Driving anxiety for a new driver

Listen to me , I am a veteran marine . Infantry, chem-bio , MP . My default mentality is to be anxious , nervous etc . I have over the years had to train myself to go through it all . You can never quench it all . Anxious and nervousness show you care about what your doing . As said a million times before fear can be helpful or harmful . It can be rational or irrational . It took me four times to find the right company and a come to Jesus meeting with myself. Back when, it took me twice to get my CDL . I have no shame in saying it . Your worst enemy is you . I have worked myself up into a panic for nothing before , it took me time and yes , support sometimes from friends , coworkers and family to come off of being so worked up . In every situation of being anxious I did an after action report in my mind of why I reacted this way and I prepared for the next so I wouldn't be that way again . You can never prepare 100 percent . How you react can save yourself or someone else . In the military it was my priority to save myself AND my brother . In trucking it is my priority to save myself and those traveling and working around me . To not be complacent . To not damage . In the beginning, sure this will get you looked at when you get out of your truck to look a 100 times or it takes 20 pull ups to hit a dock , or even be late cause you drove slow out of anxiety and didn't want to hit anything. Evaluate why you chose to get a CDL , why your in the business . What your goal is . Is it rational to being anxious going down the road loaded and x amount of thousands . YES . Can you do it ? YES . Can you do it safely ? YES. Never underestimate yourself. Your skills will sharpen , your hands will steady , your breath will become focused . Lean on "good" veteran drivers , never know it all and know your limit . You will have to sacrifice in this business and you will be pushed out of your comfort zone BUT you will also come out with experience and this wisdom will set you on the path you need to follow. Pay attention to your truck , your load , your surroundings , and have a rolling plan b for idiots out there . Yes , some are unavoidable . In the end you want it to be on them not you . Do not do anything to highlight yourself to the DOT or law . Do not have the feeling you can't say NO or I can't right now or just plain I am nervous. Everyone has been there and if they say no they are a liar . If you need more training get it . If you need a mentor , find one and if your company will not comply with simple requests regarding safety or training . Do not abandon or get angry . Part ways amicably , then you can give your opinion . You will succeed if you want . I did not say it would be easy . Good luck and safe travels

 

If it's true full on anxiety with panic attacks you shouldn't be driving. If it's just cold feet and nervousness, keep pushing and getting experience. You'll feel better as you develop your skills.

 

Thanks for your honesty here.

 

I needed to see this today ! Thanks Marine!

 

Good stuff brother, thanks!

 

Feelings are not independent of thought. There are thoughts associated with those feelings. Feelings lie. You CAN control how you feel by the thoughts you choose to have go through your mind.

Emotional reactions (feelings) are habitual. They can be changed by awareness of the thoughts associated with the feelings and by taking control of those thoughts. It takes time and practice as the previous posters have said.

This is a large part of how addiction is overcome. It's not a theroy, it works

It's simple, not easy. Rinse and repeat until your new mental and emotional habits develop.

 

Right, but when it Snows out,in a big city, He is going to freak out, guarantee it. He hasnt seen anything yet. Hold on tight for this ride.

 

Got to learn somehow. Hopefully he gets snow experience in the city first before dealing with it in the mountains.

 

Only time, so far, that I ran into sliding on ice. Was on a side road at night in a bigger city. Was braking around a lazy S curve 4 lanes. Trailer started to slide around. Thankfully it corrected when I let off the brakes. As it's supposed to. But definitely was a pucker factor.

 

This was day 1 for my new city job, gotta say, I miss winter.