LIFE LESSONS LEARNED FROM SAILING OFFSHORE

Leave your politics and drama on shore, fother people do't real t want to hear it.  Focus on what is really important.

Don’t sweat the small things. Focus on your goals and the big picture.

Work out your issues with crew directly and privately.  Talk it through.  You are supposed to be a TEAM.

Have a navigational plan, but don't fret out when things do not go as planned (they never do). Adapt to change.

Stay calm.  Freaking out will not help you or anyone else on board.

Be prepared because you never know when the next “squall” is going to hit.

Clean up after yourself because when the next “squall” hits, your stuff won’t get in the way or be a safety hazard.

Squalls will eventually pass you.

Be responsible for your own health and safety so that you can take care of others who need help.

If you are not the skipper and you don’t have any ideas how to make the boat go faster or improve the situation, shut up and sit down.  Negative vibes are not fast and bring the team down.

Personal hygiene is important.

Approach a long voyage in chunks of days,  Focus on the milestones accomplished, not how many days are left to get to shore.

Surround yourself with a good crew, people you would like to be and people that help make you a better person.

Take responsibility for your mistakes and share your successes with your team.

If you have to ask if you should do something, you already know the answer. If it is a question of making something safer, the answer is likely YES.  If it is a question of making something less safe, the answer is likely NO.

Be on time for your watch.

Know your physical and mental limits.  Try to expand them without crashing the boat. Crashing is not fast. It is OK to ask for help.

**Take time to breath.  We are always in such a hurry to get somewhere.  Take time to enjoy the beauty of your surroundings and get to know the person sitting next to you.  It is the journey, not the destination that is important. 

**Pack lightly because what is truly important is the value of time and your loved ones (not stuff).

**Small steps can make a big difference. The vast ocean and billions of stars can make you feel insignificant in the universe, but small efforts can make a big impact.  For example, while crossing the Pacific and the Atlantic, I saw a lot of plastic debris (Plastic never goes away, it just gets smaller and smaller.  Sea creatures eat it or are entangled in it and die. The plastic chemicals are then passed through the food chain – which includes US.)  So, take a small step and ask the bartender for no straws in your drink, get your club or favorite restaurant to have paper straws and only on request.  Participate in a Rotary project.  Help an elderly person across the street. Smile at a stranger.