My first solo excursion was a fashion show at the Galeries la Fayette in the 9eme arrondissement where real professional models were walking real designer clothing, and I was sitting in the front row, clapping, oohing and ahhing you know the whole Chabang. I went shopping, rooftop gazing across the city of Paris and just being me. I proceeded to take it up a notch by buying myself some flowers, rose wine, and ingredients to prepare a fancy meal back at my apartment situated in the heart of the Marais, and then sit in my tub; because this girl wanted to embrace every moment. As a life and style blogger at that time, I wanted to immerse myself in what it would feel like and I did.
And it felt friggin good!
An introverted Caribbean girl in Paris. That was me “July 2015”. On my first transatlantic flight to a place where my grasp of the language was still minimal, I knew 2 persons there “whom I’d never met”, and I was still somewhat a bit naive. On the flip side, I was excited, I was giddy and I couldn’t stop daydreaming. How did I manage to get here? I’m sure the locals could tell a mile away that I was a tourist because I smiled at almost everyone and said bonjour 50 times a day” – and yes, not everyone shows teeth. Nonetheless, I had an agenda, I had an adventure on my mind and I couldn’t wait to explore, eat and of course take 1 million photos. And so we did for the first week until my travel partner and I had a disagreement about what I should and should not be doing, thinking and how I should and should not be living which did not end very pretty but not violently! “imagine the scene of 2 foreign girls in the city of joie de vivre”.
My confidence lesson came at that moment. Because at that moment, I realized that I had allowed others to control, rule, and take advantage of my innocence. I never stood up for myself, I was a major cry baby, and I always loved pleasing others before I pleased myself. That moment shared with me my inner power to for once say NO! No to being ridiculed about my desires, no to being judged about loving what I did openly, and no to being taken advantage of anymore.
Many women are fascinated with the idea of travel and luxury without ever giving themselves the opportunity to experience it. The sad reality is that they “myself included at a time” are so consumed by what others will think, do or say that they end up not truly living. They end up burying those bold desires to live an elegant lifestyle “on their own terms” as a result of fear and the old scarcity programming every woman has been privy to.
But what if you were given a magic wand just for one day. To do as you please. To feel as you wish, To think act, and live as you desire, would you take that chance? I can bet that you’re nodding your head at this very moment. So why not now? Why not this moment?
Life is an extremely precious gift. We as humans and women especially have the gift of deep emotions. To love, to feel, to embrace, to live our ultimate life but “if we choose to”.
Rumi Says ” When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”
When we do what we love, when to act from our essence we truly live life.
So here are 3 lessons confidently allowing yourself to say yes can bring you
LESSON 1: Growth
Growth only extends it’s an invitation to us when we begin to do things differently. When we push our own boundaries when we stop saying “maybe later” and instead dive in now. Growth shows you how strong, how confident, how much power YOU have deeply embedded within you.
LESSON 2: Presence
Presence comes from the essence of our hearts. Presence gives us the gift of truly living and not just being alive. Presence gives us the opportunity to have more joie de vivre, more bliss, more abundance. Presence shows us how wealthy we already are.
LESSON 3: Success
Now this lesson is very intricate because many seek success outside of themselves. But success really is a state of mind. It’s all about your definition of how YOU desire to serve in your job/business, how you desire to live, how you desire to love, how you desire to simply be. The term success has been given the definition of material gains and accolades which unfortunately leaves those who don’t have the feeling of unworthiness. My definition of success is all about what you choose to see it as
Of course my darling, you do not have to visit Paris to give yourself the gift of confidence to say yes. You can do this wherever you are at this very moment. The choice is yours to decide. But I do know what my definition of living fully and being a success looks and feels like. What’s yours? Watch this free masterclass as you understand the 4 pillars of cultivating your own elegant version.
Until next time ma cherie. xx bisous Menellia