The Daily G.I.F.T. from The GratiDude

Pump the brakes Evel Knievel, get with the grateful driving program.

www.grateful4.org

Gratitude

Intention

First

Things

The G.I.F.T. Today

Grateful-for knowing nobody ever has all their shit together. Enjoy the ride

Intention-prioritize and stay connected to breath

First-sculpt class

Things-call with rickey and trey today

Morning Platitude from The GratiDude

Meditation is great for daily weeding of the garden, however, sometimes you think you’re sitting in the garden and you were tending to a little patch of dirt in the middle of a junkyard.

In other words, you’re working on some small manageable issues however the big daunting subjects that you know are lurking. You’re just going to leave there in the shadows and not touch those because those could be difficult.

It might be tough to peel the onion on exactly what’s going on with some of those huge emotional and mental reoccurring concerns that we have so I’m just going to pretend that denial is a river in Egypt and float down that for a while.

I realized during marriage counseling 2+ years ago that I had some anger issues and that I needed to figure out who I was angry at and why?

It was an incredible moment when Bruce my therapist looked at me and asked me sincerely in both astonishment and curiosity “wow Kev! That’s a lot of anger right there, who are you so angry at? “

This question stopped me right in my tracks.

Who was I so angry with?

The easy answer was my dad, but I was angry at my mom too.

Where my anger would pop up most often was when I was driving, not in the form of road rage or anything else but calling people’s names in my mind or out loud and feeling the need to be right and letting my ego just completely take over the experience. I realize this even before Therapy that I needed to work on this and that it was a strange, isolated part of my life where I felt comfortable exercising that negative energy however, this was not a healthy way to deal with my anger issues.

Even this year as I leave my house to go pick my kid up in the morning half the days that they are not here I have to take Tamiami Trail and the stretch between my house and getting through downtown. Sarasota gets congested and there’s a bunch of morning commuters, and there are always some extremely aggressive drivers on this little side road that goes along the Gulf of Mexico.

As I was working on getting better with being an asshole when I was driving, I realize that this stretch of road was challenging because of what I felt like was the energy that was often present in the morning commute for this little mile and a half stretch.

The energy that was the problem was not outside my car, but inside me as I’ve realized.

Literally just a few months ago, I came to the realization and meditation that I needed to just completely let go of any feelings of anxiety or controller any of that bullshit in that morning commute as I had started to take alternative routes just to avoid that stretch of road and what I perceived to be the inherent energy that existed on that part of the drive.

I was surrendering my own power, saying that the situation was causing me to feel a certain way and that I had no control. I wasn’t saying this directly, but in fact, that’s really what I was saying if I avoided the stretch of road.

So I got back on it and realize that I control the vibe and that it can be the chillest vibe ever as long as I completely ignore and don’t get upset by all of the aggressive driving and instead turning into an opportunity to offer compassion and prayer for those drivers so that they can evolve in their emotional processing like I am and realizing that the problem is not out on the roads, but the problem is inside and using driving as a way to vent to anger is not a healthy way to go.

I’ve been doing a much better job of being chill with all the old folks and tourists as they cover Florida roads from January-April like sand on the beach. There are bad drivers all over the southeast USA, Florida especially, and I am now offering compassion and prayers of safety as my focus. I’m hoping that these Mr. Magoo’s and Crazy Crackers, driving get home safely and can process their feelings of anger in a healthier way than I have in the past.

Yes, aggressive driving can negatively impact your health, both physically and mentally. Increased stress and anxiety associated with aggressive driving can lead to elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing, and over time, chronic stress can contribute to heart problems and other health issues. Road rage can also worsen mental health, potentially leading to anxiety, depression, and even intermittent explosive disorder.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

Physical Health:

Increased Stress and Anxiety:

The constant stress and anger associated with aggressive driving can raise blood pressure and heart rate, potentially leading to long-term cardiovascular problems.

Physical Injuries:

Aggressive driving behaviors like speeding and failing to yield can increase the risk of accidents, resulting in injuries like whiplash, wrist fractures, and facial injuries.

Poor Posture and Physical Strain:

Aggressive driving may involve poor posture and strain on the body, leading to muscle tightness, back pain, and joint stiffness.

Mental Health:

Anxiety and Depression:

The ongoing stress and anger associated with road rage can contribute to anxiety disorders or depression.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED):

Aggressive driving has been linked to IED, a mental health condition characterized by sudden outbursts of anger and aggression.

Social and Psychological Impact:

Aggressive driving can also impact social relationships and lead to a general feeling of anxiety and fear, as well as increased stress in other areas of life.

Driving Performance and Safety:

Increased Risk of Accidents:

Aggressive driving behaviors like speeding, tailgating, and improper lane changes significantly increase the risk of accidents, leading to both injuries and fatalities.

Reduced Reaction Time:

Aggressive driving can impair your ability to react quickly to changes in the road, increasing the severity of accidents.

Impaired Judgment:

Aggressive driving often involves poor judgment and decision-making, further increasing the risk of accidents