My Sense of Direction (Or Lack Thereof)

I don’t mean to brag, but getting lost is kinda my superpower. I’m really good at it. Like requiring Search and Rescue services level good. But lately I’ve been wondering if I am just making excuses and selling myself short in this area. Is it okay to throw up my hands and accept my fate as a hopeless navigator with no sense of direction? Or is it a skill that I can actually learn and develop?

Studies have revealed that at least some of our sense of direction/space is innate. But expert opinion is fairly consistent that humans don’t have the “magnetic compass sense” that has been evidenced in many other animals. A study in London found that connections in the brains of taxi drivers actually grew and developed as they learned the driving routes of the city. The hippocampus area literally got larger as they studied! So I guess the jury is still out, which means there might be hope for me after all! It’s all about growth mindset, right (kind of a buzz word in public education right now--Google it if you’re unfamiliar)?

I think this has been on my mind lately as I have seen my own struggle affecting others around me. My 4-year old son could have potentially frozen on the Mesa if Search and Rescue hadn’t found us as quickly as they did. We could have been stuck in the intense heat a lot longer if I hadn’t figured out my nephew and I took a wrong turn while mountain biking. And there’s the amount of time I have wasted either taking a ridiculously inefficient route somewhere or having to turn around after realizing I was going in the wrong direction. For like 50 miles. So the motivation is there but I may need to step up with a bit more effort--growing my hippocampus might actually require a little work...go figure!

Then there’s the element of technology. What did we do in the days before MapQuest and Google Maps? They have saved me on so many occasions! But is that a crutch? Are they failsafe? Honestly, relying on a digital guide makes me nervous at times; I feel like I should still have a general sense of where I’m going. People have given me all kinds of tips: the location of the sun, the mountains, moss growing on trees (kidding--not sure anyone uses that one!)...but I quickly dismiss them. It just doesn’t make sense to me. There’s that word ‘sense’ again--I found a definition that says sense involves understanding or becoming aware of something. That can definitely be learned--understanding can be acquired and awareness can be gained. It may not be easy, because I do believe some people are more predisposed to directionality than others, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.

So that’s my goal--to have a growth mindset instead of a fixed one when it comes to my sense of direction. It’s not great YET, but I’m working on it. Sorry, Search and Rescue, you may be out one client.