You’re about to take your driving test and you’re feeling a little anxious. This is normal – but don’t worry, there are ways to overcome your nerves and pass your test with flying colours! In this blog post, we’ll give you our top tips for overcoming driving test anxiety. Plus, we’ll discuss how hypnotherapy can help you become a confident driver. Read on to find out more!
What is driving test anxiety and why do people get it?
When you have a driving test, you might feel like you’re going to fail. You know exactly what’s coming: a lot of questions, a lot of pressure, and a feeling that this is it — the moment of truth. And while it’s certainly possible to be nervous when going on the road, we have some great tips for helping keep your cool and get you through the test without too much worry.
While you might expect to avoid the topic of driving tests altogether, “Driving Test Anxiety” is actually very common among learner drivers.
Driving test anxiety is a fear or worry that can interfere with your ability to drive safely. It can be caused by a number of things, such as fear of failure, fear of driving in traffic, or fear of being in a car accident.
Many people get driving test anxiety because they are afraid of making mistakes. They worry that they will not be able to control the car, or that they will do something wrong and get into an accident.
All of this pressure that people put on themselves (and/or have put on them by parents, family and friends) can lead to people feeling overwhelmed and becoming more focused on trying to not fail rather than passing their driving test.
Focusing on the wrong things before your driving test
When your mind is focused on something it will always steer towards that outcome. If you are focused on how you can easily pass your driving test your subconscious mind will be looking to show you all of the ways that you will pass. If you are focused on not failing your driving test your subconscious mind will be focused on all of the ways that you can fail.
You see, your subconscious mind doesn’t understand the words not, no, don’t, can’t, never. Whenever you use them your subconscious mind will flip them to the positive opposite of the word that you are using.
How your subconscious mind understands what you say
Every time that you say “I don’t want x to happen” your conscious mind is able to understand that but your subconscious mind is hearing “I do want x to happen”. So it is really important when you are getting ready for your driving test that you really focus your attention on the successful outcome rather than thinking about the negative possibilities.
How to calm nerves before driving test and pass with flying colours?
Below are some great tips for you to use before taking your driving test. Use all of these to help you to pass your driving test with ease.
1. Get a good night’s sleep before your test.
It’s no secret that getting a good night’s sleep is important for overall health and well-being. But did you know that it can also help you to overcome driving test anxiety?
When you’re well-rested, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed or stressed out. This means you’ll be in a better frame of mind to take on the challenge of your driving test.
So make sure you get plenty of rest in the days leading up to your test!
2. Eat breakfast on the day of your test.
Making sure that you eat before your driving test can help to settle your driving test nerves. When you are hungry your body will naturally be focusing more on finding food than it will on your ability to drive and pass your test.
This can mean that you end up making mistakes that you wouldn’t normally make as your judgement is off. Make sure that you look after your body and mind by eating before taking your test.
3. Arrive early for your test so you have plenty of time to relax.
If you are rushing to get to your test and arriving there late or last-minute you are going to be feeling stressed. You are opening yourself up to letting your mind start to beat you up about arriving late and feeding you lots of negative self-talk. Instead of focusing on being a great driver, you will be arguing with yourself in your own head.
Make sure that you turn up early so that if your mind is busy or you are experiencing driving test nerves you can have a few minutes to relax and settle yourself down.
4. Listen to calm music or use relaxation techniques before your test.
Listening to fast-paced music before your test can lead to your body releasing adrenaline. Adrenaline is the last thing that you want to be creating more of if you are struggling with driving test anxiety. What you need to be doing is to be promoting feelings of peace and calm.
Listen to slow-paced and soothing music in order to calm driving test nerves.
In the morning spend some time meditating so that your body, mind and nervous system are feeling chilled and relaxed.
5. Visualize yourself passing the driving test with ease.
One of the best ways to calm driving test nerves beforehand is to visualize yourself passing with flying colours. See yourself getting behind the wheel, driving confidently and easily passing the test.
