Are You a Ferrari or a Corolla?
Have you noticed that some people seem almost immune to stress, they just keep rolling along, get their work done and live their lives with a minimum of fuss? These are the no drama and low maintenance people in our lives. The steady, consistent, grounded people I like to call the ‘Corollas’ of the world.
The ‘Ferraris’ on the other hand are wired differently. Being tuned for high performance and engineered for responsiveness, they are born to accelerate, brake and go around corners fast. Whilst life can be an exhilarating ride, slight misjudgements can end up in crashes and a long list of repairs.
Sadly, many ‘Ferraris’ I meet would rather be ‘Corollas’. They look at ‘Corollas’ (who they are often partnered with) and think their lives seem easier, they covet their fairly robust physical, mental and emotional health. They wish they also could have an easier time of it. Whilst the appeal is understandable, you can’t change your nature, but you can learn how to manage the vehicle you’ve been given. Also, a well-tuned ‘Ferrari’ is a beautiful thing to drive, once you know how.
Getting the most out of your ‘Ferrari’ requires daily maintenance otherwise this delightfully engineered piece of equipment is a burden rather than a blessing. Most ‘Ferrari’ types are stressed out and exhausted, constant multitaskers who can’t switch off. They are prone to anxiety, insomnia, (auto)immune concerns, depression and burn out.
The essential maintenance manual for a ‘Ferrari’ starts with understanding:
1. Your nervous system is wired for high performance. You can wind up fast and operate at a high level, but it comes with a downside if you don’t keep your ‘engine’ in tune.
2. It’s highly likely you are not good at switching off and relaxing, leaving you vulnerable to stress, exhaustion, and burn out.
3. You notice everything going on around you (whilst the Corollas of the world tend to see only what’s right in front of them) which means your nervous system is working overtime to process all the things you sense, feel, see and think.
4. Whilst ‘Corolla’ types usually switch off easily, you will take a long time to wind down.
5. Consistent, quality relaxation is the key to your lasting wellbeing.
6. Sleep is the barometer of your nervous system’s health, if you’re sleeping well and waking up feeling refreshed you are likely to be in good health.
Once you learn how to maintain your Ferrari you wouldn’t dream of trading it in for a Corolla, not that one type is better than the other they both great in different ways. A balanced Ferrari type can live life to the full, really soaking up life’s experiences like a sponge. They have made time and space in their day for things that help them unwind, whether it be exercise, art, music, meditation or being in nature. At the end of the day can unwind easily and have deep restorative sleep which allows them to stay healthy and happy. Does your Ferrari need a bit of a tune up?
