Traffic Talk

I recently got a new license plate, which I love. (Pictued here) Let me tell you how I finally arrived at this message after many plate changes…

I have always had personalized plates – even before I started driving. When my parents bought a new car when I was 11, I asked if we could get personalized plates, so they got “4 Tanna”. I know – I’m spoiled. Of course, the plates were transferred to my first car when I was 16 – my dream car, a metallic blue ’75 superbeetle named “Elliott”. (I got him right after I’d seen E.T.) I even wrote a song about my love affair with Elliott when I had a singing duo with my friend Stacey in the early 1990’s.

I enjoyed having a personal plate and usually had a custom frame to send yet another message out to my fellow drivers. I think the first one I had read, “Have you hugged Tanna today?”

Eventually, I got tired of strangers calling out my name acting as if they knew me so I got new plates when I was going through my Doors phase. I was in my early twenties, exploring my spirituality and I became fascinated with Jim Morrison’s poetry and songwriting. So my next plate was both a tribute and a message to others – “BKNTHRU”. Translation, “Break On Through” as in, “…to the other side”. I wanted LUVME2X but it was taken. I actually passed that person on the road once.

People had a hard time understanding what my plate meant so soon after when I began doing energy healing and became a licensed massage therapist, immersed in the world of alternative health and healing, my new plate was “MJK TCH” (Magic Touch). I tried to be very phonetically descriptive but again, people didn’t always get it. Often they thought it meant “Magic Teacher”.

A few years later I became fully immersed in my lifelong love of the Beatles and a phrase that I have used for many occasions in my life – All You Need Is Love. At this time, there were new symbols we could have on our plates - a hand, a star, a plus sign or a heart – yay! This time my plate was ALLUND(heart). And just to clarify for others, I had a plate frame that plainly spelled out “All You Need Is Love”. Most people still didn’t get it. Some did, but not many. *Sigh*

Unfortunately, I had a bad car accident, totaling my car and those plates were smashed. Being so traumatized by the accident, I never picked up the new replacement plates. For the first time in my life, I had generic plates on my new car. In a way, it was nice to be a bit anonymous, but after a few years, I felt like a medium of communication was being wasted, especially on the road where people tend to get angry and frustrated and really need a bit of inspiration.

So I pondered many options – the DMV has a great resource on their website where you can see what your desired plate would actually look like and find out if it’s available. Check it out - it's fun! https://www.dmv.ca.gov/ipp2/initPers.do

I played with many versions of Living Peacefully, Inner Peace, Peaceful, etc…I wanted my message to relate to my business and my intention to serve the world by helping others reconnect with their inner peace. And I wanted it to be easy to understand.

I finally found the phrase that made me feel good and was a message I would be happy and proud to drive around displaying – “Relax – Ah”. And my frame now reads, “Thank You For Your Kindness”, affirming my expectation that I am always surrounded by kind, courteous drivers and as I aim to do the same for everyone around me. I always have a pleasant driving experience – you attract what you put out!

I love this message because just knowing that I have it on my car also reminds me, first of all, to breathe. Every time I look at it or even think about it, I find myself taking a deep, cleansing breath, and I hope it does the same for other drivers who see it. It also keeps me conscious to walk my talk and be an example of the thought I am sending out.

If you have a personalized license or frame, be mindful of the message and the energy you are sending out with your words. A lot of people will read it and it will affect their energy. So please use your powers for good instead of evil :) 

We all need a little kindness and words of encouragement, especially stuck in traffic or during a long commute. The most important thing you can do while driving is to relax. Be the best person you can be on the road. Don’t take things personally. Let it go. Understand that people who are in a hurry or cutting you off or not letting you in are going through their own stress, it's really not about you. So send them a good thought for a great day.

Make a point of filling your car with love and good vibes every time you get behind the wheel, and send that good energy out to everyone around you on the road. If you do this with the right attitude, I can assure you that you will always have an easy, pleasant drive.

Have a nice drive today!

Much love,

Tanna

Living Peacefully ™ is written by Tanna Marshall, Author, Holistic Consultant and Personal Coach. If you have any questions or would like more information about Living Peacefully, please contact:
Tanna@living-peacefully.com
www.living-peacefully.com
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