First published 20 June 2024

Buckle Up, It’s Time for a Backseat Journey!

As this arrives in your mailbox I will likely still be in the car, heading off for a trip to Ireland! (But don’t worry – I wasn’t typing and driving – I am in the backseat for a change!)

This week’s ‘weekly waffle’ is inspired by this backseat perspective, and how it can offer a different view of things.

The Backseat View: Fresh Eyes on Familiar Roads

As we head to Edinburgh, on a road I drove daily for the best part of a decade, I get the unusual (for me) view from the backseat.  And here we go with this week’s ponderings…

Think about it: how often do we travel the same roads, both literally and figuratively, without truly noticing the scenery around us?  We get caught up in our routines and destinations, missing the beauty and details along the way.  We may even have those journey’s where we are so far into auto pilot we don’t even consciously remember parts of how we got there!

But jumping into the backseat (metaphorically speaking, of course!) can be a refreshing change. It allows us to:

• See things from a different angle: Sometimes, a shift in perspective can reveal new insights or hidden gems we might have missed before.
• Let go of the wheel: Taking a backseat role can be truly liberating, as it can allow us to relax, observe, and appreciate the journey itself.
• Embrace the unexpected: Who knows what interesting sights or detours we might encounter when we’re not focused on the final destination?  And with those detours comes hidden gem’s that we never would have found otherwise.

Just aim to not spend your time in the backseat with your eyes glued to your phone screen (or e-readers – I have been known to get lost in mine – how else can I keep getting insights from books for you if I don’t read them 🙃 – like I need an excuse!!!)

How Can You “Take the Backseat” This Week?

I have a few mini challenges for you if you are up for them while I am away to embrace the backseat perspective in your own life:

• Challenge a Habit: Turn a familiar task or situation on it’s head and do it in a completely new way. What fresh ideas might emerge? (if you are really stuck for ideas, go for something ‘simple’, use your other hand to brush your teeth, or start at the other side of your mouth!)
• Practice Active Listening: Pay close attention to a conversation without formulating your own response right away. What nuances might you pick up on? (if you find this tricky – one of last year’s book club books* suggested finding an improv comedy class to help break the habit of forming your next sentence while the other person is talking!)
• Take a Mindful Walk: Focus on your senses and observe your surroundings with a beginner’s mind. Notice the details you usually miss while walking to ‘get somewhere’.  I know – shocker, going for a walk without a destination in mind! It doesn’t have to be a long walk – just one where you take the time to pay attention to your surroundings.  Does one of your neighbours have a particularly pretty front garden?  What would you notice if you were new to the area and here for the first time?

Remember, sometimes the most valuable lessons and discoveries come from taking a step back and appreciating the “view from the backseat.”

* if you are interested, that book was Humour, Seriously by Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas.  (I don’t think I would recommend it even though it was one of my picks!) 

Maybe I might start adding a ‘currently reading’ section on these in future…. 🤔

P.S. While I’m in Ireland, I’ll be retaking the wheel when we get the hire car so my backseat stint is going to be short-lived this time!  The plan is to put on one of my other hats for this trip as I will be hunting waterfalls – and perhaps a lighthouse or two 🤞 with my camera – if I get any good photos to share along with any insights I’ll pop them on the usual social channels, so don’t forget to follow me on @hkInnerPathways to see the Emerald Isle through my lens!. (if I am not on your platform of choice do let me know – learning new platforms is such a joy... 🤪)

P.P.S. if you do have a play with changing a habit, do let me know how you get on? I’d love to read about any observations you have or any new creative ways you have chosen to do something!