Below are the antidotes to the 5 Types of Scarcity Driving. To cement these new abundance mindsets I have provided an abundance mantra for each category.
1. Speeding
The easiest way to stop speeding is to simply quit cold turkey. That’s the way I did it. When I did this I began to adjust my other habits to ensure I have enough travel time. One tool that I use is the Waze app which tells me exactly when I need to leave to arrive on time. My grandfather used to say, “If you aren’t 30 minutes early, you’re late.” And while I wouldn’t go that far for arriving at most of my appointments, having that buffer of time is a very immediate way you can create real abundance by giving yourself a wealth of time.
Abundance Mantra: I arrive with an abundance of time and manifest an abundance of opportunity
2. Judging
One of the easiest ways to remove the element of judgement from our daily commute is by turning our mind toward greater things. My personal favorite way is to listen to podcasts. In my personal queue right now are The Sean Stephenson Show, which is always a breath of fresh air and Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso, a great alternative to the typical business podcast. Audio books and classical radio are also great tools for connecting us with something greater so we are less likely to become fixated on that careless driver we encounter.
Abundance Mantra: We are all driving to the best of our ability and I am driving toward a greater purpose.
3. Multi-tasking
From what I observed in European drivers there were no to-go coffees and I never saw texting while driving. What I did see was skillful automobile handling from every driver I encountered on the road. While I know that there are poor drivers everywhere, I also know that we could all stand to focus more on the task at hand when we’re behind the wheel. Even though my vehicle is an automatic transmission I will sometimes switch it to manual just to get a better feel for what happens when my car shifts gear. There are any number of ways you can be more present while driving. Hypermiling for example is a way to improve your gas mileage by becoming more mindful about speed, braking and acceleration. Treating the act of driving as a task worthy of our attention communicates that we are exactly where we need to be as we make our way to our next destination.
Abundance Mantra: I drive with grace and gratitude in the present moment.
4. Time traveling
That leads us to time traveling. Often we time travel because of fear and regret. We also time travel because of hope. We hope that things will become better in the future so we attempt to exist in that future space. The only problem with this approach is that when we neglect the present we also neglect the tools that might build that more ideal future. What can you do while commuting that will help you build a greater future. One of the most powerful things you can do is to feel gratitude. Think of a time when you were overwhelmed with gratitude. Remember back to those feelings you felt, really get into that mindset. Now the next time you feel stuck in your commute. Take a deep breath and allow that sensation of gratitude wash over you. It may sound weird or difficult to accomplish but it is actually very simple. Feeling a sensation of gratitude as you make your way forward in the world will manifest more abundance than you could ever imaging.
Abundance Mantra: I experience gratitude as I drive toward a brighter future.,
5. Holding a grudge
When you hold a grudge you are exercising your powers of fantasy, so I know you have them! That other driver may have tried to cut you off but they may have just as easily not seen you (were you hanging out in their blindspot?). Why not take those powers of imagination and use them to envision a solution to that close call – this is how life-changing inventions are conceived. You could also use your imagination to conceive of new ways of showing your spouse that you love them or showing your coworkers that you appreciate them. There are so many ways to use your imagination, don’t waste your creative powers on some careless stranger you likely will never see again.
Abundance Mantra: With my imagination I create the grandest of schemes and smallest acts of kindness.
Now that you have learned the 5 types of scarcity driving and their remedies, you may be wondering what happens if you know all of this and still go out and drive like a Philistine.