Au Revoir, Sunday Scaries ????

The big reveal is here! Bonjour from France!?

Trip four of four is here, and we’re capping off our recent travel season with a bang, as Jim and I are soaking up the magic of our first trip to Europe.?

Get ready because you’ll be following along with us for the next two weeks as we make our way through France. The first 24 hours have been a whirlwind filled with gorgeous architecture, carolers in the square, Christmas lights, rain-soaked streets, and yes, a little dog poop. ??

1. Adjust for What’s Ahead ??

The impetus for this trip is an exciting professional opportunity you’ll be hearing more about next week (I guess the teasers aren’t over), which meant I needed to get ahead of the jet lag.?

The week leading up to our flight, I went to bed and woke up an hour earlier every day. By the time departure day rolled around, my wake-up call was at 2 AM. ???

Does this sound a little unhinged? Probably, but so far it seems to be working. Other than the grog of overnight airplane sleep, I’m feeling pretty caught up to Paris time!

Small adjustments can help you get ahead, ease a transition, or get ready when you know change is coming. Whether it’s a new role, a big project, or a major shift, preparation is your best friend.

2. Embrace Messy First Steps

Jim’s first move in Paris? Stepping directly into dog poop. Not quite the grand entrance we imagined, but we laughed it off and kept exploring. ??

Living out the #1 thing on your bucket list may not be as sexy as you made it out to be in your head, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be awesome.?

3. Feed Your Curiosity

Who says beef tartar and fries (frites!) isn’t breakfast? First of all, they are called French Fries for a reason because the ones you get here are faaaaarrrr superior to any American fried tater.?

Secondly, Jim and I love a great plate of food and a dining experience, so it’s perfectly in character for us to sit down, order two double espressos, raw meat, cheese….and two glasses of wine.?

This wonderful casual dining experience was further capped off with a lovely conversation with a father-and-daughter dining duo next to us who happened to be entrepreneurs.

Yes, we exchanged business cards ??

Who says you have to follow norms? I certainly don’t! Trying new things, at different times, and in different places is the spice of life - you never know who you’ll meet!?

4. Dreaming Versus Reality

Our little feet took us almost 7 miles through the streets of Paris yesterday, as we took in everything from the Pantheon to the Effiel Tower lights (which we happen to be able to see from our AirBnB)!?

We just happen to be here during the re-opening of the Notre Dame after five years, a fun fact I’m sure will come in handy when playing Trivial Pursuit in about 40 years.?

Sadly, the right?timing is cramping our style because the island where Notre Dame and Sainte-Chappelle are located is closed to anyone without a title or a ticket. ??

This is as close as we’ll get…but hey, at least we get to see Notre Dame without the scaffolding!

When you dream about something for so long, you can create a perfect picture in your head. Rarely does reality meet that perception, but that doesn’t mean you’re not winning!?

5. Find Joy in the Rain

December is not a mainstream month to visit Europe, which means we’ve been greeted by (humid) cold, drizzle, and a full-on downpour or two. But that isn’t stopping us!

Adorned with our waterproof ski shells, which are entirely too brightly colored for the fashionable streets of Paris, we’re ready to stay warm and dry while we head out to the Louvre (and a few Christmas markets today). ??

Circumstances might not always be perfect, but they don’t have to stop you!

6. Savor the Wins

We ended our day yesterday with a three-course dinner at Le Torquet, a cozy bistro near our Airbnb that was recommended by a friendly parking attendant who so graciously allowed us to park our rental car in their private garage for two days.

(I’m calling that a win for now. Ask me again after I find out how much it’s gonna cost me.)

I’m inspired by the time people here take to enjoy life - dinners are two hours long, time between courses is tracked in minutes, not seconds, and everyone takes the time to enjoy each bite and each minute of company.?

I find that I have to force myself not to get antsy when we haven’t seen a server in 10 minutes, or when I realize we’ve been at this “simple” dinner for 2.5 hours and it’s now 10:21 pm.?

We whisk through everything way too fast. There’s something to be said for slowing down, savoring, and celebrating each moment - whether you’re in Paris or Poughkeepsie.?

7. Toast the Journey

Jim has been dreaming of a trip to France since his obsession with this place started around eight years old. He’s finally getting to use the language skills he picked up while majoring in French in college and to see what he fell in love with as a Sommelier firsthand.?

It’s taken 41 years and 357 days (did I mention we get to celebrate both of our birthdays here?!) for him to check the number one item off his bucket list.

And I got to give it to him.

The best things in life are worth the wait. ??

Santé! ??

Your Friend and Coach,

Angie