I’m not sure if it’s having grown up in one of the most traffic congested areas in our country, or what, but when it comes to driving, I’m a wound up ball of nerves.

Not the kind of nervous, on-edge, jittery nerves — and I’m only talking about commute drives to work here — I mean the kind of wound up, rush rush rush rush rushhhhhhhhhhhhh nerves and get there get there hurry up and get there nerves.

Yes, I think I’ll go with blaming D.C. on this one. Not full blame, only partial. Well not really blame because it’s long time I take full responsibility for how I feel.

So I started doing something different this week. That is, after I realized, it doesn’t help me if I decide to leave earlier, as I thought it would, I’m still in the same get there first panic mode.

This week, I decided to 1: Breathe. Duh, right? Breathe! But you already are doing that, is that what you’re thinking? Because that’s what I thought at first.

Except I wasn’t really breathing. My breaths were short and constricted. Choppy. Taking the time to consciously breathe while driving is a whole other game and realm you enter into. I guarantee you will feel calmer.

The second thing I decided to do has been way harder than breathing and I dare you to try it for yourself. I stay behind the car that’s in front of me.

Honestly, I didn’t think this one was going to be do-able for me. It drives me f-ing insane when I’m stuck behind some slow poke. I’m not talking someone going the speed limit, I’m talking about the dorks out there who are going a good 5mph under the speed limit and if anything, might cause an accident. Sidenote: I don’t really think they’re dorks, well, maybe they are, who knows. I just use that affectionately due to Gpa, it was his word for what he deemed bad drivers.

I’m very pleased to report that picking one lane and one driver to stay behind hasn’t been nearly the nightmare I thought it would be. In fact, it’s been very relieving and relaxing. Gone is the rush. Same with the anxiety. And you know, I get to my destination in practically the same amount of time as I always have.

I’ve been blown away by how much calmer and centered I feel. As with all things, I know I’m going to be a work in progress on this driving thing. But I can do it.

I’m coming to the realization more and more each day that our breath truly does impact our state of mind and being.