(Originally posted on December 21, 2009)

So here’s the deal. I’m 29 years old. I have a master’s degree, a family, a career, a mortgage and a whole host of other things that adults acquire over the years. So it may surprise you to hear that for the past 5 1/2 years I have been without a driver’s license. There’s no scandalous reason for this (DUI, etc.). The truth of the matter is this: I never really liked driving. In 2003 I lived in the Boston area, and I did not drive there. My license expired that year, and I just never got around to renewing it. I didn’t want to pay the fees to switch it over to MA (I was a poor grad student at the time).

And then we moved back to Tennessee. I still didn’t have my license, but I promised to get it, “some day.” My husband was beyond patient with me. Every time he would politely bring it up, I was FULL of excuses. I didn’t have the time, and I didn’t feel like studying for the test (oh yeah, by the way, if your license expires, you have to take the written AND the driving test all over again). As time passed, I got more and more afraid of driving and of the silly tests. I also became more and more embarrassed and ashamed of myself for not having a license. What a dumb thing to let get the best of me.

In 2008 I got my permit again. I studied for that darn test and I did well on it. I was motivated by the fact that I knew we wanted to start a family. But wouldn’t you know it…I still avoided that driving test like the plague.

Finally, a few weeks ago, I got completely fed up with myself. I went online and signed up for a test. I had very little time to practice driving, and I just decided to be ok with that. I realized that even if I failed the test, I would at least have a good idea of what they would be looking for on the test, so that I would do better the next time.

One week ago today, we all went over to the DMV and I took my Tennessee Drivers License test.

And let me tell you what I had to do.

I had to drive around the block. Four right turns. THAT IS IT. I spend 5 1/2 years terrified of four right turns. Wow. It may go without saying, but I passed and I’m now a licensed driver.

I’m sharing my story because I’m betting that each and every one of you has something in your life that you are putting off, and that you have been putting off for WAY too long. While I can’t promise you that tackling your issue will be as easy as my driving test, who knows? It just might be. And if you have been fearing this thing for a long time, the odds are very good that it won’t be as bad as what you are imagining.

So get out there and take your four right turns. It feels so unbelievably good to get it done. BEEP! BEEP!

Please tell me what you are currently putting off taking care of in your life. It will feel good to get it out in the open!  

photo credit: 1968 Dodge Charger R/T | Scott Crawford via photopin cc