Reflections/ Lessons for Life from a refresher Driving Lesson...!!

A bit of context setting: I learnt four wheeler driving in 2005 and then got my license.. after that there was no opportunity to keep practicing or continue driving... now fast forward to 2021.. decided to take a plunge and invested in a vehicle.

This article is an attempt to share some reflections from the refresher driving classes that I took!! As I started thinking, I realised that this is what life has taught..

Everyday opens up an opportunity to learn something new...(either its about ourselves/ about life truths)

• First and foremost: Be present... Here & Now.. Dont think too far ahead/ Dont look back so much.. As is synonymous to life, Go with the flow... Does this mean planning is not required, it just means that once you have planned a journey.. be present..
• Let go of the fear... Take the plunge.. Dont think what-if while on the move... Thinking too much while on the move may not only slow you down but can also cause an accident..
• Blind turns, Curves -- These are indications of how everyday life is, there are several instances where we dont know whats around the corner.. the only way to navigate this is.. Slow down, but continue moving ahead..! There were 2-3 turns that i practiced regularly on and despite the practice, every time I was taking the turn, it was a new experience as it was still unpredictable.
• Reverse - Going backwards | While some may stereotype with women and directions etc., I particularly found this learning very interesting.. Its always very difficult to do a reversal in life.. same holds good for driving on the road.. its however very important at times to move in the reverse direction to truly move ahead.. Learning which turn to take for which move while moving backwards was not as natural as deciding on how to turn while moving forward.. one misstep and you may either hit something/ someone.. Same thing holds for life..
• Driving truly independently - Driving independently after the refresher lessons without an experienced driver was an experience by itself.. while one may wonder, whats the big deal with driving a car alone.. its indeed very different because the mind is now more alert.. I found myself to be more alert, more present and not really worrying about what others were thinking.
• "L" sticker on the vehicle as a Confidence booster: This was the best of all...I felt empowered with the L sticker and this shift was so unconscious that again drawing a parallel to everyday life, this is all we need.. Give ourselves permission to be a learner and not consider self as an expert!! The moment the mindset shifts to that of being a learner, its a different game...!

Will be back with some more of my reflections from driving on the road for the first time with a backseat driver and how interesting those were!!

Thank you for reading the post.. do share how similar or different your experiences were :)