Strong Emotion and Riding Motorcycles – A Powerful Metaphor for Life

Some say that as you get older, you get wiser. My experience has been different. I just get more confused! It’s not that I’m losing my marbles – it’s that this journey called life seems to get awful complicated.

The last year or so has been very difficult for me, and I’ve been confronted by a number of traumatic and challenging issues – death, serious illness, loss of job, sale of house, and end of a long term relationship. I didn’t deal with this stuff very well. Actually it was a lot worse than not very well – and it cost me dearly. I was very angry, very moody, and not a lot of fun to be around.

My response to the things that I found confronting was to hide – to use any means possible to avoid these strong emotions – to numb the pain. I found drinking was all too easy, and it provided a haven where I didn’t feel. This wasn’t good for me … or those around me.

It took a crisis to snap me out of this pattern – the end of a long term relationship. It hurt a lot, but it did wake me up. First I cried a lot. Then I quit drinking. Then I began chipping away at a few other areas. I started eating better, looking after myself, and getting some exercise. Most of all I tried really hard not to avoid what was happening to me – to really feel these strong emotions. It’s working so far and hopefully I’ll come out the other side a better man.

So what has this to do with motorcycles? Well I’m an avid motorcycle tourist, and recently have spent quite a lot of time in the saddle. And I’ve come to realise that for me riding a motorcycle can be a powerful metaphor for life. It’s about managing strong emotions, and being in control. Riding a bike when you are angry, frustrated, or not in a good place is a bad thing. It’s worse than bad … it can get you dead!

So working on your mind and being in control makes for a better riding experience – and ensures you don’t do something dumb. So try practicing a little self-control, mindfulness perhaps, and get your Zen on while you ride. It just might keep you alive! And perhaps might prove to be useful elsewhere in your life.

Stay upright and safe.

Phil Jacobs

MotorcycleJourneyMan