Watch Where You’re Going!
My husband is the proud owner of a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. It lives inside a garage and only sees the light of day when the environmental conditions are perfect.
It doesn’t come out in rain or snow, or even on days when there are threats of such things. The roads must be free of sand and salt. Oh, and its owner must have an empty spot on the calendar to accommodate a cruise.
Several years ago, on a day perfect for cruising, my husband and I hopped in the Camaro for a drive to nowhere in particular. In the first 20 minutes of our drive, we narrowly escaped three accidents.
“What is going on? Why are all these cars drifting toward us?” I asked Derek.
“It is the phenomenon of ocular driving,” he replied. “The Camaro catches the eye of another driver, and they unknowingly start to drive toward it.”
While I had never heard the term “ocular driving” before, I knew exactly what he was talking about. Now, I don’t spot and drift toward rare cars (sorry D, it’s just not my thing), but I have dangerously pointed my car in the direction of a store or pedestrian that caught my eye.
As we cruised that day, I thought about how powerful our attention is – on and off the road. We literally point ourselves toward that which we focus on – for better or for worse.
I struggle with fear and worry all year round, but Ayurveda suggests that even typically fearless individuals can experience heightened anxiety in the fall and winter. So, this can be a tough time of the year.
What I learned on the drive with my husband was, when I give my attention to worry, I tend to point myself directly toward that which I fear most.
In his powerful book, Screamfree Parenting, Hal Runkel talks about a process called “anxiety transfer.” He suggests that operating from a mindset of anxiety “actually helps create the very outcomes you’re trying to avoid.”
This week, I’m remembering that I can choose my thoughts. When I find myself in a staring match with my deepest fears, I’m going to look away. I’m going to point my attention, ergo my life, toward blessing, hope and purpose.
Has ocular driving – on or off the road – ever gotten you into trouble? How do you keep your eyes on the prize? I’d love to hear your story in the comments!
Another funny example of this can be found on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.” Every now and then, a video will come up with a child who’s learning to ride a bike ends up heading straight for a car, mailbox, or other solid landing surface. That fear of crashing probably takes over and they zero in on their target. Poor kids!
So true, Derek! What a great example. I always think AFV needs to have a little disclaimer – “no children, pets, pepole, etc. were injured in the following video.” Though, with some of those videos, I’m not sure that would be true!
I had not thought of this in terms of driving a car! Wow… now I will be on the lookout for such behaviors. Many years ago while working in a hospital in England, a physical therapist explained that, “where the head goes the body will follow”. then I watched this therapist position a patients head so that the patients body could more easily follow through with a position change. It was amazing how well this simple technique worked. I do recall a car related event several years ago. I was a passenger; I spotted a beautiful 67 Camaro. ( My dream car since age 12!) I was so focused on the car that I did not notice the driver who happened to be Derek! thank you for teaching me about ocular driving!