You know what makes you more confident and positive? Facing your fears. Everyone has some fear or the other. Something they really dread in life, whether it be the fear of heights or water. For me, it was something else. It might sound silly, but it was the fear of driving. Here's the little backdrop as to why:- My mom had a terrible accident when I was 12 years old. She was learning to drive with her instructor in a residential area and hit race instead of brake, smashed into someone's garage door. The instructor didn't have the reaction time for doing something about it quick. Her leg was fractured for nearly 7 months. It was just so horrible. I was only 12 years old. We were fairly new into the country, it had been only been a year. I remember, we used live in a basement. I had to take my mom to the washroom each time, and bathe her. I had to take care of the house, make dinners and pack lunches for my brother and dad. All of a sudden, all the responsibility was on me. Thank god, our cousins used to come over sometimes with meals and that would make my life easier. I didn't know anything, I was a kid. Yet, I tried my best in the situation. It was just terrifying to go through the whole experience and since then, I've had the fear of driving.
I got my G1 when I was 19 years old! I wouldn't even go write the written test when I was 16. I just never took initiative. I travel so many hours on the bus to go to my university and waste my studying time. It takes me 2.5 hours one way. That's 5 hours of travel per day, plus add the wait time for any missed buses. And, I also go to Humber, so that's more travel for me. My mom pumped me up this year because my brother just got his G2 license last month. She tried to make me feel bad about it yet encouraged me at the same time. She said I want you to at least enjoy your last year at university, if you pass the test.. you can take the car. That's so nice of her!
So, I went for my lessons starting last week. I've been on four so far. My brother gave his test after four lessons. It might take me 10 or more, but this time, I am not giving up. I really suck at it, though. =)
But I just wanna get rid of the stupid phobia I have that I will run over somebody. And I do like the idea of driving to school and not spending insane amount of time travelling. Time is crucial this year. And gaaah! I know some of you might be thinking, driving is the easiest thing to do..what is she, dumb? But for a person like me, it feels like a miracle to even sit in the driver's seat. The first day, I couldn't even keep my car straight on the road. That's how scared I was! But in every lesson, with the billion mistakes I made.. I just kept on thinking positively about how I have to overcome this! Because I think of all the people who do amazing things today. It's not like they were born with a letter that said, "You are the lucky one! You are gonna grow up to be a billionaire!" All of us are humans, and it's all in the mind. Anyone has the potential to do anything. This planet gives us amazing chances and opportunities, and I don't feel like wasting it anymore just because I feel like I am gonna fail at it. And for all of you out there who also fear something, go and conquer it. Because on the other end of the fear, there's a new you, a more confident you waiting to embrace you so you can come out stronger.
On an end note, I really hope and pray that I pass my test, and finally get rid of this stupid fear. Amen!
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ReplyDeleteI had the same phobia that you did. But the more you drive, the better you become. So, avoiding the car is no way to get rid of it.
ReplyDeleteBut like I tell everyone and anyone whos learning to drive, it isn't the driving thats hard. That's easy, you can master it in no time...it's sharing the road with complete f**king idiots. That's the hard part.
Your first day you'll be pretty scared prolly thinking "Oh god, Im going to die!", a week, two weeks, three weeks down the line, you'll literally be like "Get the f**k outa my way! :@"
Keep road rage at a minimum ;) That's something I still haven't grasped, Lol.
Good Luck!!
I deleted the other one, coz for some reason there was a G after the Good Luck!
Duno why,
but Good Luck, once again!
Oh man, after writing this blog.. I realize that I am actually not alone. A lot of people are scared of driving the first time. My instructor just told me of a 34 year old single mother with two kids who JUST got her license, because she was sick and tired of taking her babies on the transit anywhere she had to do. She did it for her family, even though she was terrified.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, driving isn't all that hard, but you never know what to expect on the road with all these jerks. People have no respect for learners. There is a reason they have a driving school board on top of the bloody car. They have no patience, they swear under their breath if they have to wait for over a minute.
I was pretty scared the first day, and today was my fifth lesson, I've gotten okay with driving straight and turns, but I just don't know the damn rules. I don't understand some of the rules and I still have to learn parking. So, I am still pretty freaked out about that.
I was pretty bad at parking at first, too. But practice makes perfect. I have to get my G soon, and parallel parking is something I was never good at. And honestly, I haven't even been parallel parking once, Lol. Isn't that awesome? I suppose, one of the benefits of traveling downtown so much would be you'd learn how to parallel park! But knowing me, I'd rather take the subway to clubs, than park parallel.
ReplyDeleteYour instructor will give you a guideline, but in all honesty, you have to develop your own judgment. Go to an empty parking lot and practice parking within the lines. If you're too scared to try it out with real cars, put two bottles on each side, so you are careful not to hit them. Anything, to get you your sense of judgment when parking.
And of course, the best way is to simply, go to a parking lot and park between cars.
Yup! That's the challenge. Sharing the road. Sharing is caring! But that is the biggest challenge you will ever face in terms of driving.
Think of it this way, though.
Everyday you must do something that throws you out of your comfort zone. You need to keep expanding your comfort zone, so think of any challenge as that. Simply a much needed expansion of your comfort zone.
Good Luck.
Let me know how it goes.
oopps i wish i could be there when your mother had an accident and i would have sent you meals every day :)
ReplyDeleteawwwh that's so sweet of you! :)
ReplyDelete