More Strategies for Building Your Navigational Skills

Hello, Knough, here again.

How is your navigation going? If you still find yourself walking confidently in the wrong direction, remember that there’re many others like you. Many bright, capable people struggle with navigating the world — not because they’re careless, but because their brains process space differently.

Today, I want to walk you through some more strategies that can make navigation easier, calmer, and much more enjoyable. As I said before, these aren’t tricks — they’re gentle tools that strengthen your internal sense of direction, one small step at a time.

Let’s begin.

Strategy 1: Practice “Route Reversal”

After reaching your destination, take a few moments to mentally reverse your route. Ask yourself:

• What would this look like going the other way?

• Where would I need to turn? What landmarks would I see?

This strengthens spatial memory and trains your brain to form flexible mental maps — a key part of confident navigation.

Strategy 2: Narrate Your Journey

Turn your walk or drive into a story. Say aloud (or quietly to yourself):

• “I’m passing Brown’s Supermarket on my left.”

• “Now I’m turning north onto Pine Street.”

This technique helps anchor direction in language, which is especially useful for verbal learners or those who struggle with visual-spatial processing.

Strategy 3: Build Directional Routines

Create consistent reference points in your daily life:

• Always face north when starting a walk, even if you're not going that way.

• Begin trips by identifying where the sun is (east in the morning, west in the evening).

• Use cardinal points when giving or receiving directions: “The library is just south of the park.”

These routines help your brain “calibrate” its internal compass.

Strategy 4: Sketch Your Mental Map

Try drawing a rough map of familiar areas — your block, school campus, or grocery store layout. You don’t need to be accurate. The goal is to visualize spatial relationships:

• What’s beside what?

• What’s farther north?

• Which turns are left vs. right?

This kind of sketching deepens your understanding of space and enhances memory recall when you're out and about.

 Strategy 5: Slow Down at Intersections

Decision points — like turns, traffic lights, or corridor splits — are often where we get disoriented. The solution? Pause. Look around. Take a breath. Even say to yourself:

• “I’m at a crossroads. Let me reorient.”

Giving yourself that extra 5–10 seconds can prevent the common “oops-I-was-sure-it-was-this-way” moment.

A Final Word from Dr. Knough

Growing a better sense of direction isn’t about “fixing” something broken. It’s about understanding how your brain works — and giving it more tools, more time, and more grace.

You’re not lost — you’re learning. And as long as you’re learning, you’re going the right way.

Until next time, so long.

Dr. Knowell Knough Helping you find your way — inside and out.

-          Dr Knowell Knough (clearly a pseudonym) is a psychologist who will

periodically give his perspective on directional challenge and related

topics.

Dr. Knowell Knough