Who’s in the driver’s seat?

“I don’t want to be a passenger in my own life.” ~Diane Ackerman

I love driving on the expressway, especially on beautiful summer days. When I’m heading north, for instance, I often recall my childhood vacations. My father always drove on those trips — Mom was always a passenger — and I had the back seat to myself. I loved watching the landscape change as we escaped the cities and suburbs.

Metaphorically speaking, sometimes it’s nice to let go and let someone else do the driving. Sometimes we just want to sit back, roll down the windows, and enjoy the ride. And there’s nothing wrong with that — unless we’re always dodging responsibility or always letting someone else (or something else) control where we’re going.

How often are you in the driver’s seat? Do you often allow others to make your plans and decisions when you could be asserting your own choices? Do you structure your days around unhealthy or unproductive habits? Once in a while, it’s worth a reality check: Who or what is in the driver’s seat of your own life? ~CL