I did it! ~Building confidence through small successes🍀~

It has been two months since I started taking lessons for drivers who rarely drive, and I, who couldn't even imagine holding the steering wheel, have recently started driving around the neighborhood alone for practice🚙


At first, I didn't know my left from my right, and I was basically driving under the instructor's guidance.
I was the one holding the steering wheel, but it felt like I was being controlled by something else rather than my own will😂

The instructor sitting next to me would clearly tell me when it was dangerous or when it was safe, so I could drive with peace of mind.

As the lessons progressed, although I enjoyed driving, I felt a tinge of anxiety about the reality that once I graduated, I would be driving without an instructor...


The fear I felt when I drove in Nagasaki had become a bit of a trauma, you see💦

But the other day, by correctly adjusting the seat and steering wheel position, my driving improved dramatically, and I gained a little confidence.
Thanks to that, I started working even harder on my independent practice.

The previous article is here↓↓

On Sunday, when my husband was going to work on his day off,
“Shall I drop you off at the station?”
I found myself asking him😂

After dropping my husband off in front of the station, it was time for my long-awaited independent practice🎵

I headed toward the 'Shimamura' that I had become able to go to the other day🚙
My driving line has become more stable, and the feeling of driving smoothly makes me really happy somehow🤗
I passed through the traffic light, and I could see the store soon.

However, when I looked at the entrance to the parking lot, there was a rope across it😱
When I looked at the clock, it was not even 8:00 AM yet😂

Naturally, I couldn't enter💦

I had actually intended to make a U-turn in the store's parking lot and return home, but since I had no choice but to pass it, I kept going🚙

Now, how should I get back home after this?🤔
While driving and thinking about this and that, I realized💡

I have a navigation system, don't I?🎵

While waiting at a red light, I set my home as the destination on the navigation system🏠️

Now I can get route guidance🤗
I'm glad I live in an era with navigation systems🎵

Knowing I could get home safely made me feel bold, so I passed my house and decided to drive the same route again🚙
It was fun to be able to go further than just around my house, and I thought I wanted to drive a little longer🤗
In the end, I think I drove for an hour🤭

Now that I was convinced I could go to 'Shimamura', my Sunday practice ended.
Finally, I practiced parking a few times and finished.


Actually, there is a continuation to my independent practice.

The fact that I was able to go to 'Shimamura' on Sunday gave me confidence, and I started thinking, maybe I could go to the supermarket near the next station too?😂

The next day, Monday, after dropping my husband off at the station in the morning and finishing my housework, I challenged myself to drive again💪

I reviewed the route on Google Maps several times before heading out.
I set the navigation and set off💨


It's a familiar road that I've seen many times from the passenger seat, but this was my first time driving it alone.
I was super nervous, but I realized it was more of an excited nervousness than an anxious one✨
I followed the guidance and proceeded smoothly🚙

“I can do it too!✨”

An indescribable sense of accomplishment filled my heart🍀

Almost there!
Or so I thought, but there was a pitfall at the end😂

At the navigation's
“Turn right here”
voice, I thought

“Huh? Where?”

It was such a narrow road that I wondered if I really should turn here, and my momentary hesitation caused me to miss the timing to turn right, leaving me with no choice but to go straight😱
As a result, I had a mishap where I had to take a long detour to reach my destination😭

But navigation systems are excellent, aren't they?
It immediately guided me to a new route.

Turn right at the next traffic light...

I waited for a while at the intersection for the oncoming traffic to clear.
Then, I realized there are kind people out there🤗
The front flashed quickly💡
An oncoming car flashed its lights to let me go✨
I was flustered and couldn't flash back to say 'thank you', but I managed to raise my hand to show my appreciation✋
While being grateful to the kind person, I turned right and managed to arrive at the store safely~✨

I was able to come to a store alone that I previously could only go to with my husband🎊


“I made it here alone!”
That fact leads to a sense of accomplishment~✨


I have a goal to drive alone to my eldest daughter's house.
I'm still a long way from being able to make the round trip alone, but
my independent practice has also

changed from

“driving around the house”

to

“to a store a little further away”

and“even to the supermarket at the next station”

my range of action has expanded✨


It's only a small change, but I am definitely making progress.


There's no point in comparing myself to people around me who are good at driving,
so I decided that if I can do even a little more than I could yesterday, that's OK👍️


I think that small 'I did it!' moments
will gradually increase and pile up,
and that is where confidence will appear.


If I keep going while believing in my future self, I'm sure I'll have grown significantly a year from now, so I have a little bit of expectation for myself🤗

Maybe by this time next year, I'll be humming while driving on the highway🤭



Imagining such a future, I decided to continue practicing steadily.



The road to no longer being a 'paper driver' continues~🚙

Thank you for reading until the end😌