I was driving to an appointment recently and had one of those moments – I’m sure you’ve had them too – when I couldn’t remember if the light at the intersection I had just passed through was actually green. Presumably it was. Presumably the part of my mind that was in charge of driving knew what it was doing and would have stopped it the light had been red. But the rest of my conscious mind that was preoccupied with the subject of that appointment had no awareness of which color it was.

It kind of weirded me out for a moment.

And then it struck me as an awesome metaphor.

At first because it seemed to be such a great illustration of the importance of staying awake to one’s experience, of maintaining a certain level of awareness.

But then it seemed such a great illustration of the importance of the signals and signposts in our lives.

In navigating the grid of our daily activities, having a clear, well-practiced system of signals and signposts allows us to give our awareness to the big stuff, while knowing we’re still traveling toward our intended destination in a safe way.

This is not the same thing as having maps or planning a trip according to a map – also important elements of your systems. This is about having a way of moving safely during that trip and knowing if you are still on your intended route.

This is about knowing how to navigate all the little things that might not be on your map. Intersections. Terrain. Weather. Construction. And, of course, other travelers.

Stop. Yield. Do not enter. No right turn. No left turn. No u-turn.
Red. Yellow. Green.
Speed limit. Do not pass. No turn on red. One way.
Crossroad. Side road. Winding road. Sharp turn. Merge. Deer.
Low clearance. Slippery when wet. Hill.
Railroad crossing. School zone. Work zone. Detour. Fines double.
Scenic overlook. Historical marker ahead. Rest stop.
Gas – Food – Lodging – next right.

All signals and signposts have a single corresponding action: red = stop, crossroad = look for traffic, sharp turn = slow down. We know what they mean – we’ve even been tested on what they mean.

Do you similarly recognize the signs and signals in your life? And do you know what their corresponding action is?

• When your body is sending you signals of being tired or hungry, do you recognize and obey them by exiting at a rest stop?
• When you are at the crossroads of making a decision, do you stop to look both ways?
• What are the signs of the twists and turns of stress and confusion that help you know when and how to slow down?
• In your relationships, do you know when to yield? when to merge?
• Do you have clear boundaries that guide your route?
• How do you recognize when you are distracted by a side road? How far do you have to travel before you turn around and go back?
• Do you establish conditions of satisfaction that let you know how many more miles there are to go or when you’ve arrived?

When you are on autopilot – and we all are at times – do you have systems that keep you safe and moving in the right direction? Or are you running red lights?

If you were to write your own Driver’s Manual with the rules of your personal road, what would it say?

• • • • •

Related posts:

1. Signposts