Riding through Anxiety: How Bob Marley and Motorcycles Cure What Ails You

Have you ever noticed how anxiety seems to disappear the moment you throw your leg over your motorcycle? There's something almost magical about the way riding cuts through mental noise, bringing us back to a state of presence that's increasingly rare in our notification-saturated world.

This episode explores the profound connection between motorcycle riding and mental wellness, inspired by the timeless wisdom in Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds." We dive into why riding works as natural anxiety therapy—how the full-body engagement, sensory experience, and mandatory presence required to ride safely creates a unique form of mindfulness unlike anything else. When you're scanning the road, feeling the lean of your bike, and moving with the rhythm of the pavement, anxiety has no choice but to take a back seat.

The motorcycle community offers another dimension of healing. Riders share their stories of finding connection and acceptance when social anxiety would otherwise keep them isolated. There's something about meeting fellow motorcyclists that strips away pretense, allowing for authentic connections based on shared experiences rather than social performance. As one rider put it, "When I'm riding with others, I'm in my own space together with them"—a beautiful paradox that creates safety for even the most socially anxious among us.

Perhaps most importantly, motorcycling teaches us the art of letting go. On the road, we quickly learn that control is an illusion—weather changes, road conditions surprise us, and all we can truly manage is our response. This practical experience of handling uncertainty while maintaining composure builds resilience that extends far beyond our time in the saddle. Just as Bob Marley reminds us, "Don't worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing's gonna be alright," riding helps us embody this truth in a visceral way. If you're struggling with anxiety, maybe the answer isn't more worry—maybe it's more riding. Take a deep breath, hit the road, and discover the peace that awaits when you trade anxiety for adventure.

The video:  https://youtu.be/BXlzxDl32ic?si=1a-b_sDnsZjyfpHd

Chapters

• 0:00 Three Little Birds: Bob Marley's Message
• 5:15 Anxiety in Modern Life
• 8:14 Why Riding Cuts Through the Noise
• 10:08 Mindfulness in Motion: Focus and Freedom
• 12:40 Community: Finding Connection on the Road
• 14:36 Every Little Thing's Gonna Be Alright

Transcript

Ron: 0:00

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.

Speaker 2: 0:25

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.

Ron: 1:06

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.

Ron: 2:17

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.

Ron: 2:44

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 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.

Ron: 5:35

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.

Ron: 6:13

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.

Ron: 7:46

Riding isn't just an escape. I think it's a medicine too. And why is that? Why does it help Focus and 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.

Ron: 10:08

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.

Ron: 11:44

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.

Ron: 12:46

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.

Ron: 13:32

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. Because it's in those moments that I believe something magical can happen Anxiety takes a back seat and peace takes over the handlebars.

Ron: 14:49

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.

Speaker 2: 15:59

I wish you love about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright. It's gonna be alright.