In today's episode, we thought we would talk about storytelling. Um, some of the pros and some of the cons of telling, driving stories. Yeah, and we all know people have a driving story wherever they are. Uh, driver or wherever their learner, everyone has a story to tell about driving. And like you've just said, some are good. Some are not so good. Some a funny. Some are sad, but again, there's always stories to tell. So we're going to delve into storytelling with driving. Yeah. So should we start with the good side? Always. That's what we start with the positives. So I like stories about driving that have a positive ending. And it could be a pass of a test or it could be someone complete in a parallel park or something like that. And they have a story to tell about that. And I think that's really nice. For people to listen to, but also for people to tell that story to themselves. Yeah. Those sorts of stories, that's one of the things that we encourage, isn't it as a confidence building tool so that if something has gone really well in a lesson, And you've got a little mini success story. Then we want somebody to remember that, replay that and tell it to other people because that all helps reinforce that positive story. Yeah. More likely to remember it as well. Aren't they. You know, if it was a, uh, this, this venture and parallel part, let's talk about that one. If they were to do a parallel park, that was really good. And they told the friends that evening that they did a paramount, I park in this road with a car. Wait in. And how good the end result was. One. Sort of like just rim caps, what happened so they can replay it and do it again. But it also gives them a sense, like you said, that confidence that they can actually do it again because they've now retold that story to themselves. Yeah, definitely. And this is what we call mind movies. So creating those mind movies of the successes of the positives, so that whenever you have a little wobble with your confidence, you can pull out those mind movies and replay them again. And again. Yeah. That's literally what we do all the time. Storytelling's good. Yeah. So actually while we're on that subject, let's do the flip side of when something goes wrong with driving, What we don't encourage is people to storytell on the negatives. Because that has the opposite effect. So if somebody did a parallel park, And it didn't go that great. Then we don't want them replaying that dwelling on it, going over and over again in their mind. We don't want them telling other people, even if it makes a funny story, because then you're reinforcing the negative. Yeah, exactly. And you know, you might well be the first thing that comes to your mind. When, if you're learning to drive, you go home and mum and dad say to you how to drive in. Listen, go today. The first thing that people say is the negative. That's the way I suppose. Through school through the way you've been brought up as well, that we always tend to. Just think of the negative first, rather than all the positives. I think sometimes we're seeking reassurance maybe. And so we go with the negative so that the person we're telling career shores and comforters, but the problem is that it just means that you suffer the experience again. And like I say, you're reinforcing it. Remember that episode with dude with Benjamin Ryan, the hypnotherapist. He talked about the fact that his role was actually to de hypnotize people because people have been telling themselves I'm dwelling on and repeating the negative stories. So often that they'd almost hypnotize themselves into the negative and he saw his job. I was having to D hypnotize people and. Unwind that. Yeah, and I suppose if you think of the driving test, People will tell themselves a story about different tests that have happened in the past. But I've never passed anything. First time, I've always had to do this. That's a story in itself, but it's a negative story. Yeah. So this is a different level of storytelling and this is. Scenario making almost is telling stories. Making lots of. What if type stories, And I think sometimes this can be a bit of a defense mechanism, this telling yourself the story that you're not going to pass your test, or you're not going to do this almost so that you don't feel disappointed if that happens. But of course, in telling that story repeatedly, You're almost making it happen. It's like a self fulfilling prophecy. Yeah. You talk yourself into failing and believe in that. Stories can be very powerful. Whether they're positive or negative. And just realize what type of story you're telling yourself. Uh, quite a good. Starting point. Isn't it. What stories do I have about driving? And is it a thought or is it a fact. Yeah. So those first ones were facts of what happened, but those second examples of stories were just thoughts. They didn't actually happen. Yeah. Now you're thinking into the future. You can't predict the future. But you can plan for it. And potentially with that negative storytelling. You're planning to fail. Yeah. And what we want you to do instead is to be using those same skills, imagery, visualization. Scenario making storytelling, but in a positive way so that you're having a positive effect instead of a negative effect. Yeah. And. Tell yourself, I'm going to go to the test center and I'm going to do this and I'm going to do this and this. And if this happens, I can just do this again, looking into the future, but you can storytelling the future. You not even got to the test stage yet, but you can say, yeah, I did that really well because one I did was this on approach to that junction. I did this, but it was really, really good. And as you're telling it, you're visualizing it as well. So you're getting, you're just, like you said, you're