Welcome to week 8 of this alphabet inspired newsletter.Well this weekend was Valentines Day making me think of all things heart based rather than head based! I received beautiful red roses and the most amazing heart shaped dessert. They certainly excel at patisserie over here in France. February is also the time of year I like to plan my holidays too as this fuels my hopes and dreams which will keep me grounded and on purpose through what is going to be a busy summer. So here are my thoughts for the week to hopefully inspire you to keep your hopes and dreams alive. Always look for more opportunities to go with your heart rather than just your head. Especially when it comes to the potentially life changing decision that often we are not brave enough to embark on if we let our head rule our hearts!
Hearts - Have you ever heard people say – that decision was from the heart, or that decision was from the head? Which are you more inclined to use? Is there a right way and a wrong way? When people ask why we bought our place in France, the thing that comes to mind is that this was a heart based decision. How do I know that? The moment we saw the place, we were in love with everything about it, the buildings themselves, the spiral stone staircase, the beautiful gardens and swimming pool, the walk by the river, just the sound of the birds and the wind in the poplar trees. It really was love at first sight, and I don’t think anything could have made us change our minds, unless of course we had just bought with our heads! What do I mean by this? My head would have said, buy something smaller, easier to manage and maintain remotely, quicker to clean in between guest changeovers, more economic to heat in the winter etc etc. BUT would I have loved and been so passionate about the kind of place that met just my head criteria? Definitely not. There is no right and wrong, but I believe that doing more of what you love and really lights you up is where we should all try and spend most of our time to help contribute to a life full of happiness.
Holidays - Why a picture of the Maldives when we live in a fabulous holiday home in France? Good question. We bought our French holiday homes in 2005 on generous corporate salaries with no other financial commitments. Our hope was to holiday here often, retiring mortgage free by 2010. We then hoped to manage our gites each summer and holiday in the Maldives every winter – simple! Exchange rates and redundancy in 2009 meant the dream was put up for sale in 2010. Whilst retraining as a Life Coach and a few dream boards later, we found a way, sold up in the UK, and came to France on 12/12/12. Interestingly, we have not had a holiday since we moved here! When you do work you love there is much less need for a holiday. We love our life here looking after other people on their holidays at French Escapes. Seasonal work frees up my time in the winter to focus on my other passion - Life Coaching. I am so excited to be hosting my very first coaching retreat here in June. The first booking was confirmed yesterday. The dream continues and we hope to be in the Maldives in October for our 12th wedding anniversary right back where we had our honeymoon.
Hopes - By special request for my very good friend Jane Howman here are my thoughts on hope. It is one of those words that can be open to interpretation depending on your current state of mind. Is ‘living in hope’ unrealistic and likely to lead to self-deception? I don’t believe so. I love the Wikipedia definition that “Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one’s life. Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.”
A case in point, we bought our place in France in 2005, with a clear hope that we would be here full time and debt free by 2010. When we put this place on the market in 2010 rather than moving here I was tempted to give up all hope. At the time it seemed like the only solution. With the help of my great coach Ali, the passion for my dreams was reignited, my hopes were once again alive and well. The two years the house didn't sell allowed the time to train as a coach, and to prepare a new way forward. We moved out here permanently on a very auspicious date 12/12/12. I am living proof that no matter what, it is important to always live in hope and keep those dreams alive even through the darkest of times.
A case in point, we bought our place in France in 2005, with a clear hope that we would be here full time and debt free by 2010. When we put this place on the market in 2010 rather than moving here I was tempted to give up all hope. At the time it seemed like the only solution. With the help of my great coach Ali, the passion for my dreams was reignited, my hopes were once again alive and well. The two years the house didn't sell allowed the time to train as a coach, and to prepare a new way forward. We moved out here permanently on a very auspicious date 12/12/12. I am living proof that no matter what, it is important to always live in hope and keep those dreams alive even through the darkest of times.
"Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future" (Robert H Schuller)
"Hope is like the sun, which as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us". (Samuel Smiles)
"Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn't permanent". (Jean Kerr)
"Hope is like the sun, which as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us". (Samuel Smiles)
"Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn't permanent". (Jean Kerr)
Professional Bio
Janine Wood is a woman who thrives on her sense of adventure and her capabilities at giving anything a go. She left her 6 figure corporate income to live her rural dream life in France with the love of her life Tony and their two rescue dogs Junior and Benjy. Janine is inspired by interior design, creation, music, art, dance, fun and personal growth and she lives each day with love, laughter and inspiration. Her role now is to inspire other people who know that they can take more out of life and supporting them as they too discover how to live every day like it was their best.
Subscribe to this Let Go and Love Life Newsletter here.
Janine Wood is a woman who thrives on her sense of adventure and her capabilities at giving anything a go. She left her 6 figure corporate income to live her rural dream life in France with the love of her life Tony and their two rescue dogs Junior and Benjy. Janine is inspired by interior design, creation, music, art, dance, fun and personal growth and she lives each day with love, laughter and inspiration. Her role now is to inspire other people who know that they can take more out of life and supporting them as they too discover how to live every day like it was their best.
Subscribe to this Let Go and Love Life Newsletter here.