I started my motorcycle journey riding passenger. I felt like a toddler climbing into a leveled truck as I swung my 5’2 frame over the back of the BMW Adventure bike. My first time riding as a passenger left my hands fatigued from gripping so tight. I couldn’t even move my head left to right to enjoy the views out of fear that if I moved my head, I would fall off. I laugh thinking about it now. With each ride, my fear turned to curiosity and desire to take the reins as an operator. My rides as a passenger ended, the pandemic started, and I took the driver's seat. There’s no feeling more liberating than having the power to ride wherever you want, whenever you want, relying on your own intuition and skillset. The life lessons and intrinsic qualities I unraveled from learning to ride are even more empowering.
Do Something that Scares You to Handle Adversity
It’s human nature to shelter ourselves from the things we fear. It’s easy to live in the corners of our own familiarity. When we embrace and do things that scare us, our comfort zone expands giving us the breadth to handle adversity with calmness and optimism. This is a skill that when practiced, becomes ingrained within all areas of our lives.
A Rewarding Challenge Results in Confidence
In a world focused on instant results, developing a skill outside of your familiarity, scientifically makes you happier with a dopamine release. For me, riding was foreign. I didn’t even have the knowledge of driving a stick shift before I learned to ride. As I learned to shift gears, handle tight turns, break quickly, my happiness increased with my confidence.
Pass on your Knowledge
The beauty of developing a skill is having the knowledge to pass on to others. Some of my greatest joys in my moto journey have been teaching others to ride as well. It’s so rewarding seeing others start their discovery into riding. The knowledge of riding is such a gift.