When Mindfulness Meets the Driver's Seat with Connie Warden

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Connie Warden, acupuncturist, mindfulness teacher, and author of Speeding to Compassion: Life Lessons and Humor to the High Road. Connie opens up about an ordinary incident of losing her patience with another driver—and how this small, imperfect moment on the road became a catalyst for self-reflection, real change, and deeper compassion. The conversation explores not just driving mishaps, but also universal themes of self-awareness, emotional regulation, family traditions, and the stories we tell ourselves.

About the Guest:

Connie Warden is an acupuncturist, former yoga instructor, and longtime Colorado resident. Drawing from her background in holistic health and personal growth, Connie brings humor and insight to the everyday moments that test our patience and humanity. She is the author of Speeding to Compassion, a book that dives into real-life lessons learned (often the hard way) behind the wheel and beyond.

Connie is one of eight siblings, has two children, four grandkids. She has been an acupuncturist for 20 years, been practicing yoga since she was 16 and teaching for 15 years. She has just written a book on her journey to becoming a more mindful, kindful, driver called "Speeding to Compassion: Life Lessons and Humor to the High Road."

Main Topics Covered:

• The power of small moments and how minor conflicts can spark meaningful self-awareness
• Driving mishaps, emotional triggers, and why we’re often tempted to react
• Learning to drive and teaching others—a rite of passage in families
• Mindfulness tools for stress: EFT tapping, emotional naming, and humor
• How our underlying stories shape our reactions and daily life
• Spiritual and emotional bypassing, and the importance of processing feelings
• Navigating accidents, self-doubt, and personal growth after making mistakes
• Universal experiences of impatience, regret, and finding the high road in everyday encounters
• Thoughts on self-driving cars and the future of road rage

Quote from the Episode:

“An outburst is really only hurting you... So does it help the other person? Most likely not. Right. The only person it’s hurting is yourself. And that’s the whole thing.” — Connie Warden

Timestamps: [00:00:05] Connie’s background and warm-up questions

[00:02:33] The “jerk” moment: losing patience at a red light

[00:05:47] Past driving mistakes and compassion for others on the road

[00:06:22] Learning to drive in a big family

[00:09:15] Why this incident led to real self-reflection

[00:11:03] Would Connie have reacted differently to an adult?

[00:13:12] Teaching kids to drive and the stress involved

[00:14:18] Does being a “jerk” ever get a pass? Squeezing the cactus

[00:17:55] Car accidents, self-doubt, and EMDR for driving anxiety

[00:21:45] How this experience changed Connie’s life and approach

[00:22:32] Avoiding spiritual bypassing and emotional avoidance

[00:24:12] Practical tools for mindfulness and self-regulation in traffic

[00:25:17] The future: how might self-driving cars affect road rage?

[00:26:27] About Connie’s book and how to connect with her

[00:28:00] Connie’s family traditions, morning routines, and closing

You can find Connie Warden’s Book, “Speeding to Compassion” here: https://bookshop.org/a/87491/9780996320306

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