“For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Do you, or does someone you know get angry with other drivers? This could be a natural and justified response if someone just about smashes into you. However, many drivers make their daily commute an ongoing critique of every other driver on the road.
One is driving too slowly, or is in the wrong lane. Another did not signal, or left very little room when changing lanes in front of us. While these situations can be annoying, they are a fact of traffic life and we need to be alert and drive defensively.
To get angry , curse and yell, or make obscene gestures has little impact on the offending drivers. These behaviors do, however, have a major impact on the one who expresses them and anyone else who happens to be in the vehicle at the time.
Getting angry can cause stress chemicals to be released in the body, a rise in blood pressure, tension in muscles, anxiety and headaches. Angry outbursts are toxic both for the one who creates them, and for anyone who is in the vicinity. The negative effects carry over once the destination is reached, and can be taken out on those in the workplace or at home.
Because there will always be bad drivers, and since we cannot change them, we need to change the way we respond to them. It is best to keep your mind on your own driving so you can be ready for the unexpected, and to remain unattached to the behaviors of other drivers.
In fact, it can be most beneficial to try to use travel time as a time to relax and de-stress . It is okay to just stay in one lane and go with the flow of traffic. You will get there just as fast. Listen to your favorite music, to recorded books or personal growth CDs. You may also just choose to enjoy the silence.
If you do this, you will be in a much more positive state for those you will see when you get to where you are going. You will also be contributing to your own good health.
Copyright © Gwen Randall-Young, All Rights Reserved. Contact us if you would like permission to reprint.
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