February can be a gloomy month, the glow of the holidays is behind us, the well intentions of our resolutions may have weakened in resolve, and it’s the final stretch of a long winter. Looking on the positive side, it’s also the shortest month of the year, the days are becoming brighter, and Spring is a month away. For some, Winter can be particularly difficult with the stress of the holidays, bills, and shorter day light hours. The latter can be very difficult for those who struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the commute to work will be stressful compounded with any state of mental un-wellness. This may be an apt time to escape someplace warm for a wellness retreat. Fortunately, we don’t need to get away far to practice wellness and mindfulness in our lives.
In recent years, several mental health awareness campaigns including Bell’s # LetsTalk and PTSD awareness have become widespread in the media, and helped foster the conversation about how to support ourselves and others with those issues. At DriveWise, we wish to remind you to have compassion on the road of life, as we share our roads with people of all ages who may be struggling with anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses. How can we practice compassion on the roads? One way is by being a more cooperative driver. We need to think about others, and have that thought become action. Strive to be proactive and cooperative when driving, and not just “defensive”. We can do this by communicating our intentions clearly to others on the road, being patient, not aggressive and refraining from the driving errors (impairment, distraction, speeding) – remembering that safety is a shared priority as we share the road with other drivers to get to our destinations safely.
At DriveWise, our “6 Star Approach” to cooperative driving highlight and reinforce these safe driving practices. Along with Novice drivers who are looking for a solid foundation for safe driving, we also teach individuals who may have reservations with driving – including those who have anxiety on the roads, or needing remedial skill development after being in a collision. Our highly trained and expert staff are friendly, approachable and highly attuned to the needs of the individual learner, and help create a safe and supportive learning environment.
Everyone has a story, and our individual journey intersect with so many others on the road. Oftentimes without much thought or consideration – as we’re busy trying to reach our own destinations – we forget to think about the person driving next to us as individuals rich with their own hopes, dreams, stories and struggles. The flow of traffic represents the synergy of society in so many ways – we are all in this together. Let’s help ourselves and others get to where we need to safely.
