Cultivating Your Actual Self – Lessons From The French (Girls)
There was a period of time in my life (back in the 90s) where I was a tad obsessed with France. The French, it seemed to me, always had some mystery about them that I could not quite sum up. I was, quite literally, fascinated and I spent a lot of time studying French literature, cinema and art.
It was a fad, I guess.
Fast forward to present day and me weeding through my old collection of books for a Goodwill donation. (I have SO MANY. Some have got to go. Or I might be facing divorce.) In the process I found this a passage that I had highlighted describing a French woman:
“She is entirely and unequivocally self-contained. She is focused on living her own full life, following her own agenda, and cultivating her actual self, rather than reinventing herself or pining away to be someone she is not. Throughout her life she invests herself in learning and experiencing, not to CHANGE who she is but to BECOME more fundamentally and more fully who she TRULY is.” – Entre Nous – A Woman’s Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl by Debra Ollivier
WORDS OF WISDOM, eh, my friends?
I have always believed that we should all be working unapologetically towards our own destiny. Who cares if it does not fit the mold or isn’t the norm? It is only when we cultivate our authentic self that we are happy. I’ve learned this the hard way, believe me. I am at my most unbalanced and miserable when I am trying to fit myself into something I am not or when I succumb to the pressures and preconceived notions of the world.
I might not give those books away after all.
Awesome quote — and a truth for all of us!
Keep that one!
.-= Brahm´s last blog ..Two weeks until our big fat gay wedding… =-.
You gotta be comfortable in your own skin before you’ll ever be comfortable in spanx!
very well state, Jen
So true!!!
I have dibs on that one! Nes pas?
.-= DiPaola Momma´s last blog ..Mother’s Day gift ideas (revisited) =-.
Words to live by for sure. For the longest time I wasn’t sure I wanted to have kids because i didn’t see myself as someone who could let go of who I already was to fit that role. Once I decided I could do motherhodd my way and make my own rules, it all made sense.
So true! This was a great reminder for me.
I’d love to find my inner French girl. Will have to get that book.
.-= Ginny´s last blog ..It’s cool and rainy out. Perfect weather for dog camping. =-.
I am still obsessed with the French and French women in particular – also have a ton of books on the topic. There is just something about how they go through life that I totally embrace!
.-= Andi´s last blog ..5 Things Sex and The City taught me about life =-.
[...] lessons that French women can impart. She shares what she likes best about French women in “Cultivating Your Actual Self – Lessons from the French (Girls).” Hold onto those books [...]