I have spent the majority of my years traveling long distance by car.

I cannot tell you how much I used to dread morning and evening rush hour traffic!

For some reason, I always worked on the west side, but lived on the east side.

I suppose that was my destiny.

My drives would always be, at least, an hour and a half!

Add traffic, and it would take me two to three hours to get to work or home from work!

I practically lived in my car!

For those of you who are in the same boat and would like to be more optimistic about your travels, then this post is just for you!

Here’s how to learn to love traffic!

Hopefully, it will make your drive a little brighter!

Take breakfast with you!

Don’t be eating or drinking while driving!

You do not want to drive distracted.

Even something as simple as pulling the wrapper off of your breakfast sandwich could cause an accident!

Yikes!

But if you know that you are going to be sitting in traffic for a while and barely moving, then it can be a good option!

More than likely, you are already rushing out the door.

Sometimes our nutrition is the first thing to suffer in the morning rush!

Why not make good use of that sitting time and pull out that croissant!

I do not recommend taking something challenging like oatmeal to eat!

Make it simple.

A donut.

A breakfast sandwich.

Perhaps a banana?

This will not only help to pass the time, but it will give you the time to nourish your body, as well.

Make sure you bring a snack for your drive home, as well!

Listen to good music!

I can’t stand “talk” in the morning!

I used to get in the car and flip back and forth between radio stations the whole way to work like a nut!

The only thing on the radio was a bunch of radio hosts talking up a storm!

No thanks!

I needed some good jams to kick my morning into gear!

Finally, I learned to bring some of my own music!

And not just any music!

The feel good – make you wanna dance – kind!

Not only did it help with that long drive, but it also put me in a good mood by the time I got to work!

It also pumped me up for my drive home.

When I got home, I found that I would be more productive!

Those cool songs stay in your head, so don’t be surprised if you start walking around your house singing them to yourself!

Oh!

Dude in the car next to me lookin’ at me dancin’ in mine while sitting in traffic?

So what?!

Hopefully I made him laugh and brightened his day!

Think

Sitting there, surrounded by cars, there’s not much you can do.

But you can think!

This is the one thing that we do not really do anymore.

We have phones, laptops and other electronic devices to do all of that thinking for us.

Now is a good time to exercise your mind!

Thinking and imagining can be healthy!

You can think about this and that and plans for today and for tomorrow.

You can think about your goals for the future or the people that you care about.

How about work and getting your mind focused on what is about to happen there?

On the way home, you can think about the things that went well or didn’t go well at your job.

If they didn’t go well, how can you make it different tomorrow?

Our screens are a huge distraction, and we don’t even realize it!

When you are forced to sit in traffic and all you can do is think, it makes you realize how much more productive you can be in your life!

Sometimes, we just really need the space and the time to focus on ourselves.

Being stuck in traffic is the perfect time to do just that!

Look at the scenery!

I bet you barely pay attention to all of the trees, flowers, houses and ponds on your way to work.

I didn’t pay any attention at all either.

One day, though, I did.

Sitting in traffic, there wasn’t much to look at except for the cars around.

But there were still hints of trees or grass to the left or to the right.

There were still some lovely houses in the distance.

Sometimes, I would just sit and focus on the little white dandelion growing on the side of the street.

Picking out the bits and pieces of beauty on the way to work helped bring me some inner peace.

No, I wasn’t in some elegant garden breathing in fresh air.

I mainly had my window down breathing in exhaust.

(Cough. Cough)

But finding that bit of nature did make a difference in my mood for the day!

If you can focus on those nice little things that you drive by every day, it can be a blessing!

A bridge.

Water.

Plants.

Trees.

A man walking his dog.

Someone jogging on the sidewalk.

(I always envied people who could jog like that! I’d sit and imagine myself being able to do that, too!)

Maybe you spot a squirrel running up a tree.

A group of birds sitting on a wire.

Whatever little bits of scenery you pick up, hold on to it.

It can make a big difference in your mood and ultimately, your day!

Roll Down Those Windows!

Fresh air coming into your vehicle can lift your spirits!

Ok.

Maybe you don’t want the air to mess with your hair before work.

That’s cool.

You can still crack a couple of the back windows so that you still have some circulation coming through.

On the way home, roll down the windows!

Let the air boost your mood!

There is something about fresh air that can help you feel good inside!

If you are stuck in your vehicle for a long time and then stuck in the office all day, this is especially important!

Play Games

No, I am not talking about games, such as racing the car next to you.

Games that just you alone can play!

This is a great time to exercise your observation skills!

Count how many blue cars you see.

See if you can beat that number from the day before.

How many people do you spot walking along the sidewalks?

How many dogs?

As long as you’re not distracted in doing this, it is a healthy game to play.

Plus, it keeps you entertained!

It is really important to be observant.

Did you know that you are less likely to be a victim of crime if you are more aware of your surroundings?

Playing little games like this trains your brain to be more vigilant about your environment.

It is an important skill to have, so why not use this time to work on it?

Now You’re All Set!

Traffic may seem like a waste of time, but if you make good use of it, it is not!

Make this a good time to nourish yourself with some breakfast or a snack!

Get your spirit pumpin’ for the day with some good music and fresh air coming through your windows!

Be more prepared for your job or for future plans by using this time to think!

Nurture your inner being and find peace by taking in nature on your way!

Finally, exercise those observation skills so that you are less likely to become a victim of crime!

As you can see now, there are, indeed, some great reasons to absolutely love your daily commute!

Be safe, everyone!