What don’t you want to tolerate any longer? (If only you had the confidence)
I remember the scene, about 20 years ago. We were with a couple of friends, and one lady had just shared how bad she felt about her child being verbally abused by a horrible first grade teacher, and how she felt completely helpless, not daring to do...
Are your dreams precise enough?
I was staring at the spreadsheet and couldn’t believe my eyes. A dream, a small dream but still a dream, had just come true. In the past week I couldn’t have been looking at that spreadsheet more often if it were a picture of a Brad Pitt at the beach or a lotto...
How it all began…
How it all began ... little did I know that day that life would direct me towards the book that would transform my home and subsequently the trajectory of my life...
The 4 Core Qualities you’ll need for Life
What do you need to run your Life well, happily, with a sense of purpose and joie de vivre, in short: elegantly ;)? For many people the first things that springs to mind are “more money”, “more time”, “a different job/spouse/education/career/family or home”....
A True Story about a Blind Spot, a Marital Choc and a Universal Principle
The time was some decades ago, the place was our old house in the French countryside. The hole was right in the middle of our courtyard. It was the remnant of repairing a blocked sewer system (#oldhouse). Now the ground wasn’t level any longer, the interlocking...
What I learned from my Word of the Year
Last year was a first. A first for me to stick to a Word of the Year for, well, a whole year! My word, which had fallen out of the blue, proved to be the perfect framework for that transition I found/still find myself in between having deconstructed my life and...
The Art of Boundaries
Boundaries. How does this word make you feel? Curious, apprehensive, neutral, excited, slightly irritated? Which area of your life springs to mind when you think of boundaries? Do you actually know what and where your boundaries are? Your boundaries in...
How I tricked myself into a Good Habit
When I found my Word of the Year (it would be more correct to say that it found me), I didn’t realise what a big call being “bien dans ma peau” actually is. At one point I had to admit - reluctantly - that being well in my skin included being well under my skin and...
How to Feel Free at the End of the Year
I was standing barefoot in my nightgown at the open window looking at the dark sky. It was 4 am. The night was at her coldest. I was shivering. It was a special moment. Autumn had started. I was happy. September has always carried for me the energy of a new...
La Rentrée: 7 Questions for the Rest of the Year
It is happening. Right now you can see Parisians smiling, happy, open and full of energy. Yes, it’s that time of the year. La Rentrée is upon us. Paris springs back to life. After 2 months of “les vacances”, everyone is back, happy to share their summer...
How to Create Habits (the Elegant Way)
Take a look around: what is really easy to do in your home? Maybe it is really easy to entertain friends? To sit and read? To practise yoga? Maybe it’s really easy to collapse on the sofa in front of the TV? Or to spend 2 hours in the closet searching what to wear?...
From Avoidance to Commitment
Recently on Instagram I saw this quote: "The magic you're looking for is in the work you're avoiding." Wow. We all look for magic - magic in how we feel, live, love, see and are seen. But how often do we look for it in the direction of work we'd rather avoid? If we...
How to avoid the hidden trap of decluttering
You’ve surely noticed that decluttering is having a bit of a “moment” lately. Everyone has their opinions about the “best” method, programs promise that you can transform your life by tidying your closet, Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix breaks all records and of course,...
How I surprised myself with a Word of the Year (Bonus: 7 Clues for your own Word of the Year)
I never managed to have a word of the Year. Oh sure, there were those last weeks of December where I diligently squeezed my brain for words like “wildflower”, “focus” or “serendipity” - they had to sound grand, n’est-ce pas - but like so many grand-sounding words,...
The Very Worst Way to Do Anything Elegant
Every morning, I wake up looking fresh faced and impeccably coiffed, like I just stepped out of a salon de beauté. I float out of bed in my silk nightgown and do a series of carefully curated yoga poses before draping myself in an...