Working from Home making time count

 

 

 

I am not very good at "blowing my own trumpet" but I just have to share with you my very first guest post.  Judy Heminsley, the author of the wonderful book, Work from Home Wisdom and website offers information, support and advice for home workers and home business owners.  Judy invited me to write about my life working as a freelance PR and marketing consultant from home here in France. 

 

I met Judy a couple of years back at a writers conference.  I loved her take on the challenges that writers face and I took onboard alot of her advice.

 

Fast forward to this year and I decided to ask my friend Ange, who also works from home to be my accountability partner or buddy.  Ange lives in a converted barn next to a chateau - and makes beautiful handbags using vintage French fabrics...yes....living the dream!!  But us creatives can find it difficult to combine our passions with the demands of runnng a business, dealing with cash flow, tax issues and all the general day to day stuff. 

 

Click on the link to find out how we have both benefited and become more productive.  I also reveal the special qualities needed for the perfect accountability partner. 

 

http://www.workfromhomewisdom.com/2013/03/11/working-from-home-accountability-partner/…

 

Would having an accountability partner would for you?

Motivate Monday

This quote seemed strangely appropriate after I drove through lightening storms, torrential rain, hailstorms and even snow to get home last night.  I gripped the steering wheel and faced what the elements threw at me...OK I did squeal a few times when there was a particularly loud lightening flash but I carried on  across the wild countryside and through the dark forests...survived a bird hitting the car roof (bizarre!!) and saw three deer by the side of the road...I got back in one piece.

I am living closer to the elements than I have ever have in my life... it is awe-inspiring, beautiful, exciting and sometimes scary too!! 
 
The day before I wasn't so brave when my sat nav let me down and I was totally lost in the French countryside...I completely lost my bearings....and after what felt like hours of drivng, and trying to drive up tracks that were unpassable, it crossed my mind to pull over and have a weep....I did pull over and finally decided to check the map...et voila!  I wasn't so far away from my destination after all. 

The sense of achievement when I finally arrived at my destination was great.

Lessons learnt....don't rely on the sat nav...it doesn't know best...learn to trust my own instincts and have faith in my abilities.  Feel the fear and do it anyway!



 

A Passion for Life

I have come late to the 2009 film Julie and Julia ...I had the dvd on standby for a rainy day...and so it was on a snowy Sunday I finally got to watch it.   

Julie and Julia is a delicious film about love and passion.  It tells the story of two women rebuilding their lives... Julia Child following the 2nd World War and  Julia Powell after the Twin Towers tragedy.  The film immersed me in Julia's life in post-war Paris and Julie's life living in a pokey apartment and dealing with the aftermath of the Twin Towers.

Both women were looking for something...something to do ...but most importantly something they could love doing and be passionate about.

For Julia it was translating classic French recipes for the American market and producing a "masterpiece" of a cookery book called Mastering the Art of French Cookery.   This turned out to be a considerable feat and took eight years!  She went on to write many books including her memoirs, My Life in France.

Meryl Streep as Julia Child

 

Blogger Julia Powell set herself a challenge to make a different recipe from the book every day for a year and she commited to blogging about it every single day. In so doing, she revealed the ups and downs of her life and marriage discovering more about herself along the way.

Director of the film, Norah Epheron, was also a great female writer and novelist, known for her novel and film Heartburn and Silkwood among others...featuring strong female characters.  Meryl Streep portrayed a feisty and rather sexy Julia Child who loved food and her husband with equal measure I think!

So what did I take away from the film?  Challenge yourself...find your enthusiasm and when you do put your soul into it.  Be fearless...have fun and don't stint on the butter!

As American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." 

And as Julia Child owes so much to her beloved France...here is a quote from French philosopher Denis Diderot. "Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things." 

Are you enthusiastic about cooking?  Or does something else melt your butter?

Motivate Monday

J'adore ...French attitude to kids food

via Chocolate and Zucchini

This is a typical French nursery menu...a nursery in Paris to be precise....thanks to Clotilde from Chocolate and Zucchini blog for sharing....please note there isn't a chicken nugget in sight and certainly no horsemeat.

The menu is full of fresh fruit and fresh vegetables and is based on the availability of seasonal produce and NOT the freezer counter. And notice the number of courses...French children are trained from the beginning to sit at the table, socialise and savour their food!  I never see an overweight French child.

Macdonalds or MacDo is looked on with scorn by the French older generation and seems to be considered as a treat by those that do very occasionally take their kids there. 

Junk Food or Fast Food is yet to take hold - thank goodness!!

 

Motivate Monday

"Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it." Buddha

It can take a while, maybe years, to find your passion.  

What type of work makes you happy?  Are you at your happiest when you are creating something?  Do you love helping people? Do you adore detail, planning and organising? Are animals your thing? Does working outdoors rock your world? Are you an expert on a subject? Can you teach us something that we don't know?

What makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning?

It may be hard work to make your passion a reality and even harder to make it a viable source of income. 

But you MUST find your passion to live a happy and fulfilled life.
And the bonus is that during the process of finding your passion....you will discover yourself.
 

Are you lucky enough to have found your passion?  How does it work for you?

Rewarding A Sharing Life

Photo Rob Desgroppes

Last week in France Claire SUFFRIN received the very high distinction of the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honour, awarded by Jean-Marc AYRAULT Prime Minister.

Over forty years ago, Claire founded the R.E.Rs, the Receiprocal Exchange Networks of Knowledge.

Today there are networks throughout France run by volunteers who offer their knowledge and skills in exchange for knowledge and new skills from others. For example in my local town our exchange network has over 100 people offering to teach different skills ranging from bee keeping, upholstery to permaculture - even learning how to fly! The idea is that you offer a skill in exchange. No money changes hands. So while I go to French conversation classes free of charge in return I offer English conversation classes.

The sharing of skills, information and knowledge has been passed on in this way for hundreds of years. It's an informal but effective method of receiving advice on any number of subjects from child care, swopping recipes and growing vegetables- to name just a few!

Maybe something of this word of mouth methodology had got lost down the generations, with families moving away from each other and leading increasingly  busy, hi-tech lives. The old traditions and ways of doing things were in danger of getting lost.

The exchange network opens up opportunities for everyone :- 

• I've always wanted to.....well now you can... just ask and more than likely there will be someone who can teach you to play the guitar or make sausages....whatever your wish is
• Lean new skills
• Find a new hobby or passion
• Meet new friends
• Preserve culture and traditions
• and....save money!

 

So what knowledge could you share with someone today?