Single Parent Life: How To Avoid Road Rage

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How to avoid road rage and keeping it cool during times of stress. Single Parent Life articles on SingleDad.com

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Road Rage: Release Yourself

By Derek Beres for Completely You

In the decade-old video game “The Simpsons Road Rage,” you can assume the characters of Homer, Bart, Lisa and even Mr. Burns and drive a convertible without worrying about such minor obstacles as sidewalks, lampposts and nuclear transit buses. “Road Rage” struck a chord with gamers fantasizing that they too could fly down streets and highways with such ease. Unfortunately, real life has limitations that animated life does not.

As soon as we get into our cars, we have to deal with texting drivers, errant bicycylists and all sorts of other traffic (as a Facebook post I saw recently says: “You are not stuck in traffic. You ARE traffic.”). And despite my many years of yoga practice, I’m not the most patient of drivers. Fortunately, I’ve been using a few techniques in my new hometown of Los Angeles, where patience is not only a virtue when driving, but a complete and total requirement.

Road Rage Tip No. 1: Take deep breaths.
No, really. I know it sounds like a cliche, but it actually works — and it’s worth practicing before your next commute. In fact, it’s the length of the breath, specifically the exhalation, that makes this such an effective technique. In his book, Anatomy of Hatha Yoga, Dr. H. David Coulter recommends inhaling for three seconds, followed by exhaling for six. He explains that regulating your breath this way slows your heart down and produces an instant relaxation response. I personally practice a four-second inhale followed by an eight-second exhale, but this takes time to build up to.

If you find yourself getting anxious while attempting this technique, stop, breathe normally and try again. Since breathing is supposed to be an autonomic function, it’s common for people to freeze when they begin to focus on it. Yet by consciously controlling our breathing, we can calm ourselves and make that response automatic, which will come in handy when you’re behind the wheel.

Road
Rage Tip No. 2: Bike more.

When moving to California, my wife and I discussed purchasing a second car. We had lived in Brooklyn for years without even one, so I was hesitant. She needs a car to get to work, but since I mostly work from home, I didn’t see the need. Every yoga studio I teach at is within 10 miles of our apartment, so I invested in a good road bike. For many of us, biking instead of driving is not possible. But I’ve also met many people who drive two blocks to a store instead of biking or walking. If you can at least take your short trips on two wheels (or two legs), it will mean you spend less time inside your car. This way, you won’t always feel stuck driving everywhere you go, which helps reduce stress when you do actually need to be on the road again.

Road
Rage Tip No. 3: Meditate.

No, not while you’re driving. But brain scans performed on people who meditate regularly have shown heightened activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which translates to better immune functioning, a more positive outlook in life and a better ability to avoid feelings of anger or frustration. Those last two are crucial in driving, when the slightest trigger can set us off.

Road Rage Tip No. 4: Share the road.
One thing that can help control stress is taking others into consideration. If someone cuts you off, don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a dangerous driving contest. Remember your deep breathing and let it go. Let him be the one who gets the speeding ticket. In addition, put your electonics away when you’re in the car. Partaking in a bad habit gives license to others to do so. You will be able to not only focus better by paying attention to what’s right in front of you (which will cut down on your stress), but also lead by example. It’s easy to mentally and emotionally block out other drivers when in the confines of your own automobile. Being more empathetic to others on the road is a quality that ends up helping everyone reduce anxiety.

What’s the worst incident of road rage you’ve ever experienced? Share below or tweet me @Completely_You

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/Maica

Derek Beres is Completely You’s “Getting Unstuck
blogger. A journalist, yoga instructor and DJ/music producer, he has written
for such publications as
Departures and
The Huffington Post. He teaches yoga at Equinox Fitness and Yogis Anonymous,
and is one-half of the music production team EarthRise SoundSystem.

Richard JaramilloRichard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com,
a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children.
RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents
“Make Life Happen…Again!”

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Richard “RJ” Jaramillo, is the Founder of SingleDad.com, a website and social media resource dedicated to single parenting and specifically for the newly divorced, re-married, widowed and single Father with children. RJ is self employed, entrepreneur living in San Diego and a father of three children. The mission of SingleDad is to help the community of Single Parents “Make Life Happen…Again!”