“Fall seven times, stand up eight” – Unknown
For me, this is more like “kill the car seven times, start it up again eight.” The process of learning how to drive a stick has been such a process. I really battled with even setting foot in the car knowing that I was about to mess something up. The lessons that it gave me are ones that I hope to carry with me throughout the rest of my life though,
These lessons include:
You Always have the Option to Start Over
When you realize that life, for the most part, is a bunch of people struggling, trying something new, finding out they hate it and then starting over. Life becomes a whole lot less intimidating and immeasurably more exciting. You have a freedom that then brings strength when facing the unknown.
Check your Blind Spot Constantly
A blind spot is a scary scary thing it’s when your view, often of something important, is obstructed. This is something that not only when driving but in life, in general, must be checked. No matter how hard you try, your ability to be fully aware of a situation or someone’s intentions is close to impossible. So, checking these areas is of the utmost importance.
Give Yourself Grace to Fail
One of the biggest things I would tell myself while learning how to drive is “Mia I am allowing you to mess up.” This one simple sentence brought overwhelming peace to me, and it continues to do so. Those around you are often more empathetic to you than you are to yourself. You have to face the sometimes harsh reality that you are not capable of being perfect, but that is perfectly fine.
Practice, Practice, and More Practice
When I first started driving the stick to work I would wake up all too early on the days that I’d open, Which meant setting a 4am alarm and I would get ready and I’d drive the stick around. I had comfort in knowing that close to no one was going to be on the road and that I could mess up without any serious consequences. I would drive for fifteen-thirty minutes just in a circle, practicing going up little hills, stopping and starting, you know things that you take for granted in an automatic.
Simply put, you’re doing okay, you’re doing your best and that’s all that matters. So, the next time you get knocked down, get up out of the first wipe off your hands and get going again.