Hi Colleen,
Let me share a story with you. It's a long one but please bear with me.
When I moved to Brussels I was deathly afraid of the traffic. They have a rule called "priority to the right" which means that the drivers coming out of small street had the right of way. The didn't need to stop for you. You had to watch and stop for them! Also, there are all of these roundabouts (traffic circles) . You rarely saw a stop sign or traffic light - except on major boulevards. You knew if you saw one it really meant stop.
Now my office was about 12 miles from my interim apartment and I'd gone 2 weeks ahead of my husband so I didn't have any option but to drive to the office on the next Monday. The relocation agent had driven me around for 3 days looking for a house. She also showed me how to go to the office. I wasn't about to take that route with all the roundabouts, trolley tracks and so much fast moving traffic. I paid attention as we traveled and later mapped out a way to go to the office avoiding the "big round about". On Sunday, after church, I pulled out the car and started on my way. Of course, I missed a key turn. But, I kept on driving, having to manage a lot of trolley tracks, UGH! I saw a sign that said "airport" and followed it because I knew the office was nearby.
As it turned out, it was a much more efficient route than the one I'd planned so I used it to go to work for the next couple weeks and started to get comfortable driving there.
Then, my next challenge. I had to go to a training course that was just past the "big round about". No avoiding it. But, I mapped it out and thought I had a good plan. and went on my way.
The plan worked on day one and on the moning of day 2. So, I felt "confident". My husband was now in Brussels so, on the way home, I stopped in one of those expensive shops you go to when you want to celebrate and bought steaks and all the trimmings for dinner. It was unusally hot in Brussels that summer and the car had no air conditioning. I was just thankful that it had an automatic transmission since most cars there are standard shift.
I started down the road, around the first curve, around the second curve and then got spooked by some cars coming from my right. I missed the key turn that was going to take me home without too much fuss!
After that, getting home was quite an ordeal but I had no choice but to keep going – through tunnels, around roundabouts, stopping to find where I was and checking the map to decide what to do next, stopping again to confirm that I'd gone the right way, etc...... By the time I got home my steaks were ruined and I was almost a nervous wreck. But, you know what - I survived. My instincts had kicked in and that day I mastered roundabouts! I had also seen a lot of the city including many of its monuments. Not only had I mastered round abouts, I knew a lot about how to get around.
I don’t suggest anything like this for you, but maybe once a week you might plan a trip that is a few miles longer than what you’ve done before or one that might require you to navigate a more complicated traffic pattern. You can plan to meet one of your good girlfriends who you know will meet you with open arms and cheer you on your success. And, who also, even if you don’t make it all the way, will come and meet you at some place where you are comfortable so that you can share the experience before going back home.
Colleen - Don't worry about crying. I have some other stories for later but I usually tell them like this - I did what any good woman would do, I had a good cry and then got moving!
Take care.
Carole