The Secret Skill Every Great Driver (and Fellow Human) Needs
How a few breaths behind the wheel can change the way you drive—and the way you move through life.
It’s 5:47 PM. You've circled the Costco lot three times. That minivan—you swear it's the same minivan—has looped around twice, vulturing. You see it. The perfect spot opens up. Your blinker blinks victoriously.
And then—a tiny Prius, sneaky and silent, glides right in. You clench your jaw, heart rate spiking like you just ran a 100-meter dash. You mutter something under your breath that would’ve made your grandmother clutch her pearls.
Behind the wheel, even the Dalai Lama might need a moment.
And it’s not just the parking vultures. It's the siren song of your buzzing phone. It’s the cyclist who thinks stop signs are just a suggestion. It’s the everyday, slow-burn chaos of the road that can hijack your brain—and your brakes.
But what if you didn’t have to white-knuckle your way through it?
What if there’s something that—believe it or not—can make you safer, happier, and maybe even lower your carbon footprint?
The Science of Slowing Down—While Hitting the Gas
Turns out, mindfulness isn't just for mountain tops or meditation cushions. Research from the University of Virginia took mindfulness to the streets, training 280 drivers at UVA in a practice called mindful driving. No bumper-sticker wisdom. Just simple shifts in attention: noticing, breathing, easing.
And the results? They didn’t just tap the brakes—they shifted gears entirely:
Crashes went down.
Fuel efficiency went up.
Hard braking, aggressive acceleration, and speeding dropped.
And these weren’t just self-reports.
This was objective GPS tracking across more than 280 vehicles.
Real roads. Real results.
Mindful drivers weren’t just safer. They were greener. Calmer. Crusin’ on the inside, even when the outside kept honking.
Zoom out to the full dashboard of data—and it’s clear:
Mindfulness doesn’t just sharpen your attention—
it dials down distraction before it derails you,
holds the brakes on driving anger,
steers you clear of risky habits—even among repeat offenders,
and keeps your eyes forward when another notification flashes like a wrong turn you don’t have to take.
Bottom line: mindfulness helps you drive your life instead of letting life drive you.
In a world where distracted driving is responsible for up to 80% of crashes, and driving anger fuels the majority of fatal accidents, the ability to come back to yourself—even for one breath—isn't a luxury.
In some ways, it’s an act of survival.
And, maybe, an act of kindness.
Not just for you.
For everyone else, too.
Micropractice #6: Taking the High Road
You don’t have to roll out a yoga mat in your backseat.
The next time you find yourself behind the wheel—whether you're stuck in traffic, idling at a red light, or just pulling out of the driveway—try this:
Notice any tension in your shoulders, jaw, forehead—and let it soften by 2%. No need for 100%. Just 2%. Even 1% is enough.
Feel your hands on the steering wheel.
The texture. The temperature. The simple, solid weight.Feel the seat supporting you, holding you upright without asking for anything in return. (And if the seat heater’s on, consider it the universe’s way of saying, “Hey, I’ve got you.”)
Notice the way your breath moves in your body.
No need to steer it. Just let it rise and fall, like waves against a shore.
Glance around: the shimmer of sunlight on the dashboard, the slow dance of trees in the breeze, a passing cloud changing shape as it goes.
If someone cuts you off (and let's be real—they will), see if you can send them a silent wish:
May you find the perfect parking spot
May your GPS never betray you
May your playlist hit nothing but bangers the rest of the way home.
Not controlling.
Not judging.
Just coming back—gently—to this moment, in this body, on this road.
You were already going to be parked at that red light.
Or stuck behind the world's slowest left turn.
Or waiting for someone to rearrange their entire trunk before backing out of the spot you’ve been manifesting.
You might as well let it help you a little.
Because these tiny practices don’t fight for time.
They ride along with you.
They become a way of being.
If this landed for you, forward it to someone you love (or someone you drive with).
We’re all in this together—one lane, one breath, one moment at a time.
And if you try the practice, I’d love to hear what you noticed. (I read every reply)
Drive well,
drive kind,
drive here.
With warmth (and lighter footwork),
Eli
Founder, The Micro Memo
Micropractice.com
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This is hilarious!! Made my day 1000% and will remember when getting frustrated driving.
"May your GPS never betray you."
A spot-on blessing for these times.
And, all hail the seat heater!!
These are definitely mindfulness meditations that I can benefit from. Thanks, Eli.