I have a bad habit of sometimes starting to drive off in my car without letting off the emergency brake. The result is that the car grinds along slowly, making it difficult to drive at normal speeds and putting a great deal of stress on the engine. When I finally realize my error and release the brake the car immediately returns to normal and I’m able to continue smoothly on my way.
I believe that in life we sometimes leave our “emergency brakes” on, with a lot of the same effects. The “emergency brake” in your life might be past failures or fear of what the future might bring. These emotions will hold you back, slow you down and cause your body to become worn down due to the stress they create.
Most newer cars now have alarms for just about everything. The annoying beeping will tell you if your door is open, if the lights are still on and, yes, if you forgot to step on the emergency brake before driving off. In fact, there are so many warnings that sometimes we don’t even know what it is the car is trying to tell us to fix! As irritating as it can be, I wish the signals that something is wrong in our own lives were as obvious and persistent as the ones in my car.
Don’t get me wrong – at a certain point your body and mind are going to let you know that the “brake” has been on for too long in ways that you can’t possibly ignore. The rates of heart disease and strokes in this country are testament to the fact that we’re all carrying around far too much stress, and dealing with it in unhealthy ways. But there are many other, less severe symptoms that tell us something isn’t right, if we can only be bothered to listen to them. Take some time to review your own situation. Is there an “emergency brake” holding you down? What does it consist of?
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just press a foot down on that “emergency brake” and instantly free ourselves from the unnecessary stress? The good news is that we can; the bad news is that it’s not quite as simple as stepping on the emergency brake in your car and it requires a lot more courage. But if you can put the regrets of the past behind you and face down your fears about the future, you can move forward free from the burden of those negative emotions.
In his essay “The Station,” Robert Hastings says that “regret and fear are the twin thieves [that] rob us of today.” Read it here, and take some time to think about the message.
Then let off the emergency brake in your life and start living in the moment.
Have a great weekend,
Ro