As I am new to blogging I didn't really know what shape it would take, but I do want it to be honest. I want to take my own photos and write about my life in France.
I love my life here and feel truly at home, but to get this far has been quite a struggle for lots of reasons.
This week has been incredibly special in many ways, not least because I bought these..............................
And went for long long walks in them, up steep rocky paths and through dense forests. I could not physically have done this a short while ago.
I always intended to retire to France and enjoyed long holidays here, furnishing my home in London with French furniture and textiles that I brought back.
Then, in a very short space of time serious injury and illness brought an abrupt end to a successful career. It was totally unexpected and quite a shock. So my arrival in France did not feel like 'living the dream' at all. However part of what I used to do involved Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it was time to practice what I had 'preached'. It involved a lot of goal setting and self talk and a crash course in learning to deal with setbacks, lots of setbacks.
I was unable to walk very far or drive so starting a business was quite a rash thing to do. It did make me resourceful though, it was the only way I could continue.
I was lucky to find the kindest and most patient Doctor ever. He never gave up, never wrote me off and stayed resolutely positive even when things didn't work out. In the end it wasn't one thing, but a series of discoveries, interventions and hard work that slowly added up until this week I realised that I wanted to go walking with my son and needed boots!
We decided to explore 'the mountain' first, climbing high above the village to peer down at it between the trees
And then go even higher,
to view the valleys on the other side.
At one time I wouldn't have even considered it and it often took me weeks to recover from much gentler walks. Now I intend to wear those boots out! I can't tell you how good it feels.
So, I've got my mojo back!
I have always had a lot of projects and now I have the energy to tackle them. Watch this space!
I love my life here and feel truly at home, but to get this far has been quite a struggle for lots of reasons.
This week has been incredibly special in many ways, not least because I bought these..............................
I always intended to retire to France and enjoyed long holidays here, furnishing my home in London with French furniture and textiles that I brought back.
Then, in a very short space of time serious injury and illness brought an abrupt end to a successful career. It was totally unexpected and quite a shock. So my arrival in France did not feel like 'living the dream' at all. However part of what I used to do involved Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it was time to practice what I had 'preached'. It involved a lot of goal setting and self talk and a crash course in learning to deal with setbacks, lots of setbacks.
I was unable to walk very far or drive so starting a business was quite a rash thing to do. It did make me resourceful though, it was the only way I could continue.
I was lucky to find the kindest and most patient Doctor ever. He never gave up, never wrote me off and stayed resolutely positive even when things didn't work out. In the end it wasn't one thing, but a series of discoveries, interventions and hard work that slowly added up until this week I realised that I wanted to go walking with my son and needed boots!
We decided to explore 'the mountain' first, climbing high above the village to peer down at it between the trees
And then go even higher,
Then we decided to go further afield and explore the volcanoes that form our horizon.
And attempted quite a steep climb above the Lac de Guéry
So, I've got my mojo back!
I have always had a lot of projects and now I have the energy to tackle them. Watch this space!
Comments
Post a Comment