052 Barbara Santarelli

As a child, Barbara felt like an outsider, didn't belong, lacked self esteem, had misguided goals, felt empty and was competing with everyone for everything. She had an AHA moment: we buy things that we can't afford to impress people that we don't care about. At 50, she needed to flee her life. So, she signed up for 300mi bike ride, which became the vehicle that enabled part 2 of her life. Barbara reminds us to be true to ourselves, to make small changes if we are unhappy, to belong to ourselves and to something bigger than ourselves. Each day, we have an opportunity to try something new, pursue new interests that are exciting and create an opportunity to share with others.  Barbara Santarelli. R.N., B.S.H.C.A has been an actively employed nurse more than four decades. She has authored articles on sex education for tweens as well as articles for a local newsletter , Senior Voice. She credits her long nursing career for a cryptic sense of humor and persistent optimism.  A lifelong resident of New York, she currently lives in North Salem, New York with her second husband and mini daschund. An avid cyclist, reader and grandmother of five. Barbara is the author of "Everything I Never Wanted: A Memoir of Excess".       (tags:  Barbara, Santarelli, nurse, author, memoir, cyclist, Everything I Never Wanted: A Memoir of Excess, everythingineverwanted.com, storiesthatempower.com, stories that empower, empowering stories, empowerment stories, stories of empowerment, stories of empowering others, self empowerment stories, stories empower, inspire, inspiring, inspiration, uplift, uplifting, upliftment, hope, light, Sean)