If you would have told me 10 years ago…
…that I was going to be where I am today, I wouldn’t have believed you.
If I hadn’t chosen to open up my heart and accept myself, and yes, it’s still a journey and it always will be…
…I wouldn’t be here typing this post.
If you had told me that I would be surrounded by so much Love even in moments of challenge, ten years ago, I would have told you that I didn’t deserve it.
It is immense to see that 10 years ago, I had been living in Paris for just 3 years, and was beginning to know myself and to love myself.
I had come a long way, already.
And yet, how little I still knew!
Even today, I am convinced that there is always so much more to learn, to acknowledge, to see.
-
First year at university, fall 2006.
-
Des copines en 2014.
-
Une amie chère en 2014.
-
Et nous encore en 2024.
I want to ask you, dear reader, how you are feeling as we reach mid-January.
Is some of the magic of the « new year, new you » vibes that have been circulating on social media, wearing off a bit?
I want you to know that there is still SO much time. YOU CAN change your life for the better, and it does not need to be aligned with January as an imposition to begin.
Rather, I want to share with you my gratitude for even being here, reading these lines.
As you can see, I started out in 2006 at my university in Chicago, completely unsure of where I was headed. I knew I was in the right school, but I had a LOT of fears, anxieties, I didn’t really feel like I knew myself or even more: that I loved myself very much.
As I began to grow, thanks to the innovative, loving, holistic, human-centered and logical approach of Ethical Leadership, that I had the immense opportunity to discover at Living School, where I was hired as an English teacher in 2011, I began to gain insight into my own self and others. I connected with other women, like Christelle and Elodie, who you can see, and began to nourish friendships that I can now look on and cherish for a lifetime.
I have not always had an easy time of it. But I have stood the test of time by staying committed to evolving. To becoming more conscious.
When I look back at 2014, I see this picture of my one of my dearest friends, and I also see how much we will had to learn – we are still learning!
Now, in 2024, here I am again by her side and alongside so many women, and I am taking time to savor and identify more precisely what is contributing to the strength of these relationships.
Here is what I have identified so far:
- I surround myself as much as possible with people who contribute to my life, and who are also actively working on themselves as human beings.
- I thank my friends and my family weekly. When I have a moment, I write a memory, a message, I comment on someone else’s post, I am diligent to be clear and also open with my heart, love, and gratitude. I let it comes as I feel it, all the while staying dedicated to moving forward through thanking those who have supported me all these years and continue to be in my community.
- I offer my support to the people whom I see actively making decisions and concrete moves. I am a bit past waiting for people to move forward. As the wonderful Maya Angelou once wrote: « People show us who they are. It is up to us to believe them. » I am in a phase in my life where I am really believing people, and taking care to align myself with my own actions so that they can easily believe me.
- Investing in my evolution and growth is by far the best choice I have ever made and will continue to make for my future. As I write this from my office, I have recently sent an email restructuring certain business decisions that will increase ease and flow into Be the Change, allowing me to live and work more serenely, all while developing our family business.
For you, dear reader, I want you to know that I am sending you Love and Light.
I truly believe in you and your infinite potential to be the best version of yourself, for yourself, your loved ones and our World.
If I can discover my potential, I feel, anyone can.
I will write more on my journey very soon, for now, I invite you ask yourself these questions as you continue to move through this new year of 2024:
- « Who lights me up, and makes me feel loved and safe? »
- « Who can I say ‘thank you’ to, sincerely, with joy and love? »
- « What is my ultimate desire right now, this week, this month, this year, and what are 3 ways I can begin to honor that desire? »
- « If I need to be real and truthful with myself, what is something I could put into place so that I feel more energy and confidence each day? »
- « Where was I 10 years ago? »
- « Who would I like to be 10 years from now? »
- « Who can I turn to to begin to journey towards that vision? »
I could add many other questions, but I hope that these will already give you some inspiration, and more trust within YOU.
YOU are so much more full of potential, strength and love than you may realize right now. And that is ok.
Please just know that if you had told me, 10 years ago, that I would be a business owner, a happy mother, engaged to be married and traveling the world to share the message of the importance of care for parents and children everywhere:
I would not have believed you.
And through determination, Ethical Leadership, regular self-work, community, uplifting friendships, gratitude, daily practices and the placing my own way of being as the most important investment that exists: it became possible.
You CAN change your life, I promise:
It is up to you to see it.
With love,
Julie