I Nearly Had an Accident and My Car Saved Me

As I put my foot on the accelerator, glancing right at the roundabout, a strong force stopped me. A loud siren blared out.

It felt like I’d just slammed into the car in front of me.

Shots of adrenaline pumped through my system and my heart raced as I snapped out of my daydream.

But as I looked ahead, the car in front drove off like nothing had happened, I realised what I’d hit was the software of my car. It had just saved me from rear-ending the car.

Here’s what shocked and worried me: I don’t even remember seeing the car in front of me. I have zero memory of it being there.

My mind wasn’t present during the drive home from the gym. I was somewhere else entirely – running through my to-do list, thinking about errands, lost in my own mental noise.

Here I am, the person writing about presence, needing my own message the most.

After the initial self-judgment passed, a question landed: What internal software can I create that saves me from these mental car crashes? What brings me back to the present moment before I drift too far?

As I drove recovering from incident, I remembered what The Stoics taught:

Memento Mori

Which translates to: remember you will die.

Marcus Aurelius constantly reminded himself that he could leave life at any moment, that this day might be his last. Not to create fear, but to cut through trivial anxieties and focus on what actually matters.

Seneca said: we act as if we’re immortal, postponing what matters, wasting time on nonsense. If you truly understood how limited your time is, you’d stop waiting for the “right moment” to live according to your values.

The Stoics saw death as nature’s way of creating urgency and presence. Epictetus taught that everything we love is “on loan” – our children, our partners, our own lives. This isn’t meant to create despair but to make us cherish what’s here now.

Everything is temporary.

The pain you’re experiencing, the uncertainty about your next step, the anxieties about money.

But also your current health. your time with your children, your time on this planet.

When we realise this, we stop sleepwalking.

In my case, I was “sleep-driving” – thinking about everything I needed to get done when so much had already been done.

Nothing on my mind was really important. I created my own sense of urgency around them.

The game isn’t about never losing presence. We’ll drift in and out – that’s part of being human. What matters is noticing when we’ve drifted and having an internal reminder that brings us back.

Memento Mori – for me is a way to create inner peace AND world-class living.

With that reminder anchored in your awareness, what changes?

Do you appreciate more of what you have? Hug your children a little tighter? Ask for what you really want? Bet on yourself more?

The Universe reminded me to wake up. Despite all the books I’ve read, the years of meditation, the work with some of the best teachers, coaches, mentors on mind and spiritual technologies – I needed the reminder again.

I’m still on the path. And given all the “important” things on my mind, nothing is as important as being present with what’s right in front of me.

Memento Mori. Remind yourself you will die, so you can remember to truly live.

Here are a few ways you can start your journey of transformation:

1) BRAND NEW!! Join our Lead From Within Circle on 8th Dec – Take off the mask and uncover of your truth with other growth minded professionals. Only 10 space available. ​

2) 📓 Journal with Jaineel 7 Day Experience for Free – 7 days, 10 minutes a day. One prompt. ​

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4) 📞 Let’s talk – If you’re ready to do this work 1:1 or in a group setting, book a call with me ​
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