Traffic and road construction are hot topics these days!
I often hear it in conversations and know I’ve been talking about it. There’s a general sense of frustration and annoyance; for many, the road can be a trigger where they find themselves quick to anger when they’re behind the wheel.
Where I live, it is getting busier and more congested. A drive that used to take me 15 minutes can take twice as long or more.
Not only that, there are a lot of stressed-out people on the road. You can feel it - and hear it! It seems to be an everyday occurrence to hear people honking or yelling obscenities out their windows. What the heck is going on?
One day recently, I was doing some errands and noticed how annoyed I was getting. It was taking too long to get where I needed to go, and I could feel tense and irritated. Then I look over and see a dog with his head hanging out the window, the wind blowing in his face, in complete and utter bliss. It made me smile and laugh to myself.
The Universe was giving me a little nudge.
Is it worth it? Let’s pause and take a reality check here.
This is the perfect time to practice mindfulness.
When I notice I am getting impatient in traffic, I have a choice. I can keep focusing on the traffic jam while not being able to do anything about it, or I can accept it and relax. Being impatient won’t get me anywhere faster, but it will amp up my emotions and increase my stress levels.
Whenever I become aware, I get impatient or annoyed with the traffic. I can notice the feeling in my body and breathe.
We all have things that trigger us. Maybe it’s running late, being around a specific person, or hey – maybe it’s Monday mornings stuck in traffic ;)
But here’s the thing…
When we get triggered, what is it really about?
A lot of time, it is displaced anger or frustration. Maybe we had a rough day, were tired, and wanted to get home. We may have a lot going on in our lives; it is building, or we are not dealing with it. And for whatever reason, the road is where it gets expressed.
When someone cuts us off, when we keep hitting red lights, when we get stuck in traffic and want to get home, when other drivers aren’t paying attention, these can all be triggers.
If you drive every day, this is an excellent opportunity to practice mindfulness.
· Take a breath when you put the key in the ignition.
· Take a few breaths when you're at a stop light.
· Feel your hand on the wheel.
· Notice your surroundings when you drive.
Pretend you are 16 again. You know, hand in 10 and 2 positions, fully present, learning a new skill, not going through the motions on autopilot and checked out.
Getting triggered or angered by traffic is inevitable – it’s not always pleasant and easy, but instead of letting those feelings build, can we stop, take a few breaths, and try to put things in perspective?
Life can be tough enough. We face enough stress in our lives without adding to it unnecessarily.
If we are gentle and kind to ourselves and those around us, we remain closer to the peace and stillness we work to cultivate through our mindfulness practice.
Have a great week out there!
Diane