Allow yourself to really feel the emotions of success, happiness and pride. The more vividly that you can imagine yourself driving well and passing the test, the more likely it is to happen!
Use these powerful tips to help you to overcome driving test anxiety so that you can pass with flying colours!
What to do at the driving test centre to alleviate driving test nerves
1. Arrive early to avoid stress and rush
As stated above, it is important to avoid creating any extra pressures and stresses on yourself if you are suffering from driving test nerves. Help yourself by creating time and space for yourself. GET THERE EARLY!!!
2. Bring your photo ID and driving license.
Having all of your documents with you and ready for the examiner means you have one less thing to think about. Learner drivers can sometimes be guilty of making their test harder than it needs to be by creating unnecessary obstacles to put in their own way.
To overcome driving test nerves you need to start by making life easier for yourself. Make sure you have everything to hand. Write out a checklist the day before and stick it to your front door at eye level so you have to see it before you leave.
3. Make sure you know the route to the test centre.
Once you get your test date it is time to start learning the local routes that are used by the examiners. Spend some time looking at maps of the area and visualise yourself driving down these streets and being aware of the potential hazards along the route. You can even use Google Street View to help you with this.
On the test day, your driving instructor will assist you in getting to the test centre. While you are with your driving instructor it is a great time to ask your instructor about anything that you are unsure about. Driving instructors have a lot of knowledge and experience about the examiners and the routes so make use of their knowledge.
4. Plan your route in advance.
All learner drivers should know the local test centre routes when they are being prepared for their test. Your driving instructor will take you around those routes in order to familiarise you with the areas as part of your driving lessons. This then helps you to calm your nerves as on the test day you will be more aware of the area.
Most test centres have a handful of test routes that they use to keep the tests standardised. Your driving instructor will know these test routes and show you how best to navigate them.
5. Pack a positive mental attitude.
One of the best ways to beat driving test nerves is to adopt a positive attitude. This will help you not only with driving anxiety around your upcoming test but also in life. A positive attitude will always get you further in life that a negative attitude. The more that you tell yourself that you lack the ability to do something, the more you will start to believe it.
Get your head in the right place and everything else will feel much easier and your driving anxiety will become a thing of the past. Having a positive mental attitude makes it much easier to beat driving test nerves so get thinking positively!
What is hypnotherapy and how can it help you become a confident driver?
Hypnotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the power of suggestion to help people change their behaviours or habits and is a great tool to help you to think and feel differently. It is used to help people with driving anxiety, low confidence and self-esteem, stress management and people that feel nervous or have negative thinking.
Most people think that hypnosis means being in a trance-like state where you are unaware of what is happening around you. However, in reality, people that are under hypnosis are usually aware of what is going on and can still hear the hypnotherapist’s voice.
During hypnosis, the therapist will give you positive suggestions to help change your thoughts and behaviours. For example, if you have driving anxiety, the therapist may give you suggestions to help you feel more relaxed and confident behind the wheel.
Hypnosis is a safe and effective way to overcome driving anxiety and help you to become a confident driver. If you are suffering from driving test nerves or any other form of driving anxiety, hypnotherapy could be the answer for you.
Final words of advice for those who are feeling anxious about their driving test!
You are coming to the end of your time as a learner driver and getting ready to go out on your own. The world is going to open up so much for you when you pass your test.
If you haven’t had a mock test yet ask for one. Most driving instructors will do this before test day to make sure that you have every particular manoeuvre like parallel parking at a good enough level for your test.
Practise breathing exercises so that you can calm yourself down quickly and easily if needed. You can always ask your instructor to assist you with this as part of your driving lesson.
Get a good nights sleep and avoid drinking too much caffeine so that you are refreshed and alert. This is especially important if you aren’t a morning person and you have an early test slot.
If you feel like you need extra lessons before your test then ask your driving instructor for these. At the end of the day, they want you to pass and be a success story.
If your driving test nerves are getting too much for you then definitely look into having hypnotherapy to overcome driving test nerves as that is going to help you on the day.
