courtesy WikiHow, How to Stay Calm During Road Rage
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