reinforcing those good behaviors. Yeah. So it's really important. Like you say, to check out the stories. Now then of course. We also have bigger stories. So we like story. Tell them from the point of view of having people coming on and sharing their driving stories. Yeah. Having some great ones. And I think that's great as well. You know, when you are further down the line in your driving journey, that you can reflect back and tell the story about driving. Yeah, definitely. And I think. If you're learning or if you've got nerves or anxiety or confidence issues around driving. Then sometimes listening to other people's driving stories can be really helpful. The feedback that we get when people get in targe, pretty much everybody says that they really love the real life stories and. They love listening to our guests. And I think a big part of that. Is that it makes people feel less alone. They, when they listened to a guest telling their story, they can connect him with that. They relate to the story. Is sort of normalizes the fact, the confidence issues, nerves, anxiety kind of affect lots of different people. I'm all over the world. And we've had feedback from people. All over the club. Not just in the UK. And I think that sometimes is, quite interesting when you look at that story. It's a bit like reading a book. Isn't it. You got, oh yeah. I used to do that or I did that or yeah, I can, yeah, I did something similar. So you're actually putting yourself in that story. Aren't you. You know, when you, when, especially with these podcasts is. Is what we're hearing from people. Is that yeah. They can resonate with it and they can just see, yeah, I, yeah. I used to do that or I did that or, yeah, I felt the same way. Yeah. Absolutely. Well, I mean, we'll let you say. Books magazines, radio TV, Scarlet's driving school. So the reason. That the BBC decided to do a program like Scarlett's driving school is to tell the stories. And when we watch that, it's interesting because they don't just focus on the driving. So you have somebody who's struggling to pass their tests and you see all these different scenarios that happen to them that make them relatable, but they also put that backstory in as well, which makes them even more relatable. And actually they focus almost as much on the story of the person. As they do on the story of their driving. Yeah, I think they do because they have to make it interesting. Don't they, that TV needs to be engaging and interesting. And. Just seeing someone drive and make mistake is, you know, can get a bit repetitive, but if you can relate to story to it, Well, you've just gone through a different level. Haven't. Yeah. Again, it's achieving the same aims is normalizing the fact that not everybody finds drive in easy. And if you can like the, the characters, if you can, like the people involved. Then it's just all the more relatable and hopefully that can help you in return. Another one is Terry Cook's podcast, driving test tails. And we loved that when we first heard it. Didn't wave. It's very similar, you know? Real life stories. Isn't it. Real life stories of people talking about their driving tests, even Terri. I even Terry. Talking about his stove or tests. Yeah. definitely. And I know I do. I think it goes a long way to normalize in the fact that driving isn't easy for everybody. No. We've all got stories to tell. Yeah, definitely. Now, also on that nose and friends of ours. Told us recently about a funny satnav story. Yeah. And. That got us thinking. They suggested, would it make a good podcast episode? So yeah, we think that might be quite early. And you have a formal, funny podcast episode of hearing about other people's funny sat, nav drive in stories. Yeah. And we would really like to hear from people. Um, Where's the sat and I've taken them. Has it always chosen the best droop or have you do what I do? And just go on mystery tours. Yeah, we regularly and upon wonderful, magical mystery tours. Not quite as bad as it used to be in the early days of sat now. Oh, my gosh. It got better. So if you have a satnav story, we really would love to hear it. It doesn't have to be very long. You can just record a quick version of it on our SpeakPipe page. Um, the links for that in the show knows. And if we can gather some satnav stories over the next few weeks, then I'll see if I can compile them into an episode and we'll get Sharon and Glenn on with their satnav story at the same time, which would be good, which would be good. Yeah. Definitely. So I think storytelling on the whole we've decided if it's positive storytelling. It's a really good way of building your confidence and reinforcing the good staff. But. On the down side. Yeah, you don't really want too many downside stories. We know that some of them may be funny when you look back on it in a few years. But yeah. At the time when you're learning or you're about to do a test or something, you don't want to the. The negative storytelling. Yeah. So maybe try and limit how much you repeat those negative stories to yourself and to other people and save them, bring them out later when those days of nerves, anxiety, and confidence issues. Uh, way behind you. And then they'll make a funny story to share around the dinner table. Or even just notice what stories you're telling yourself at the moment. You might not realize you're telling yourself stories. So that'd be interesting as well. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I am telling this quite interesting. And that would be a really good one to get journaling. Yeah, definitely. Okay. So I hope you found that helpful. If you have as always, we would love your reviews on apple and Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts. 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