Going on a road trip is in many ways like living life. Lessons learned on a road trip can help you evaluate how you are living your life.
You wouldn’t hop in your car without a destination (or at least a general direction) in mind. Try setting your GPS to “somewhere” and you will find yourself driving in circles around the same old obstacles until you run out of gas.
Yet, this is what we do every day when we have no vision, no purpose, no plan. Our life GPS is set on “someday”. It’s a day that is as elusive as the 8th day of the week.
A road trip plan starts with a place to go and a reason to go there. No matter how well planned, be ready to experience some bumps in the road, some wrong turns, possible mechanical problems, and the need to change directions.
Pivots are necessary on road trips and in life. Your reason for going needs to be your guiding star.
You will be required, on the road and in life, to develop and use your mindset, skill set, and toolset!
Here are some thoughts that embrace life and road trip considerations:
Embrace the journey
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This would be very boring and meaningless in life and on a road trip.
Enjoy the process and appreciate the experiences along the way rather than solely focusing on the destination.
Road trips teach us to look for memory-making opportunities and to embrace a sense of adventure. Life is meant to be full of hope and to savor each moment.
Road trips require adaptability and flexibility
Road trips often come with unexpected detours and roadblocks that require a change of plans. Life requires us to be adaptable and flexible in the face of challenges.
A positive mindset, the ability to adjust, and to have an attitude of resilience, is essential to happiness and the ability to move forward.
Become comfortable with uncertainty
Road trips are filled with uncertainty! Unfamiliar routes, unpredictable weather, unexpected detours.
Any road trip lesson plan needs to anticipate what might happen and be ready to deal with it. Even with the best-laid plan, there are road trip considerations that you just can’t prepare for.
Life is the same way. We need to use our mindset and our skill set together to problem-solve when the unexpected happens.
Uncertainty is uncomfortable, it is also inevitable.
You feel a lack of control.
You may not have full control over a situation or an outcome. We all prefer stability and predictability because it gives us a sense of control and helps us plan and make decisions accordingly.
On a road trip, when something unexpected happens, you are forced to make the best decision in the situation.
In life, we can be incapacitated and think we are unable to make a decision. NOT making a decision and taking a tentative step forward IS your decision. How long would you sit on the side of the road doing nothing?
There is fear in the unknown
We naturally crave familiarity and seek to minimize risk, which is why we feel increasingly anxious on a road trip when we suspect we are lost.
Should we continue in this direction, backtrack to where knew we were, or ask for directions?! (Why does asking for directions make our palms sweat and our hearts beat faster)?
In life, we experience psychological, and often physical, discomfort when our mind seems to be pulled in different directions. You may feel conflicted when you are forced to hold different beliefs at the same time or experience seemingly conflicting information.
You need to take a deep breath and tap into your skill set or past decision-making.
Either/or is not the only solution. There is also the possibility of both/ and.
Loss of a reference point
Your GPS needs accurate information to get you where you want to go. It needs to know where you are currently and where you want to end up.
If there is interference from weather, competing signals, or physical barriers; it will try to find a reference point. Recalculating.
We rely on past experiences and patterns to make sense of the present and anticipate the future. When faced with uncertainty, these life reference points are blurred and may leave us feeling disoriented and unsure of what to do
Uncertainty is inevitable.
Just like the need for a guide or GPS on your road trip, you may need a guide or coach to help you navigate uncertainty in your life.
Road trip life lessons use your problem-solving skill set
Road trips require us to be self-reliant, find solutions to unexpected problems, and make decisions. Whether it’s fixing a flat tire or finding a place to stay for the night, you have to weigh your options and make the best decision.
You don’t have the option on a road trip, like you often do in life, to just do the same thing in the same way. We often rely on our habits to take the place of thinking through the best solutions.
We settle for good enough because that’s the minimum requirement.
Patience and perseverance
Long hours on the road, traffic jams, and unexpected delays can test your patience. In time, you will reach your destination.
You can persevere with a good attitude or a bad one. The same applies to life’s obstacles and a positive outlook.
Your toolset needs to include some ways that you can take care of your mental, emotional, and physical self in the waiting.
Building relationships
Road trips often involve traveling with friends or family and can foster shared experiences and deeper relationships. It reminds you of the value of quality time and the importance of building memories.
Investing in relationships and nurturing connections is a vital part of a fulfilling life. A road trip and a life shared with others requires grace on their part and yours!
If you are looking for virtual travel companions to laugh with, cry with, and travel through life with
Join our private FB Group:
Someday:the8thDayoftheWeek
Stepping out of your comfort zone
Road trips push us to step out of our comfort zones, try new things, and explore unfamiliar territories. They sometimes force personal growth by challenging us to overcome fear and embrace new experiences.
You can choose to stay safe, comfortable, and complacent in life.
Thinking where we would like to go and why may involve taking risks but the reward is self-discovery and new opportunities.
What’s the worst that could happen? More importantly, what’s the best that could happen?
What’s the worst that could happen?
More importantly, what’s the best that could happen?
Road trips allow for spontaneous detours, unplanned adventures, and unexpected discoveries. They remind us to embrace spontaneity and enjoy the freedom of going off the beaten path.
If your life is feeling in a rut, or you want something to change and you are not sure what to do, consider lessons learned on a road trip.
Where do I want to go, and why?
What do I need to bring along, and what do I need to leave behind?
What is holding me back?
Let’s get on with your “someday” dream- the destination where your life purpose lives.
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