TeleNav® Blog – Navigating Life

Thanks Kyle_May (Flickr)

Imagine this. Your sixteen years old, still a bit awkward, and after months of practice and a very stressful driving test, you receive your very first driver’s license! You look at your photo with your braces and your mid 90’s bowl cut, and the excitement overwhelms you.

Do you remember that moment? I sure do. For me, receiving that little piece of plastic was more than just validation that the months of driving practice (and scaring my parents) had paid off. It was MUCH more than that. In that little piece of plastic with that terrible photo of me was my freedom (William Wallace anyone?), and at the time, it was a big deal because from that point on, I no longer had to wait to be picked up by my mom. I also never had to ride my bike in the rain or get on a bus which I knew would get me there late. The moment I received my driver’s license, my life changed because now, the road was mine and I would decide where to go. First stop? Express to Awesome-ville and I was not going to look back.

Good memory, huh? But unfortunately, for a lot of us, the honeymoon with the open road is over. That initial sense of freedom and excitement has since been replaced by a feeling of anxiety, stress, and an utter disdain for birds (they always know exactly when I just finished washing my car!). But stress no more my friends. Why? Because driving can be made fun again and here are just a few tips to you back to appreciating the freedom of the open road.

Tip #1: What’s In Your iPod?

For me, a big part of having fun in the car has to do with music. Just like the right music can make a big impact in a movie, the same effect can be had in your car. But the bigger question is, what kind of effect will it be?

To tell you a little bit about myself, when I was young I loved very intense music. VERY intense. I’m talking about music that I would be embarrassed to let my grandma listen to, let alone let her know that I listened to. But as I got older, I slowly started to move away from that kind of music. Why? Because I learned that that type of music was negatively affecting my mood and thus showing up in my life. For example, I found that if I was listening to a song that had an angry or negative message while I drove, my driving would become much more aggressive.

Conclusion: Consider listening to positive or mellow music while you drive. It could drastically change your mood while you drive.

Tip #2: Time, Time, Time!
Yes, I know you’ve heard this before but it’s probably a big reason you’re not having fun in your car. If you don’t plan ahead and find that you are all of a sudden late, it’s because of time management. What happens when you’re late? As your stress levels rises, so does your speed, your aggressiveness, all while your patience takes a nosedive. To say at this point that you’re not likely to be enjoying driving would be an understatement.
Worse yet is the fact that you are increasing the likelihood that you will receive a traffic ticket, or getting in an accident where you may injure yourself or others.

Conclusion: Be good with time and I promise you’ll have more fun in your car.

Tip #3: Let It Go
They say that life is 99% mental and in my opinion, the same goes for when you’re strapped into your car. And believe me, there is a HUGE mental battle in your car.

Think about it. Do you ever wonder why people are so competitive while they drive? So what if someone moves ahead of you in traffic? Chances are very likely that you will never see them again. Why so competitive?

Conclusion: Decide before you get into your car that you’re not going to let things bother you. Whether it’s a car speeding ahead of you or someone being less than friendly on the road, if you make the decision to let things go and not carry it with you, driving will be a much more fun activity for you.

Tip #4: If All Else Fails…
So you’ve tried my tips and unfortunately not one of them has worked for you. Not a single one. You’ve tried jamming out to your favorite tunes, you’ve left plenty of time ahead of you, and you have even gained the mental edge before you’ve started the ignition, all to no avail.

Well, for those of you who still haven’t found “serenity now,” I have one last tip. However, I should warn you that this tip should only be used in extreme cases and is to be used with caution.

If this doesn’t sound like the path you’d like to walk, I’m telling you to turn around but if you’re still with me, then let’s proceed.

My tip is this: Get in your car and strap on your seat belt. Make sure it’s tight. Now that you’ve completed this first step, start your car and drive to your nearest Halloween store. Park your car in a spot in a quiet area and make sure no one is looking when you get out. Walk into the store.

I know what you’re saying to yourself. You think this doesn’t make any sense but stick with me.

Now, go to the part of the store with the masks and look for a black or brown mustache. And then proceed to the checkout. Purchase the mustache and go back to your car. Again, make sure no one is looking when you “sneak” back to your car.

While in your car, take the mustache out and place it on your face. Note: This next part is critical so read this very carefully.

First, Look to the left and make sure no one is watching you. Then look to the right. If all is clear then slowly look into the rear view mirror.

Smile! You look completely ridiculous. If you’re not having fun by now, might I suggest rollerblades?