50 Lessons I wish I had learned earlier

by Nancy Sathre-Vogel on November 28, 2011 in education

Welcome to our blog! Here you'll find bits and pieces of wisdom learned from cycling 17,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina together as a family. Hope it inspires you to live your dream! My book about our journey, Changing Gears, is now released! Read a preview here Now that Im old and gray (but not quite in my rocker yet!) I look back on my life and think about things I wish I knew earlier. It would have made my life so much easier if I knew then what I know now. Heres my list of things I wish I could turn back the hands of time to tell my younger self. Maybe its not too late for you. 1. Youre stronger than you think you are. 2. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, youre one step closer to your goal. 3. There is nothing to hold you back except you. 4. You can press forward long after you cant. Its a matter of wanting it bad enough. 5. No matter how much progress you make there will always be the people who insist that whatever youre trying to do is impossible. 6. You are limited only by your own imagination. Let it fly. 7. Perception is reality. 8. Your instincts can be trusted. 9. There is only one question to ask yourself: What would you do if you were not afraid? 10. Its often hard to tell just how close you are to success. 11. The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because youre too scared to make a mistake. 12. Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart. 13. You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life. 14. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. 15. Do what you love, not what you think youre supposed to do. 16. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Laugh at yourself often.

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If you want to feel rich, just count all the great things you have that money cant buy. 18. Forgiving yourself is far more important than getting others to forgive you. 19. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, youll often find that youre right. 20. Be nice to yourself. 21. For the most part, it doesnt matter what people think. Follow your own truth. 22. No education is wasted. Drink in as many new experiences as you can. 23. Making one person smile can change the world. 24. Dont forget to enjoy your journey! 25. You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have. 26. Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. 27. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. 28. Crying doesnt indicate that youre weak. It doesnt always solve your problems either. 29. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isnt trying. 30. Life isnt about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain. 31. You can learn great things from your mistakes when you arent busy denying them. 32. Give up worrying about what others think of you. 33. When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

34. I learned many life lessons on our 3-year family bike trip from Alaska to Argentina You have to accept that some things will never be yours, and learn to appreciate the things that are only yours. As Henry Ford put it, Whether you think you can or you think you cant, you are right. 36. Dont be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to lose. 37. Giving up doesnt always mean youre weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go. 38. Youll rarely be 100% sure it will work. But you can always be 100% sure doing nothing wont work. 39. Dont dwell on the past or worry about the future for too long. Right now is life. Live it. 40. No matter how cautiously you choose your words, someone will always twist them around and misinterpret what you say. Just say what you need to say. 41. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of good luck. 42. If you are passionate about something, pursue it, no matter what anyone else thinks. Thats how dreams are achieved. 43. If you keep doing what youre doing, youll keep getting what youre getting. 44. What lies before us and behind us are tiny matters when compared to what lies within us. 35.

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Dont pray when it rains if you dont pray when the sun shines. Its not about getting a chance, its about taking a chance. If it were easy everyone would do it. Be vulnerable. A problem is a chance for you to learn. Regardless of the situation, life goes on.