mindful monday

my final meal: pommes frites + salad, water + wine = balance

loot from today's macaron making class {most are in my belly}

final sidewalk cafe moment: note vespa, pigeon in flight + lab's champagne bucket water bowl

bonjour from my final night in paris. the bags are packed and my heart is heavy. although i'm filled with excitement to see loved ones back home, i'm also pining over the end of an adventure.

after my 3-hour macaron class {blog post with how-to forthcoming}, where my delightful teacher asked if i was bored {bored? i'm just clueless and whisking is HARD, grueling work!}, i meandered about the city for six hours until my final meet-up. throughout the wandering, i paid attention to my breath. i stopped when my feet ached {which was often as they are still sore from yesterday} for a cuppa tea. i wrote in my journal. i read from a book. i sat in luxembourg gardens one last time to savor sunshine on my skin in a beautiful setting. i did my best to soak in a sensory-filled last day in paris.

i return to dc tomorrow, teach two days, meet with my book designer, and have a few appointments before dashing out to portland friday for the world domination summit. you may recall reading about my experience last year and my use of the $100 gift. i look forward to returning and even have a photo shoot set up for le pug, le beau + moi with friend lara blair, author of dog photography the following weekend.

as you know, my focus here was to savor the experience and i believe a gold star is in order for my efforts. although the art journal spread on my intentions and a project or two were not completed, life has been lived differently. and for that i am grateful.

the good news: you don't need to travel abroad to bask in sensory experiences. the opportunity to bask in this exact moment is always available. consider signing up for a workshop to learn a new skill {although know whisking is tough!}; going on an early morning bike ride through the quiet city; picking up fresh flowers for your kitchen or bedside table; toting a book with you to be transformed to another world in minutes; or doing lion's pose when you feel frustrated {promise, it helps}.

it's the start of a new month. consider penning july's dreams and note an intention to practice the art of savoring each day. may we do our best to relish simple pleasures {bonjour, macarons}, listen to our bodies, and give ourselves a much needed respite from time to time. remember, it's all about balance. the yin and yang. the pommes frites and the salad. the wine and the water. the doing and the being.

mindfulness includes a deep attention to savoring daily life. merci for joining moi on this journey. bisous. x