Why driving is the purest reset
A drive as meditation, a reset in its purest form.
Saturday 16 August
By Marc Smiddy
Life’s noisy. Screens, messages, deadlines, a constant scroll of things to catch up on. It’s non-stop. That’s why the simplest reset we know is also the best: a drive.
The second you’re in the car and the door shuts, things feel different. Start the engine, roll out, and the world outside matters a little less.
“Unlike a walk or the gym, driving forces you to focus. You can’t scroll, you can’t zone out. You’re just there.”
Driving forces you into the moment. You can’t drift off. You can’t scroll. You’re locked in. Eyes scanning ahead, hands steady on the wheel, ears tuned to every change in sound. It’s total focus, but in the best way.
Unlike a walk or the gym, it’s not something you can half do. You’re there, 100%, and because of that, the noise in your head finally fades.
Some drives are fast, some slow. Sometimes it’s an early B-road blast, other times it’s a late-night cruise with nothing but streetlights for company. The speed doesn’t matter – what matters is the shift. That moment when you realise you’re calmer, lighter, clearer.
“Driving isn’t about escape. It’s about coming back sharper, calmer, more open.”
That’s why, in a world full of ways to reset, driving still wins. It’s direct, simple and pure. No app, no hack, no wellness trick needed. Just a key and a road.