How to Stay Zen on the 110-Freeway

KEEP YOUR MIND OFF THE ROAD –

Mar. 29, 2022 – 1. Find an anchor: To distract from the anxiety of bumper-to-bumper traffic, Peck recommends focusing your attention on an outside object.

2. STOP and breathe To intercept what she refers to as the “stress snowball,” try a technique called STOP: Stop, Take a breath, Observe and Proceed. First, stop what you’re doing by taking a timeout from your thoughts. Then take a few deep breaths and observe the moment.

3. Notice your senses. “A mindfulness technique I use is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique,” she says. It focuses on each of the five senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell.

4. Don’t get lost in anger. “You notice that the anger is there but that you don’t have to keep getting lost in it,” Winston says. “Give it a little space. But also know that it’s OK to have that experience. When you do, it takes on less of an intense quality.”

5. Try a free meditation appIf you prefer a guided approach, enlist the help of a meditation app. Headspace is a popular option with guided meditation exercises, and you can adjust the timing based on your commute.

6. Take just a few minutes to practice

Mindfulness is a lot like exercise. The more you do it, the better the results. “Having a meditation practice can help build that skill,” says Winston.

Or just turn on your favorite SONG and be grateful you’re alive, breathing, have a car to drive and someplace to go…all is well.