I know you’re asking, “What is she talking about with rumble strips?” Well, let’s jump right in. You know what a rumble strip is. It’s that strip along the side of the highway that causes your car to shake if you start to go over the line towards the ditch. It’s a guide to help us wake up to our driving, when we have zoned out for some reason. It gets us back on course.
I’m curious what things in your life act like rumble strips for you. What are those patterns of behavior, choices that you start making, feelings in your body that are signals to you that you’re about to go into the ditch of life? Maybe it’s that you’re feeling crabby or tired all the time. Maybe it’s that you’re not enjoying life anymore and feel a loss of enjoyment in the things that used to bring you pleasure. Maybe it’s because you’re feeling so on edge day after day, you fear you will never get yourself out of your restless stressed out state.
Our rumble strips are there. I promise you. We all have them. What we sometimes do not have is an awareness of them. I would encourage you to start to be curious about where rumble strips are showing up in your life. One way to do that is to start to pay attention to the kinds of choices that you’re making.
Are your choices always in alignment with your values? I can say whole heartedly mine are not always. I may make a choice to work late to get something done and I know that’s not in alignment with my value for spending time with my family and relationships. I may choose to eat that 2nd piece of chocolate (okay, okay 10th piece of chocolate) even though it’s not in alignment with my value for physical wellness. Sometimes my choices don’t match up and when more and more of my choices don’t match up with my values, I know I’ve hit a rumble strip.
Does that happen to any of you? Think about it. Where in your life do you see yourself going off course and hitting that rumble strip? What are the signs for you? Where are the choices that you are making not lining up with your underlying values in life? I’d love to hear more about it in the comments below.
Remember, rumble strips are there to wake us up and help us get back on course. No need to be judgmental towards yourself when you catch yourself doing these things, making these choices, falling away from your values. The rumble strip doesn’t judge. It just wants you back on the road.