Despite the rainy weekend forecast, the sun decided to shine for a while today.🌞 To my surprise, I found myself wanting to ride my bike. ON A SUNDAY. And to be honest, it was also the perfect excuse to keep procrastinating studying, finishing the book I have to return to the library before Wednesday and writing this week’s blog post. But I’m glad I did because it also inspired me to write what you’re about to read.

But first, allow me to brag because I can proudly say that today I biked around the lake near my house!! I always forget to download an app to track the distance, but you can see a map below:

I had biked half of it, but I’d return around midway. Today I went all for it. 

summer goals

And why is this a big deal to me you might wonder… Well, my summer goal was to bike more (shout out to Garance that made this possible! P.S I haven’t forgotten my debt 😂), both to force me to exercise/be outdoors and to save money on transportation.

Let me tell you, as someone who used to rely 95% on car/uber/bus to get around, I’m amazed at how fast you can reach your destination by bike, haha. Sure, a bit more sweaty than I’d like, but wow, so convenient, I love it.
I know it might sound stupid to you, however, let me remind you: I’m not used to pedestrian/bike friendly cities! But since Tampere it’s amazingly both bike and pedestrian friendly, I decided that this summer was the one I had to get over my fear.

I started a bit late than I wanted, but hey! Better late than never, right?

To be honest, I started “late” (mid-July) because I was TERRIFIED. I’ve always like the concept of riding a bike, but didn’t get the chance to do it much back home. I’d say I’m pretty decent on out-of-the-city-center areas, but crowded spaces + bike? NO, THANK YOU.

I still remember my first bike. I woke up on a Christmas morning and she was there waiting next to the tree. Purple/dark blue, shiny and probably too big for me 😂

But I still gave it a try and would practice at my grandmas small patio just circling around, haha. One time I crashed against the wall and it scared the hell out of me, and from there I don’t remember if I used it much, because frankly Tijuana wasn’t or still isn’t a bike friendly city.

Back in 2012, when I was an exchange student in Taiwan, I had to bike to school from my first host family’s home. 

And let me tell you, biking next to Taiwanese traffic (and during the summer) is no joke!! Haha, but somehow I survived.

Also went to my first cyclist ride. It was during that trip that I fell from the bike for the first time!! I was thrilled, really. I even have a picture because I was sooo proud. Although biking felt easier at that time, after Taiwan I don’t think I ever biked again, not until I went back on 2018 and when I visited my friends in Berlin in 2019.

What are you afraid of?

The reality is that I’ve always been to afraid of falling and failing. So I’ve never quite learned how to do it; not that I haven’t, I just don’t know how to do it gracefully, haha. My fear leads me to avoid them in any way I can and I think that’s what kept me from biking again for so long.

After listening to Atomic Habits last month, one day I decided to go for ride for only 30 minutes. Then I did it once more. Then I decided to explore the neighborhood a bit more. After that, I braved enough to bike roads I had seen before, but never biked. As much as I love to travel and explore new places, sometimes I get too comfortable in the familiar and forget to venture into the surrounding areas.

Back home, I usually moved around the same neighborhoods: the ones close to me. I didn’t need to visit any others either, as I worked from home.

Now here in Finland I also study from home, and I usually visit the same places, which are more likely than not, in the centrum. Although I live in a very nice neighborhood, sometimes I forget that here I can go take a walk without fear of an angry stray dog running into me (happened twice in Mexico 😂) or facing catcallings of any kind. Not that it happened all the time back home, but there was always this induced fear from other adults close to me, specially my mom. (I love you, mom, but you know it’s true, haha).

So I’ve been slowly relearning that it’s ok to go out and exploring on my own (which I love to do, but as I said, sometimes I forget it) and discovering my new home. 

I haven’t mastered the bike riding, there’s still some fear to only use one hand to make a signal or when there’s a lot of people on the road, but little by little it becomes easier. As longs as it’s sunny, I’ll keep facing my fear until we become distant friends.

How are you getting along with your fears?

Hugs,

La Saralicia