I used to arrive at the grocery store with no memory of driving there. Not in a cinematic or dangerous way, but more like I’d blinked and landed in the produce section while still sorting my kids’ schedules and permission slips in my mind.
I was a younger mom then, running on autopilot: schlepping kids, racing to games, cooking dinner in my head while sitting in carpool lines. Until one rainy day, when I got a speeding ticket on the way to my daughter’s field hockey game and realized with startling clarity: I wasn’t driving my life. My life was driving me.
That ticket was a warning light I’d ignored for years that taught me something essential: We’re all driving rentals. Our bodies are temporary vehicles for this particular journey, yet most of us never read the manual.
We’d never slip behind the wheel of a rental car without checking the mirrors or figuring out the headlights. Yet we breeze through our days ignoring our dashboard lights—dismissing exhaustion, resentment or that quiet hum of “something’s off” as static instead of crucial data. Many of us follow outdated GPS routes set by old expectations or identities that no longer fit.
In my one-on-one coaching and workshop, We DO Come With Instructions, I teach people to read their internal roadmap. The energetic system shaping influencing our thoughts, emotions and behaviors. I remind them they’re not malfunctioning machines; they’re sophisticated vehicles simply overdue for maintenance.
Three points to check before you drive off:
Body (Your vehicle): It needs rest, nourishment, movement and boundaries to function. Ignoring signals leads to burnout.
Mind (The route planner): Notice which thoughts and images are looping. Notice if you’re on autopilot. If the roadway looks foggy, pause and recalibrate to clear the mental windshield.
Spirit (The satellite connection): Your link to something larger—faith, nature, intuition, belonging. When the road curves, this is what orients you. Tiny rituals, presence and devotion restore signal when you feel disconnected.
Gentle January practices to try each week:
Week 1 (Body): Go to bed 30 minutes earlier three nights this week. Each morning, place a hand on your belly and another on your heart. Take five slow, deep breaths before rising.
Week 2 (Mind): Take one evening for a two-hour information fast. Unplug completely. Journal three things the quiet reveals.
Week 3 (Spirit): Light a candle, recite a one-line intention or walk outside and notice three things in nature.
Week 4 (Integration): Choose one boundary to honor: no phones at dinner, saying “no” without apology. Notice whether guilt or empowerment surfaces. Boundaries are guardrails not to keep people out, but to let others know you value yourself.
Our internal GPS runs on settings we often inherit without consent. This January, remember: Self-worth is the ignition, trust is the steering wheel and love is the fuel. Turn off autopilot, use your inner GPS to take the route meant for you, and enjoy the ride! For more information, visit customdesignedwellness.com.
“We’re all driving rentals. Our bodies are temporary vehicles for this particular journey, yet most of us never read the manual.”