The weather has drastically changed, and with it has arrived early morning fog. It is mysterious, beautiful, and if you are driving it can be unsettling.
I remember the first time I encountered fog as a driver. A friend and I were traveling from Tucson, Arizona to San Diego, California for a wedding. We started our journey around midnight and, as luck would have it, I found myself in the driver seat early that morning when the fog rolled in on the winding canyons outside San Diego.
One minute everything was dark, but clear, and the next an ethereal haze obscured my view. It was getting worse, not better. I was terrified. I was in an unfamiliar vehicle, on an unfamiliar road, in unfamiliar conditions.
Certain we were going to end up in a horrific multi-car accident, the kind you see reported on the morning news, I woke my sleeping passenger, a more experienced driver. I was in full panic mode.
Just like morning fog, it can seem as if our challenges appear out of the blue threatening to overcome us. The techniques for navigating these personal challenges are very similar to those required for driving in fog.
Slow down, don’t stop.
Driving at normal speeds in fog can be very dangerous. The fear of not being able to see what was in front of me was paralyzing. My first instinct was to hit the brakes. “This wasn’t supposed to be happening!” “Our trip was supposed to be easy, fun and free of obstacles.” “Why is this happening to me, now?” Many of us do this in our own lives when our plans are interrupted by perceived betrayal, injustice, or inconvenience. In these moments, keep going – don’t give up, but do adjust your speed. That might look like evaluating your calendar, saying “no”, or taking a break from certain responsibilities and activities while you work your way through the fog.
Always low beams, never brights.
Avoid using high beam headlights as fog consists of tiny water droplets that spread and reflect light making it more difficult to see instead of easier. It is tempting to think that something has gone wrong and that the source must be immediately discovered and eliminated. But the things that worked just minutes before might actually make things more difficult in this new situation. In our anxiousness we shine bright lights onto every area of our life and can easily become overwhelmed by what is reflected back. While your high beams are not useful in the fog, remember to turn on your low-beam headlights. One of the ways I like to do this is by journaling. Sometimes referred to as morning pages, or thought downloads, it is an opportunity to see what is going on in my mind in a curious and kind way.
Stay focused on the road.
Driving in fog is not a time for multi-tasking. Focus and work on what’s right in front of you. Utilize and sharpen your senses. Roll down your window to help you hear the other traffic on the road. For me this means focusing on my self-care routines (nutrition, physical activity, sleep, rest, hydration, connection). The onset of fog serves as a reminder to check in and see how I am doing and what I can internally fortify while navigating this new circumstance.
You probably guessed by now that my encounter with fog on that early morning 25 years ago ended successfully. Throughout our lives we will all travel through periods of fog, some of them thicker and deeper than others. Remember, it is temporary and you are likely doing better than you think.
And should you find yourself in literal fog these three tips will come in handy there as well!
