Not a Good Passenger
Back in December, I went with my husband to pick up our daughter from university for the Christmas holidays. The weather was awful and the motorway was busy. My husband is a confident driver, outside lane, can over-take lorries in sleet etc.
If I’m not driving, I often feel car sick for starters. I don’t like going too fast or too near. Plus I’m hyper-alert for any dangers. Which means I’m very vocal with the shrieks and the imaginary slamming of the brakes.
When we got back from the round trip, I was feeling a bit sick and frazzled, and my husband said sympathetically, ‘You’re not a good passenger’. And I agreed. And then - boom!
It suddenly became a metaphor that translated to other aspects of my life. Am I a good passenger elsewhere or am I happier being in the driving seat? What about being a backseat driver always telling others what to do? Am I ever like that?
It made me reflect that in my career, most of the time I like to be in the driving seat. I like having my own company, my own agenda, and managing my own diary as I see fit.
I have been a passenger many times, navigating and making decisions on behalf of everyone in the car, metaphorically speaking but it definitely takes more energy from me than if I were in the driving seat, audiobook on, free to stop wherever I want.
What does this mean? Well, I think it shows up certain values like independence, freedom, and autonomy, which definitely show up outside of the literal car in my life.
So, what does this have to do with you? Well, I think it’s an interesting thing for you to ponder:
Are you happiest in the driving seat?
Are you a good / bad passenger?
Does it change and depend on the situation?
Are there any constants that thread through your life?
Are you forever looking in the rear-view mirror?
How can you use this metaphor to ponder your own values? And what is the insight you glean?
Please do share what you find, I would love to know!
Tracy
