You’re probably excited! You can’t wait to get behind the wheel and drive. However, just like with any other nerve-racking activity, it’s expected that you’ll feel anxious before you hit the road for the first time. Just like going for a job interview or preparing for an exam at school, you need to be mentally prepared, so you can feel more confident and calm while driving.

Here are tips that can help you feel mentally prepared for driving:

Believe In Yourself And Be Self Confident

The first step to ensuring you feel mentally prepared for driving is by being confident. It makes a great difference when you tell yourself “you can do it” instead of “you think you can’t.” having a positive mindset and telling yourself you’re a capable driver and having a positive mental attitude goes a long way in boosting your confidence when you’re behind the wheel.

Address The Underlying Cause Of Your Anxiety

Have you thought about what really makes you nervous? Is there something specific about driving that scares you, or are you nervous because of the upcoming driving test? You might want to learn to drive so bad but be held back by some inner fears. For you to be mentally prepared for driving, you need to identify the cause of your anxiety, and from there, you can work on addressing it! For example, if you realize that you’re scared of parking maneuvers, practice as much as you can with your instructor. Besides, ensure that your car is clutter-free and clean to prevent destruction. Clutter can jam up your brain, adding to your anxiety. But when your car is spanking clean, you only focus on one thing — driving.

Face your fears

Many people try to avoid stressors and things that cause anxiety attack as a way to keep safe – you can’t do that when you’re trying to learn how to drive. True, you can try to carpool with your friends to school or work or take public transport, but you’ll eventually have to drive. It’s liberating to drive whenever and wherever you want without the help of anyone!

Besides, the more you try to avoid driving, the more anxious you’ll feel every time you think about getting behind the wheel. You should be positive that you’ll have a good driving experience every time you go out driving. As you build your comfort levels, try to add another feature that’ll make you feel a little more comfortable and like you’ve learned something new. for example, you can try a four-way stop or use a roundabout with multiple lanes.

Take A Deep Breath

Sometimes you’ll feel you anxiety rising and that’s normal. Try to take some deep breath to help clear your mind. Slowing your breathing not only gives you something different to focus on but it also supply oxygen to your brain, allowing to feel relaxed and think more clearly. Inhale air through your nose for 10 secs and exhale through the mouth for 10 secs.

Besides deep breath, you can calm your thoughts by focusing on the things you hear, see and feel. You can watch the street ahead of you or feel the steering in your hand, etc.