10 Ways You Can Empower Yourself – With Your Car
Scotty Reiss
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Your car is so much more than just mobility.
There are lots of things we think of when it comes to empowerment: The power suit, power posing, asking and getting permission to do something, or conquering a fear— of heights or dogs, for instance.
But the biggest source of empowerment comes from within, when we give ourselves permission to think and conquer. And with daily practice, we can outline what we want to accomplish, create an internal dialogue to inspire growth, have a distraction-free dialogue with others, seek out answers and build confidence.
Editors Note: Join us to talk about how to empower ourselves live on Pinterest TV on February 2nd at 2PM ET/11AM PT. Pinterest TV can only be accesses on iOS or Android; you can learn more about Pinterest TV here.
The Perfect Space For Creating Empowerment: Your Car
Finding a space to quietly contemplate empowerment is key, and one of the best places to do this is in the car. In the silence of the drivers seat you have the luxury to think through tough challenges, listen to inspiring music or podcasts and have a conversation with others.
And the car itself can add to your empowerment: just learning to understand its technologies and features, creating calm from chaos through cleaning and organizing its spaces, to multi-tasking work and play, your car can be a safe and empowering space.
Here are our tips to putting your car to better use to empower yourself, create new levels of confidence and achieve the things you want in life.
Setting up your drive before you leave can increase productivity and reduce stress. Photo: Sara Lacey
1. Practice Empowerment in Peace
Use your car as a solo space to practice empowerment — listen to a podcast, practice empowering self messaging, dissect your issues and think through difficult or complicated things.
Related: Four Simple Yoga Stretches to Do After a Long Drive
2. Listen to Empowering Playlists
Build an empowerment playlist of music and podcasts to listen to while you drive — then pop in your earbuds and take these with you when you walk your dog, go for a hike or even while you’re grocery shopping (confession: I do this ALL the time).
Use EV charge time to multi-task; bring a laptop or a tablet and don’t forget the charge cord and adapter! Photo: Scotty Reiss
3. Practice Self-Care
Build in a few minutes between leaving home and getting to work to meditate, or arrive at the after school pick up line a bit early and use that time to focus on building an empowered mindset. This is also a great thing to do when charging an EV at a charging station.
Time in the car with loved ones is a great time to discuss important things without interruptions. Photo: Chastity Velasquez
4. Tackle Tough Topics Head On
Use your car as a space to discuss difficult things with your kids, partner or family; you’re in the drivers seat, literally; use that! Reward the discussion with a surprise stop at Starbucks or a windows-down volume up belting out of a song when you’ve reached a deal.
5. Multi-Task For Work/Life Balance
Set yourself up to work from the car so you can multi-task for both work and fun: bring along a laptop or tablet so you can work from the parking lot just before a hike or the outlet mall where you’re outfitting a guest room. Or, plan work sessions while charging at an EV station. Make sure you have a charge cord and adaptor, that you can connect to your phone’s wifi and before you get started, figure out how to get comfortable in your car’s front seat to work.
Related: Best Podcasts to Listen to While Driving (Because We Love Multitasking)
6. Organize Your Drive
Send destinations to your phone, and when you connect to Apple CarPlay where they are stored, you’ll have them instantly. This is so convenient.
Always be prepared with a car trunk organizer. Photo: Amazon
7. Organize Your Car
Add an in-car organizer to the trunk or rear seat. This way you can keep things like sunscreen, emergency batteries, blankets, rain jackets and bottled water handy and never need to stress when football practice runs late or, surprise, a rain shower pops up.
8. Discover Your Car’s Hidden Talents
They have many! From adaptive cruise control to voice controls, what tech does your car have that you’re not using? Do you know what all those buttons do? Have you learned to use Apple CarPlay? Have you set up your memory seats and synced your garage door remotes? Do you use the auto hold button? Learn more about your car’s features form the manual or search YouTube with your make, model, trim and year. Learn to use these — you’ll be so much more empowered behind the wheel!
Related: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: How to Get the Most Popular In-Car Phone Systems
9. Learn to ACTUALLY Go Off-Roading
If you have 4WD or AWD you have the capability; putting yourself to the challenge and learning off roading will give your esteem a huge boost. You can visit an off road park and drive a simple trail, or sign up for a course and learn from the pros. From there, a remote picnic or camping trip is a must!
10. Just Drive!
Find a great road and set yourself free. Pick one that has lots of curves and hills and choose a time when traffic is light. Turn up an empowering song, focus on the road, put it in sport mode if you can. And, then, really drive; put your car to the test and have fun!
If you think of your car simply as mobility—getting from point A to point B— you’re not really considering all it can do for you. And if you’re giving it over to your kids and family or worse, letting it be overtaken by chaos, you’re giving up one of the most precious spaces of them all: The space to clear your head, think through things and step of out the car stronger, more confident and more capable than ever.
Now, go!