You’re driving down a backroad with no cars in sight, just a wide open road. The windows are open and the breeze hits your face softly, pushing your hair back and caressing your skin. Your favorite song comes on the radio and you reach over to the volume knob to turn it up louder. In this moment, everything is calm and the rest of the world is tucked away for a minute.

This kind of scenario is why driving is such a fulfilling type of serenity. I’m not talking about the driving when you’re stuck in traffic on the way home from work, or when you’re racing to get somewhere because you left the house too late again. I’m talking about the kind of driving when the world seems at peace and you’re in no rush to be anywhere, you’re just content with being on the road.

This kind of driving is a release. When you’re in control of your destination, there’s nothing like it. There’s just something about driving down wide open roads with good music that clears your head and helps you think through problems. When you’re in your car on your own, away from everyone else, you can think clearly and work through problems without distractions or outside opinions. Sometimes it’s nice to put a silence to the rest of the voices and focus on your own.

And in general, driving allows you do is just calm down. When feeling frustrated or feeling overwhelmed, going on a drive can help you feel like you’re in control again and it helps you take a step back to think things through without the distraction of your phone or other people. Sometimes you just have to get away from the rest of the world for a little while to be in your own world.

So go find a back road, roll down your windows and turn on your favorite song. I promise you won’t regret it.