Do you drive for a living, or live while driving?

And do you know the difference?

RIGHT NOW! (so you don't have a chance to procrastinate!)

Let's explore some ways to live well over the long road...

My Physical Fitness

Am I fit enough to do everything I want to do?

If you answered any less than 10, what obstacles must you get through?

- If you need more strength, can you get some workout bands? Do bodyweight exercises?

Make daily on-duty activities more challenging like doing a few extra steps up and down on
the running board when you get in the truck?

Looks like a field expedient Leg Press Machine to me.

If you have been inactive for a while, simply doing daily tasks as a set of exercises by
repeating them over and over with exaggerated movement can improve your fitness (and attitude) greatly and get you set up for success in more formal exercise.

A few formal exercises you can do without any equipment:

- Air Squats; put both hands behind your neck and squat down as far as you can without discomfort, then push back up to full standing height. Repeat in sets of 10 to 12 until you start to feel fatigue in the muscles.

- Bollard Presses; most parking areas have bollards all over the place. Stand back and lean well into a bollard, place both hands on the rounded top and do modified pushups.

- Grab a jug of oil and do biceps curls.

- Walk laps around a truck stop, terminal lot, or rest area. Some rest areas have nice hiking or interpretive trails. Use them when you can.

These few little things, done regularly can really improve physical and emotional fitness without much expenditure of effort or time.

More at gregory@driversthriving.com

My Finances

Am I saving and planning for my future needs?

If you answered any less than 10, what obstacles must you get through?

- Are you saving at all? If your employer has 401k matching you should have them withhold at least whatever maximum they will match.

- You should be saving at least 10% of your pay before you see it if possible.

- You should learn about investing in mutual finds or other plans.

- Maybe find a side hustle you can do on the road?*

- Shiny stuff at the truck stops may be enticing but be aware of spending for things that don't improve your life and future.

*For more ideas or coaching, email; gregory@driversthriving.com

My Peeps

If you rated less than 10 in Relationships what can you do to improve?

Many of us out on the road are out here because we like working alone and enjoy our solitude, but no one is an island so let's look at some ways to make friends out here, and, be better friends and family members when we are at our stationary home or otherwise off duty.

-Smile and say hello to everyone you cross paths with.

-Strike up conversation when someone is wearing a logo that represents something you are interested in (and either know something about or want to learn about).

-Join groups on social media. There are groups for any interest.

-Don't try to impress anyone. Be yourself and you never have to remember who you tell others you are.

My Damn Job

Well, it is actually a pretty good job but can present
challenges to living well.

So let's look at ways to make each day out here as wellness filled as we can.

-Make a list of daily "do's" and check off each little victory. This is a key to feeling like we are winning the war of living our best possible lives on the road. (I know, it is not really a war - I have been in one - but it is a struggle at times and we must consider ourselves warriors in the classic sense of Warrior Spirits).

-Look at rest areas, truck stops, terminal lots, i.e., any place you can park , as your
spa. Make every day a spa day even if only for an hour during your break. Pull over someplace quiet and just be for a while. Exercise or meditate or read something that nourishes your Spirit.

More; gregory@driversthriving.com

Ghost of a Chance

Whether you are religious or not, there are things that move your Spirit.

Incorporate those things into your daily living by being mindfull of what you let
into your head.

We all need to be aware of what is happening in the world, but dwelling on the things that anger us or cause us to be anxious is not necessary or productive. Absorb only that which
provides you with what you need to make good decisions, then move on to things that make you happy.

Keeping "props" in the truck may help in breaking cyclic "Blender Brain" thoughts. I keep an image of the scrappy Taco Bell dog that is going to trap Godzilla in a shoe box. Cracks me up every time.

Road to Fun

Daily fun is as important as exercise is in the art of living well. Let's make the two complement each other

- Carry a Frisbee or football with you and be surprised at how many drivers will join you for a game of catch.

-Carry a bicycle on the truck and get out and see the sights around truck stops
and rest areas. There are all sorts of adaptable carriers at REI or on Amazon.

-Brisk walking with good music or meditation sounds in earbuds can be
very fun and rejuvenating.

-Pick up a few roadside geology books and learn about the places you go (or
stop, to be more specific).

For more ideas email gregory@driversthriving.com