¶ Three Little Birds: Bob Marley's Message
I ran across this video on Instagram and it captured my attention and captured my heart . It's a little boy , he's probably five years old and he's singing probably one of the most powerful songs ever written . It's so simple and yet so powerful . And coming from a sweet little boy , just listen to this .
I woke up this morning , on my horizon , three little birds Were on my doorstep Singing sweet songs Melody , pure and true . And they said this message is you . They said don't worry about a thing , cause everything is gonna be alright , don't worry .
About a thing Cause every little thing Is gonna be alright . You got to see the video and I'll share a link in the show notes to it , but for me it took seeing this little boy , the smile on his face as he sang , and it seemed to me that he understands all of the words he's singing . I was reminded , too , of how powerful and pure that message is .
It's a song by Bob Marley . It was recorded in 1977 , I believe .
What reminded me too and warmed my heart was the video that just showed this little boy , so pure , so innocent , singing with all of his heart , with a real smile , and just knowing that , with a real smile , and just knowing that for him and it should be for us too every little thing's going to be all right . What we need sometimes is relief .
We need to know sometimes that we don't have to worry . Yeah , there's stresses in life , but sitting and worrying about it and the anxiety associated with that really does more harm than good , probably .
But I think , while I'll agree , that there is hope , mental and physical health is very , very important , and without these we're not going to be riding our motorcycles . You really have to have both . No surprise there .
So today we're writing into a topic that's deeply personal for many of us overcoming anxiety through the simple and powerful act of riding our motorcycles . As writers , we often talk about presence , finding peace in the moment while we're in the saddle , and sometimes that peace of mind comes from music that we listen to on the road or off .
And it was that little song that's really stuck with me this past week , especially after seeing that video Bob Marley's Three Little Birds . It's simple and it's powerful , and these lyrics can soothe an anxious mind and remind you and me to breathe and trust ourselves when we're out on the road . Trust that in that moment everything is going to be all right .
Today let's talk about it . Thank you so much for joining me today . Recorded in beautiful Loveland , colorado . Welcome to Peace , love Moto the podcast for motorcyclists seeking that peaceful , easy feeling as we cruise through this life together . Are you ready ? Let's go . Bob Marley said he was inspired by birds that sang to him each morning .
A simple act of kindness , kindness from our mom , mother Nature . Riding can be like that too , I think Just you , the wind , the sky , the road , riding along and within whatever Mother Nature has created for us at that moment , great weather or not , a reminder that , at least in that moment , all is right with the world .
So how can we reach that state where , at least for now , every little thing's going to be all right and we don't need to worry
¶ Anxiety in Modern Life
about a thing ? Well , there's no single answer that fits everyone's situations , but there are some things we can consider . So let's just face it . Anxiety is something that nearly everyone encounters . Now , everyone encounters that . Call it normal . Life is hard sometimes , and sometimes it's a lot of the time .
It's hard , certainly harder for some than others , depending on their life circumstances , but I think we've all seen it the most famous , the most wealthy or the most happy in appearance people . Sometimes it's found out that they are miserable , broken or both .
Some deal with the ups and downs in life better than others , or they may make it appear that they're handling it well . Anxiety is something that hits most of us these days , and it can come on like a slow drip of daily stress or hit like a wave out of nowhere .
Deadlines , social pressures , past experiences , worries about the future it all piles on , and you know it as well as I do . It's this 24-hour news cycle where we're getting updates hourly , if not more often than that on the latest tragedy , and it's right there in our pockets and it's right there in our palm of our hand on our phone . That really piles up .
It's anxiety and it can be destructive as well . But for those of us who ride , there's something about being out on two wheels , out on the open road , that seems to cut through the noise . Or , let me put it a different way , I think riding cuts out the noise , assuming that you're not scrolling while you're on your bike , not scrolling on your phone .
If you're looking at your phone while you're riding , well , you need to seek help immediately . Turn off the podcast and go seek help for that . That's a problem . We'll keep going , though . As for cutting out the noise in our daily lives , I'm not talking about the sound of the bike , of course , or the wind sound of the wind .
