A couple weeks ago, I finally overcame one of my worst fears – driving on highways. To clarify, I have been driving for almost five years, and still, I had trouble driving on highways. Honestly, think about it! You’re going 50+ miles per hour inside tons of metal, that if you navigate it just a little to the left or right, you’re dead.
In overcoming this fear, I decided that I just needed to do it. I got in my boyfriend’s shit-box car, and set out on the road. See, during the daylight, there is enough light to see the road lines, signs, and no incoming car headlights glaring in your face, which makes driving a lot easier. Unfortunately, I had decided to drive at night, and had trouble with seeing the road lines, noticing directional signs to figure out where I was going, and had very bright car headlights shinning in my face and mirrors. In short, I was a mess.
It was when I was going the minimum 50mph on a highway just outside Boston, that I almost had a breakdown. I started tearing up and breathing fast, thinking that I was going to die and that it was my fault. The road was filled with potholes, there were no lines dividing lanes and I was going very, very fast. So what did I do to make this situation better? Well, I talked to myself.
In times of extreme panic or stress, I find talking to myself (in a totally not-crazy way) really helps. This time, myself pep talk consisted of me saying “Amory, you’re doing great. You know what you’re doing, you’ve come this far, and this will all be over soon. No one has beeped at you, and you’re doing fine. You’re okay”.
Once I was in an area where I recognized, I found driving was much less stressful – I was less stressed about what speed I was going, what lane I should be in, or what I should be doing as a “Good Driver™” And the best part? The next day when I had to drive back, I knew I could do it, and didn’t feel scared or worried at all.
This, I think, it a good metaphor for life: it’s cheesy, I know, but it’s true. If you’re worried about something that you’ve never done, you don’t know what it will be like until you do it, if you plan enough and work towards that goal, there should almost never be a problem blocking you from your success.
So –get behind the wheel and get a grip. The worst that can happen if you fail? You end up exactly where you are now.
