Tag Archives: Michelle Ghilotti

Freak Out Or Flip It?

Freak Out Or Flip It?

Freak out or flip it?

Flip it: all will be….well! Optimism and (being in) action have yet to let me down!

These are the chronicles of those wanting to live in another country (ahem, when they’re already IN that country)…what are you to do when your flight gets cancelled the morning before your LONG-AWAITED visa appointment in the United States (that you need because your three ‘free’ no visa needed months in that country are soon up)?

You can have a freak out (which will delay you even more because nobody does their best work when they’re freaking out) or you can take a couple breaths and decide within a few seconds, which we did, that everything was going to work out in our favor.

Dreams can make you werkkkk with their bumps, twists and turns…~>showing you how badly you really want it/them (the dream/dreams).

We did end up getting on a new flight. It was a connecting vs. direct flight, so, we crossed all fingers that it went well…

I rode this optimism allll the way. Seeing us making it, feeling it in every cell of my body because, well, we needed this flight to get us to New York by morning because our visa appointment for France and the UK was also, gulp, in the morning!

We ended up encountering quite a few bumps on this journey which included running through the Atlanta airport because of delays, our suitcases not arriving and many other little

But guess what? We made it to our visa appointment! Yes, we were very sleepy and in the same clothes, but we made it! 

And now, we wait for another two weeks here in New York for our passports to be sent back to us with the France and UK visas INSIDE THEM. 

Boy have we worked for and AT this — for over six months! And, I can honestly tell you that I’ve enjoyed the twists and turns along the way because as with all experiences worth having (say, like motherhood), there exists some sweat & pain and I’m always keen to see how I’m able to transform it and use it to fuel the rest of the journey. We are so much stronger and more resilient than we give ourselves credit. 

Give yourself some credit! And try to enjoy the twists and turns of your own creative journey at the moment, whatever it may be.

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good!

Paris Fashion Week Fitting

Paris Fashion Week Fitting

I recently attended my first fitting / behind-the-scenes of Paris Fashion Week for the Joccelyn brand! Amongst other things, I confirmed that I’m definitely the shortest person in Paris. Well, at least during Fashion Week 🙂 

The opportunity came for this Paris Fashion Week Fitting and we, not only seized it, but warmly received it!

Wow to all that my eyes saw (gorg!) and ears heard (ha!).

The B&W outfit was to show I was supporting a designer and not *in* the show, though, we can trust that, again, no one would have mistaken me for a model.

Best part? The venue was a stone’s throw from the Arc de Triomphe. All awesome!

What are you magically working on calling into your life and warmly receiving?

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

The Stars Aligned

The Stars Aligned

The stars aligned.

We had been ready for years to move and explore again outside the US.

We loved living in Europe so much the first times (as a couple in our late 20s and 30s and also as students in high school and college), that we wanted to do it again. We had lived outside the US twice as a family, too, so there are those awesome memories.

A question like “Am I still growing personally & creatively in LA?” was something asked often lately (amongst other questions).

Cue Nolan applying to college both in the states and in Europe where last Spring he was between two of three universities abroad.

He eventually chose the university in Paris.

And it was then, in the kitchen (I’ll never forget), when I shared with Nolan that we would be moving — going to Europe, too. :))

He was psyched.

It’s our time, too, to live out another dream…to salsa by the Seine, to learn French again, to live in France, but also maybe in England and/or Spain…and, of course, to be physically close(r) to our son because that’s who we are.

There for one another if/when we need it.

But the stars. They really did do a thing:

We are empty nesters who are also parents of an only child…

One of us can work from anywhere and the other, after deciding on Europe, got a gig in London.

So yes a door or multiples are opening! Awesome.

But sometimes open doors have screens on them, or have knobs that get stuck. Normal. Happens. And we can fix those knobs, oil ‘‘em up. 

It all hasn’t come without sweat and that’s what I wanted to share.

We still don’t have long-stay visas (no appointment available yet), nor are we finding the French rental market easy (at allll) for expats. Many hoops and almost impossible for those without visas in hand.

But here it is: dreams and what you’ve always wanted are worth it, you WILL figure it out. Dreams meant for us get driven by a different energy. Trust.

And we do… We do! (Again)!

**It’s romantic if you look at it that way. Not everythinggg has to fall into place for you to be happy. Forced to work or sweat a little bit is hot, too.

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.

Relentless (I Am) :-)

Relentless (I Am) :-)

A focused optimism and relentlessness.

I’m relentless about my focused optimism. That’s what my husband says (helps us live longer is what I say). Some of what we’ve had to stay optimistic about since arriving in Paris:

  • Visas – they’ll come through!
  • Great apartment – it’s just a matter of time and talking to more people (vs going through relo services)
  • Missing fam & friends – they’re coming to visit, we’ll make new memories via new experiences!
  • Making new friends – it’s just a matter of time and talking to more people 
  • Life – the best (if there’s hard stuff, keep steady…we only know how good it is IF we also experience challenge, let’s simply not over focus on it)
  • Love your people in all ways — through words, physical affection and in quality time (we don’t get more time but we do have enough of it right here & now)

Hi again from France! What dreams do you want to make true even through some challenge? Let’s do it together. 😉

Let’s make happiness your business by creating your authentic brand…

To the best of the rest of your life!

Life is good.