wellness around the world: the european edition / FRANCE
[welcome to part 2 of my 6-part mini-series, wellness around the world: the european edition. as my family and i travel through six countries in europe, i am sharing wellness habits from each. you may read part 1 here. today's spotlight is on france.]
my first glimpse into french life has been a full and rich experience. as we drove across the border from spain through the 5-mile-long somport tunnel, the scenery as well as the language changed. on the other side was lush greenery, after spain's more arid red soil beauty.
we began our adventure in france driving through the very narrow village of lescun, and hiking a short distance up a footpath with the dramatic backdrop of the pyrenees. we were caught in a heavy downpour on our way back down the mountain, and arrived at our car drenched and cold, yet refreshed and laughing. [on our way up the trail, still dry, with my french equine acquaintances.]
we spent that first night in a stone bed-and-breakfast with a lovely french family. [with our hostess, claudine.]
it was on to paris the next morning, and a whirlwind of historical delights. [the french love their flowers.]
[and their baked goods.]
[they respect and value their past.]
[and their most famous cultural icon.]
we are off today to meet my relatives in the tiny town of le bonhomme, france . . . a few french wellness practices that i've observed:
they love to eat, but always appreciate and savor their food
they know that eating slowly and calmly discourages overeating and aids digestion
they eat smaller portions, and feel no qualms about enjoying dessert
they take time out to relax, often indulging in a healthy amount of wine
they do a lot of walking and biking, in both countryside and city
they exude a healthy confidence in their cultural heritage and their individual lives
they recognize and embrace beauty in their architecture, art, and fashion
(the parisians do love their cigarettes though!) [descriptive words that immediately came to mind upon my first visit to france.]
my take-away:
the french people have a very valuable emotional wellness lesson to share.
they are proud of who they are and where they come from. they walk with confidence and grace, not caring what others may think. ~~~~~~~ do you carry yourself with assurance, regardless of others' opinions? or do you hold yourself back because you feel unsure and hesitant? make a commitment to BOLDLY TRUST IN YOUR ESSENCE. (and let me know about your plan in the comments.) [a summary of the six european wellness commitments introduced in the mini-series may be found at the end of this post.] [maxbutton id="1"]