I'm not talking about earplugs at all . I'm talking about that destructive noise in our head that also keeps us up at night . Riding isn't just an escape . I think it's a medicine too . And why is that ? Why does it help Focus and
¶ Why Riding Cuts Through the Noise
breathe Presence ? When you ride , you can't zone out , not really . Yeah , you may find yourself completely relaxed and having a great time , but if you're an experienced rider , and a safe rider , you're scanning the road all the time . You're feeling the lean of the bike , the lean angle , making sure that you're not pushing the limits too much .
You're gauging traffic , gauging the wind , feeling the temperature , feeling the overall movement . That level of focus pulls you out of your head and into the now . That's mindfulness , and that's mindfulness in motion . You gain , from motorcycling , too , a sense of freedom . We all know that there's something liberating about the exposure that we experience on a motorcycle .
Again , the wind , the sound of the engine and the tires humming along almost forms I don't know a connection with your heartbeat . Maybe that's a stretch . That's the way it feels sometimes , though , to me . And as for physical engagement , writing isn't passive at all .
You know that You're writing with your whole body involved to balance , to break , to shift all active processes , and that movement it's said to release endorphins , those natural mood boosters that calm the nervous systems and essentially lift our spirits .
¶ Mindfulness in Motion: Focus and Freedom
There's so many things I love about motorcycling , and one of them is community . It's this community of riders that you belong to , and when you get to know folks , you can confide in them and they can confide in you . I've heard some describe how they've struggled with anxiety , but when they ride they can breathe again .
They share how it's just a matter of time . When you figure out that you're overthinking things , you need to just take a step back , take a breath and just take a ride .
Riding clears their head , as they describe it , and it reminds them too that , as good as a rider as you may be , you're not in control of everything the weather , for example and I think that that's so important to learn . It's important to get to understand that you're not fully in control and that's okay .
And really , what do we have control over in life anyway ? Not a whole heck of a lot , seems like the one key piece of happiness to peace of mind is accepting the fact that we're not in control and that's okay . So , as for me , sometimes I don't want to be in total control .
That's just too much pressure and that's just not practical to even try to consider . No , I'm not in control at all , just feel lucky to be here . I've heard some riders describe how they've had social anxiety , but when they're out on the bike and they connect with other riders , that just kind of melts away .
When you're riding with other motorcycle riders , you're in your own space together . It's a brotherhood and a sisterhood , because it's their time too . It's your time and their time , and together you're just having a wonderful experience that's unique , unique to just a few of us who ride . So these aren't just anecdotes .
They're real reminders that relief from anxiety can happen in unexpected ways , and sometimes it takes a motorcycle , in our case , and just a little bit of faith to go out for a ride and , yeah , those troubles can melt away .
¶ Community: Finding Connection on the Road
Maybe circling back again to practical advice ride solo or ride with trusted friends , tune in to whatever feels right for you . Some days , solo rides may feel like personal therapy . You need that time by yourself , and other times , having supportive friends on the ride with you can make all the difference .
I'm so lucky to have motorcycle buddies like that Brian Andreas , martin Doug , just to name a few . Brian Andreas , martin Doug , just to name a few . These are local friends who are good riders and really good listeners too . They give good advice People who I love to ride with and who I love to talk with as well .
You know , even before you throw your leg over a bike , just take a few deep breaths . That's what I'm trying to remember to do . Let that oxygen just fill you up , let it remind you that you're here , you're safe and you're really really lucky , very blessed , to have a motorcycle that you can ride and the opportunity to write it .
I'll close with this , and it's something that I know that you already know Writing isn't about the miles , it's about the moments , the moments when the confusion and the anxiety that comes with this world fades away and all that's left is you , your bike and the road ahead
¶ Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright
. Because it's in those moments that I believe something magical can happen Anxiety takes a back seat and peace takes over the handlebars . Because here's what Bob Marley said Rise up this morning , smiled with the rising sun , three little birds on my doorstep singing sweet songs of melodies , true and pure , saying .
This is my message to you Don't worry about a thing , because every little thing's going to be all right . Don't worry , everything's going to be all right . So if you find yourself riding through some tough times right now , know this You're not alone .
The road is here , your bike is there , your community of motorcycle riders are here and your friends at Peace Love Moto are here too . Hosting this podcast has been so rewarding for me because I get to associate with good people just like you . Thank you so much for listening , and I wish you peace .
I wish you love about a thing , cause every little thing is gonna be alright . It's gonna be alright .