--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've…" description: "\"After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've lived through this, and now I have a free ride in life.' And I can't believe I really thought that. As soon as I w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png" --- # After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've lived through this… ![“After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've lived through this, and now I have a free ride in life.' And I can't believe I really thought that. As soon as I was healed from cancer and everything I was going through, I got back out into life and realized it doesn't work out like that.” quote by Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png) > “After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've lived through this, and now I have a free ride in life.' And I can't believe I really thought that. As soon as I was healed from cancer and everything I was going through, I got back out into life and realized it doesn't work out like that.” [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After surviving cancer, the speaker realized life isn’t a guaranteed “free ride” and that recovery doesn’t automatically bring happiness. **In simple terms:** Healing doesn’t equal instant happiness. Key Takeaway Adjust expectations after illness. Themes health personal growth realism Mood reflective hopeful Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career planning - mental health - support groups - financial planning Key Concepts Resilience post‑traumatic growth Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance hope with realistic expectations? - What coping strategies help after major health events? A Different Perspective Optimism can clash with reality, leading to disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2012 Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2012-thought-1256204/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-ride/) [Healed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healed/) [Healed Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healed-cancer-3512693/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-realized-273207/) [Soon Healed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-healed-3512694/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to do something risque in 2012 and that's when the thought of being a Playboy cover girl crossed my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-wanted-to-do-something-risque-in-2012-and-that-s-when-the-thought/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [“Being sure of things in life, he realized, was easy; questioning things was what was hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-colt/being-sure-of-things-in-life-he-realized-was-easy-questioning-things/) [K.J. Colt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-colt/) > [Strong hope is a much greater stimulant of life than any realized joy could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/strong-hope-is-a-much-greater-stimulant-of-life-than-any-realized-joy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Many special people have had an impact on my life. But when I thought about what changed my life the most, I realized it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisyn-camerota/many-special-people-have-had-an-impact-on-my-life-but-when-i-thought/) [Alisyn Camerota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisyn-camerota/) > [I used to spend so much time reacting and responding to everyone else that my life had no direction. Other people's lives, problems, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/i-used-to-spend-so-much-time-reacting-and-responding-to-everyone-else/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [“Life, he realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it's in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/life-he-realized-was-much-like-a-song-in-the-beginning-there-is/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Before we met, I was drowned in a deep blue sky, I thought I would never look forward again, I believed I would always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hareem-ch/before-we-met-i-was-drowned-in-a-deep-blue-sky-i-thought-i-would/) [Hareem Ch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hareem-ch/) > [I asked myself the question, 'What do you want of your life?' and I realized with a start of recognition and terror, 'Exactly what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/i-asked-myself-the-question-what-do-you-want-of-your-life-and-i/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [Her life, she realized, had all the charm of a steel trap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-godbersen/her-life-she-realized-had-all-the-charm-of-a-steel-trap/) [Anna Godbersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-godbersen/) > [There came a moment in my life when I realized that I had stepped into another part of my life. I used to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-principal/there-came-a-moment-in-my-life-when-i-realized-that-i-had-stepped/) [Victoria Principal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-principal/) > [The spiritual life is not a special career, involving abstraction from the world of things. It is a part of every man's life; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/the-spiritual-life-is-not-a-special-career-involving-abstraction-from/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [I am neither dejected nor depressed because every one has a bad phase in one's life. I realized it the hard way because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-am-neither-dejected-nor-depressed-because-every-one-has-a-bad-phase/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [I've been a story-teller all my life but I realized it only recently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-ve-been-a-story-teller-all-my-life-but-i-realized-it-only-recently/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“Perhaps the most liberating moment in my life was when I realized that my self-loathing was not a product of my inadequacy but, rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/perhaps-the-most-liberating-moment-in-my-life-was-when-i-realized/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [She looked back on her life and realized, everything that happened had only made her much stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-looked-back-on-her-life-and-realized-everything-that-happened-had/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tig Notaro > [Reminding myself that I have a tailbone keeps me in check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/reminding-myself-that-i-have-a-tailbone-keeps-me-in-check/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I think my brain just has a natural way of going to what would be the most insane thing, the least likely option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-think-my-brain-just-has-a-natural-way-of-going-to-what-would-be-the/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [Before I had a double mastectomy, I was already pretty flat-chested, and I made so many jokes over the years about how small my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/before-i-had-a-double-mastectomy-i-was-already-pretty-flat-chested/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [Even losing my mother, I wanted my mother. That's who you want instinctually when you're having a hard time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/even-losing-my-mother-i-wanted-my-mother-that-s-who-you-want/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I think every person and place is interesting, and there's an interesting story behind every door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-think-every-person-and-place-is-interesting-and-there-s-an/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [A lot of times, people will have after-parties or try and host an event for comedians, and they misunderstand us. They think it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/a-lot-of-times-people-will-have-after-parties-or-try-and-host-an/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I'm fascinated by caddy Buddhists popping up all over Hollywood and people that take themselves too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-m-fascinated-by-caddy-buddhists-popping-up-all-over-hollywood-and/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I love devastating movies, documentaries and hummingbirds (yes, in that order).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-love-devastating-movies-documentaries-and-hummingbirds-yes-in-that/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I definitely still like writing one-liners, but I also think that I've changed a lot in that I've allowed myself freedom to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-definitely-still-like-writing-one-liners-but-i-also-think-that-i-ve/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I'm the luckiest unlucky person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-m-the-luckiest-unlucky-person/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I didn't know whether I'd be attractive to anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-didn-t-know-whether-i-d-be-attractive-to-anybody/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [The hardest lesson to learn always is to just have faith in that you will always have something to say or a story to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/the-hardest-lesson-to-learn-always-is-to-just-have-faith-in-that-you/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [My age makes all my wrinkles and gray hair make sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/my-age-makes-all-my-wrinkles-and-gray-hair-make-sense/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [It's almost embarrassing how much support I have. I mean, I always tell people I feel like I'm perfectly set up to have cancer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/it-s-almost-embarrassing-how-much-support-i-have-i-mean-i-always-tell/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [I am just at tragedy right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-am-just-at-tragedy-right-now/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) [Explore all 125 Tig Notaro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've lived through this, and now I have a free ride in life.' And I can't believe I really thought that. As soon as I was healed from cancer and everything I was going through, I got back out into life and realized it doesn't work out like that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tig Notaro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-through-this-and-now-i-have-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-through-this-and-now-i-have-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33c/tig-notaro-3660_believe_after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-t_1187891.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow, I've lived through this, and now I have a free ride in life.' And I can't…” — Tig Notaro", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tig Notaro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After 2012, I thought, 'Oh wow,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-through-this-and-now-i-have-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/after-2012-i-thought-oh-wow-i-ve-lived-through-this-and-now-i-have-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```