Navigating the roads is much like navigating the pathways of the mind. With approximately 60,000 to 70,000 thoughts daily, a trucker’s mind is ever active, mirroring the relentless hum of tires on pavement.
Yet 90% of these thoughts are repeats of our previous days. This repetition leaves only 10% for fresh, innovative thinking — unless we consciously step into new behaviors, environments, conversations and routines.
For truck drivers, the expansive hours alone can become a canvas for personal transformation, painting a picture of who we are and who we could become.
Understanding the Languages of Mind and Body
Our thoughts are the “language” of the brain, shaping our cognitive experiences and forming the blueprint of our actions.
Our feelings, on the other hand, are the language of the body, expressive, visceral responses to the worlds within and outside us. With awareness of how these two interact, we can avoid being driven by habituated patterns and never shift out of autopilot.
Building self-awareness is critical for steering our lives towards our desired destinations.
Just as you use your mirrors to check your environment while driving, self-awareness helps us keep an eye on our internal world and make necessary adjustments.
3 Steps to Developing Self-Awareness
- Mindful Reflection: Challenge your current thoughts. Use the quiet stretches of the road to reflect on your thinking patterns. Are they serving you or hindering you? Mindfulness apps or scheduled thinking, breathing, or meditation breaks can guide you from that repetitious thinking.
- Journaling: Keep a journal in your cab and jot down thoughts and feelings as they arise, or record voice notes using the hands-free feature on your smartphone. This can help you detect patterns and identify what triggers stress or joy on the road.
- Educate Yourself: Reading, listening to podcasts and engaging in conversations about psychological topics can provide new perspectives and stimulate different ways of thinking, disrupting the repetition of thoughts from your yesterdays.
3 Steps to Living a Happy, Joyous Life
- Cultivate Positivity: Begin with gratitude. Start or end your day by listing three things you’re grateful for. A positive mindset can shift your body chemistry, influencing your feelings and actions.
- Connect with Others: Modern technology allows us to remain connected to others even on long hauls. Regular calls with loved ones or engaging in online communities of fellow truckers can bring joy and a sense of belonging. Just be careful not to go down the negative rabbit holes so often seen in social media — that will suck the life out of you before you know it.
- Invest in Yourself: Whether it’s picking up a new hobby, learning a new language through audiobooks or practicing a craft during breaks, personal investment leads to joyous fulfillment.
For truckers, the solitary confines of the cab can be a sanctuary for self-discovery. Just as you maneuver through traffic, weather, and the contours of the land, so too can you navigate the terrains of your mind and heart.
By actively engaging in new behaviors and breaking the monotony you can open the door to a world that’s brimming with possibilities. Instead of succumbing to the muscle memory of routine thoughts and behaviors, choose to live differently.
Truck driving doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor of the mind. Through self-awareness and intentional living, it can be a journey not just of miles but also of personal growth. Each mile can be a mile of learning, healing and becoming, setting the course for a life worth driving toward.
Remember this: You are the driver, both in the seat of your mind and in your vehicle. Take control, steer consciously and embark on the most critical journey of your lifetime — the journey within.
Hope Zvara is a regular contributor to The Trucker, providing tips for healthy living on the road as well as tips to control stress. She is also the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga and Road Relief Wellness. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again.
