When we’re faced with a difficult situation, we often feel like we’re all alone in our struggles. It might be a conflict between people associated with a demanding project at work or an unthinkable family problem that seems to have no solution. Maybe we’re trying to confront the mounting financial challenges created by the loss of our job or to deal with a life threatening illness in ourselves or a loved one. We don’t know who to turn to for help and support, so we have to deal with the situation by ourselves.

"Believe in yourself! In the face of adversity, be steady as if on the calmest water."

- Anonymous

This is the time when we need to believe in ourselves. We seem to have no one  else to help us so we just have to trust ourselves. As tempting as it might be, we can’t simply give up. We must have faith in ourselves that we can and will find a way to make it through the situation. In most seemingly unconquerable circumstances, we’ll survive the challenge and have better days ahead.

These sage words from an anonymous author also apply when we’re on our motorcycles enjoying the beauty and the freedom of the road. The brilliant rays of the sun are warming us while the winds of our motion are keeping us cool as we slice through the twists and turns on a tree lined country highway. It’s easy to believe in ourselves when all is going well, but what things aren’t going so smoothly?

It’s harder to trust ourselves if we misjudge a corner and go into it a little too fast, but that’s exactly what we need to do. Many riders get an very uneasy feeling, pucker the seat and look to see how close they are to the edge of the lane, be it shoulder or oncoming traffic, or they attempt to slow down quickly by either grabbing the brakes or dumping the throttle. The results of their actions are normally not what they wanted or expected.

In most cases of entering a corner too hot, if we simply keep our focus on the exit of the turn, we can press our way there. We rarely lean our motorcycle as far as it can go and by pressing more firmly on the inside handgrip, we can make it through the curve. We just need to remain calm and believe in ourselves.

What about the time when something suddenly appears in front of us like an animal or another vehicle and everything seems hopeless? Many riders tend to give up at this point and let go of the handlebars or look for a way to lay the bike down, often making the outcome more severe than necessary. Even under these extreme circumstances we need to trust ourselves.

We cannot afford to stop riding our motorcycle. Taking a fifty pound turkey in the chest at any speed is certainly a bone jarring experience, but if we keep riding our bike, we can normally bring it to a stop while still upright without compounding our injuries. Short of a front on impact, the severity our situation can even be reduced from contact with another vehicle if we just keep riding our bike.

To be able to remain calm and to trust ourselves, we must be prepared. We need to have the finely honed physical skills necessary to swerve rapidly and to use both brakes properly to stop quickly. More importantly, we have to have a strong mental strategy for dealing with potential problems earlier so we don’t have to rely on those physical skills so frequently. The bottom line is that, regardless of the severity of the situation, we will come out better if we believe in ourselves in the face of adversity.

Ride Smart! Ride Safe!