As promised, I’m sharing my version of a first Paris “vlog” with you!
So, walking! Walking in Paris has been such a gift. It’s been the way I’ve worked out my creative kinks since moving here.
I walk to clear my mind, I walk to move my body and I walk to move ideas! Decisions come easier this way.
Sometimes (many times) I bring my husband along and we sometimes we walk two hours to the David Hockney exhibit. 🙂
Greetings from Paris!
If you’re stuck on a project or even weighed down because of a stressful work or life situation, head out for a walk. Go for longer than you have before at whatever pace you’d like. But before you do, set an intention to “work” on that idea or life or business challenge in the time you’re walking. Give it to the wind, give it to movement and see what comes…something always does!
Happy March! I’m back with a quick video before taking my dog out for a walk. 🙂 I’m excited to be sharing videos over so much copy with you inside these community newsletters and also share vlog style videos with you!
Especially those that I’m not posting on social media (note: I do post quite a bit of our Parisian journey on the @hesaidshesaidchannel on IG, so this is your invitation to join me there, too!).
But for now ~ naturally-occurring joy…
You and I…we have it. No matter what’s happening in our world or how challenging a particular life stage may be at the moment, I wanted to remind you that you have a well-spring of contentment inside you and, remember, too, that you have pulled from it for decades now. This life stage, midlife, is no different.
You absolutely have purpose, and you also have a naturally-occurring joy that will lead you to what’s next!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot in terms of the new life stage I’m in and that MANY of us are in…midlife, empty-nesting, and being an expat here in Paris. And, even if you are not empty-nesting, and have not made a big move, we are STILL in a similar point in our lives…
We are sitting down to reflect, we are wanting to be intentional and we want to give our time to the projects and people that mean the most. Yes, we’ve attempted to live like this for a long time, but there’s something different about it now. Would you agree?
As I shared with you in my last video, I was quiet on the newsletter front for a bit while I settled in here in France, however, there was a lot going on creatively, professionally, and in my personal life with this big of a move.
I’m now back and excited to share about the ways that I have supported myself and clients within the newness of this midlife moment (and the challenges or feelings of grief) that also come with it…
I’ll be sharing all about some rights of passages that I’ve completed for myself and others soon! Because we really need a demarcation point to transition us from who we have been for so so long to now celebrating who we are in this midlife moment.
It’s been 17 months living in Paris! Bonjour again! I’ve missed you!
But I’m now fully planted. The business is planted. And I’m loving empty nesting inside expat life (our dream).
I’m so excited to be connecting anew! (see video above xo)
Some things I didn’t share in the video that I’m also excited to connect on that might resonate with you, too…
Ah, in the brisk and beautiful woods an hour away from Paris, I just finished leading for myself another rite of passage marking this most recent and big milestone of having an adult child (acknowledging and celebrating what was and also pausing to acknowledge what I’m now letting IN as the woman I am today, so very different in many ways to the woman I was just a year ago)…you too? Do you also have teenagers in high school or young adult children? Is this time of life bringing up a lot of emotion (grief) and maybe, just maybe, you’re inching towards planning for YOUR new life and refreshed work in the world? It’s the same for many of us in this life stage.
Talk about a new version of identity work… And that’s what I’ve been doing here with clients in Paris, as well as with clients back in the United States.
This week, I also held a women’s circle at my apartment in the Marais (are you familiar with that neighborhood here?), that focused on a similar topic for women in midlife, we called it Life Quest: Rediscovering Who You Are Today & What’s Next.
Being in the NEW of this season of life, like many of you, it absolutely has brought up a lot of emotion, but the clarity has poured in as well — it’s been both a beautiful slowing down and a very steady ramping up, too, into new parts of life, relationship, and creative work.
The main questions I’ve been asking myself, What do I need to feel nourished? What am I grieving? And what am I celebrating, especially in my role of “mama” from 0 to 19? What is next? This was a lot of what my rite of passage was about and it was just what the doc ordered…
What do YOU, too, need to feel nourished? And who are YOU today in this new season of life. Or, maybe, best to ask first ~ what are you, too, grieving and what are you celebrating from your own role as mom of younger child/ren who are now spreading their wings…
But really, c’est la vie, no? The duality!
In short, I’ve missed connecting with you, but I’m SO happy to be back to share and I hope it is all of service!
I would LOVE to hear from you, so please reply and say hi if any of this resonates! I’m also munching on the idea of hosting rites of passage for you here across the pond. Come and join us? 🇫🇷
