How to stop being the backseat driver.

I know how annoying a backseat driver is. It’s so distracting and honestly just dangerous!

I don’t want to be the backseat driver. When my husband is driving and I’m in the passenger seat, I try extra hard not to tell him how to drive. I make an extra effort not to touch his GPS, I’m actively thinking how I shouldn’t speak up, I shouldn’t direct him, I shouldn’t point out that the traffic light turned green, I shouldn’t do this, I shouldn’t do that…

But no matter how much effort I put into myself not to become the backseat driver, I seem to always manage to create at least one annoying moment on our trip.

Why do I do this? Let’s dig deeper into myself.

I think, It’s because I have a fear.

The fear that we might get hurt. The fear that his driving causes someone a harm. He did get into a real serious car accident once, when he was a teenager.

Well, is this fear realistic? Or, is it an outdated, irrelevant, irrational, fear?

Actually… it’s unrealistic. He’s never got us into an accident since I've met him. He’s never hurt anyone by his driving. He’s actually a much better driver than me!

Now I identified that I have a wrong belief “he might get us hurt by dangerous driving.”

Great job recognizing that you had a wrong belief!

Then… what is your real belief?

Must be the opposite of the wrong belief. So…. “He’s a safe driver. I can feel safe when he’s driving.”

AHA!

This real belief sounds so much better. Let’s hold onto this.

Next time I’m in the car with him, hold onto this. “He’s a safe driver. I feel safe when he’s driving!”

I invite you to look for the hidden fears in your life.

What are you afraid of?

And why?

In this pursuit for fears, you might find you had some wrong or outdated beliefs.

Why don’t you try changing it to REAL belief by flipping it?