We’ve all had the opportunity to meet the realities of life and feel their weight on our shoulders. Maybe we’ve gotten bogged down by financial concerns as we struggle with the family budget. We’re wondering when the next bill will be coming in and wondering if we’ll have enough money to pay it. It could be that we just received a regular monthly statement, but found it twice what it normally is with a late fee posted to it. We know we sent last month’s payment in plenty of time, but the company didn’t get around to posting it before sending out this month’s statement.

It seems like nothing we do is going to make a difference and we’re caught in an unending vicious circle with no exit ramps. As the clouds envelope us, the best thing we can do is take a breath. Things can get better, but we need to rise above the clouds to see the sun.

Other times we might be working on a task and trying to get it done quickly so we can move on to other things. Yet staying focused on what we’re doing seems impossible as we keep getting distracted by the phone, our neighbors or even the unexpected challenges the project is throwing at us. We just can’t seem to get anything one and we’re frustrated by mid afternoon. Take a break and take a breath. We need to clear our mind of the problems we’re facing and refocus on the important things. Being aggravated by the interruptions isn’t going to help us achieve our goals any sooner.

The same concept applies to our riding. We’ve got a weekend getaway planned and as we head out of town, a car tries to share our lane. Luckily the driver in the next lane aw what was happening and slowed down so we had some room to maneuver. That incident was followed by several cars cutting us off until we were finally able to reach the back roads we wanted to enjoy. But then we missed our turn on this unfamiliar road and soon encountered road construction with the requisite backup and delays. It seems like everyone is out to get us and to make sure we won’t be able to have the fun we were expecting on this trip.

It’s hard to focus on our ride with all this going on around us. We just wanted to have a peaceful weekend ride and enjoy the freedom and solitude of the countryside astride our two-wheeled friend. But everything seems to be working against us. Take a break and take a breath. Find a spot to pull over and get off the bike.

Freeing our mind and letting go of our irritations can allow us to focus on the important aspects of our situation. We’re on our bike with our knees in the breeze and the sun is warming our soul. We may not get to where we’re going as early as we planned, but we must remember that it’s the journey not the destination that counts. By taking a few minutes to relax we can return to our ride with a more peaceful mindset and enjoy the ride for what it is; an opportunity to get away. We just need to take a breath because it’s easier and more fun to ride while we’re breathing and calm.

Ride Smart! Ride Safe!