Living WOW Framework: System 8~Driving Conditions

As we wrap up the 8 Systems Framework series it is worthwhile to point out that this final system is both external and internal. I include it in the 8 Systems Framework because it is impossible to separate yourself from or ignore the driving conditions completely. Additionally, for the most part, you have very little, if any, control over the driving conditions. With that said you must be aware of what they are and how they affect your vehicle and the journey so that you don’t end up in an accident or breakdown due to unsafe or undesirable conditions.

I’ve alluded to driving conditions in other examples throughout this series. The first one I shared with you during System 1 when I shared the example of my teenage daughter and the Transmission Control Unit that was the underlying cause of many malfunctions in the electrical system of her vehicle. The car had been driven at high speeds drifting, burning the rubber off of the tires, and creating an extreme vibration in the car. We were aware of the damage done to the tires, brakes, and alignment but not to the electrical system. This was an example of driving conditions that were outside of the car’s capacity but completely avoidable.

I also shared in System 6 the need for my reliance on the Garmin GPS system as I navigated through an unexpected spring snowstorm with my young children completely unprepared for the conditions both for the car and for the passengers. I was focused on getting the little kids packed and ready for the 6 hour road trip and planning on meeting up with my oldest daughter and her high school tennis team at the tournament the next day. I had only checked the weather at home and at our destination for packing purposes. I had no thought given to the road other than the route as it was unfamiliar to me. This was an example of driving conditions that were unavoidable at the time, but fortunately for me, I was more prepared than I realized.

Driving conditions in a vehicle are everything from traffic to weather, overdue maintenance, and fuel levels. Traffic and weather you have little to no control over. Maintenance and fuel you have control over if you have the knowledge of what to do and when and you plan accordingly. How you respond to these conditions is the result of your beliefs and experience. Do you avoid heavy traffic, night driving, and inclement weather or keep on trucking? Do you top your tank off frequently or run on empty? Do you rotate your tires every 3,000 miles or when they have to be replaced? Do you run premium gas and oil or get by with the cheapest option to keep you on the road?

The metaphor of the driving conditions directly ties to the lifestyle choices we make and the SAD culture we live in. The societal norms, cultural beliefs, political and economic conditions are largely outside of our control much like weather and traffic. Learning how to optimize your body’s health and performance with lifestyle choices is completely within your control if you have the knowledge of what to do and when and then you plan accordingly.

Also like the driving conditions, the circumstances around us are continually changing. Some you may be able to plan for and some will come out of nowhere completely derailing your journey. Living WOW was created as a framework for lifestyle awareness, education, and resources to optimize health and vitality recognizing that we live in a SAD environment, much of which we have no control over. You do have complete control over how you respond and prepare for the circumstances around you. There may be times when you are blindsided with a diagnosis but know that as you learn to listen and understand the language of your body and become the expert in your body you will recognize how all 8 systems work individually yet intextricably together.

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