Bonjour lecteurs! Like many of you, I have been reflecting on 2018 to set myself some targets to achieve in 2019. And while I was sorting out some old notebooks, I came across a diary I wrote back in 2014. And you know what stroke me? How much I changed and how much I accomplished in 4 years! And yet, I am starting the year feeling guilty about things I have not achieved last year. En plus, all I can read online is about New Year’s Resolutions. But reading back at this page I wrote on the 25th of August 2014, I tell you now, you should start the year celebrating your successes rather than contemplating what you still need to do!
Back to what I came across from 2014. I was merely moaning at a Summer Bank holiday being rainy. Also feeling sorry for myself for not achieving much in my life since 2010.
The truth is that I never really saw myself as an ambitious woman and I never wanted to climb up the ladder. I only loved working with children and sharing about my culture. But looking back at this very private moment, I realised how much I have changed in the last few years. And yes, I might have put on weight and get some grey hair, but I accomplished quite a few things!
In 4 years (that is quite short in a lifetime when you think about it!), I did so much! We bought our first house with Grumpy Boyfriend. Detached, 4 bedrooms and with a lovely garden. Exit the renting life! The dream for many people, even if we are not in London anymore.
I also took the plunge and set up my own business as a blogger. After playing around for over 1 year and pretending that the Frenchie Mummy was merely a hobby to be more than a mum, I quitted my teaching job and became self-employed.
We survived a miscarriage and we now have a beautiful and cheeky toddler sharing our life (and probably taking more space than I would have never imagined when I begged my partner for a bébé!).
We travelled in some fabulous places:
I work from home while raising a kid and trying to keep the house as tidy as possible (not easy when you live with Grumpy Boyfriend, let me tell you! There are many times when I feel like killing him!) and I do it all on my own: boring admin, pitching to brands, photos and editing, writing and research to progress and all… And I am not even saying that I am the best, let alone any good sometimes! But oh boy, I try!
Looking back at the young woman about to turn 30 in 2015, I realise now, that like too many of us, I am focusing on things that are not there yet. When really, I should start the year celebrating my successes! And as I type those lines now, I become aware that I did quite a bit! ACHIEVE. A big word that always makes us feel bad when really, we have all done so in our own way! So why do we keep punishing ourselves about what we need to do less or more!
I did a quick list of all my awesome achievements. We worked with many brands that I have liked over the years! And I met some fabulous people like Emma Bunton (Baby Spice people! Big thing to the Frenchie Maman, let me tell you!). And even if Grumpy Boyfriend helps me with the mortgage (we share the house after all!), I earn my own money!
Let’s take this morning par example. I got up at 7 am, caught up with all my emails since taking a break at Christmas. Posted my daily picture on Instagram (have a look and give us some love if this post put you in a good mood! Merci!). Two coffees down, it is not even midday and I also cleaned up the kitchen, got Baba ready to go to the nursery, told my men how much I loved them, done two sets of laundry and also executed a workout.
Oh, and I wrote this blog post after coming across a younger me from 2014, unhappy and unsatisfied with her life and smoking too many cigarettes!
Actually, another great success down the lines ticked in those years I am reflecting on. I quitted smoking! Bam! And you know the worst? When I woke up this morning, I remember thinking ‘Time to start the new Moi today! Back to work and let’s rock’n’ roll 2019!’
But you know what? I already rocked 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 too! And there were some moments difficiles down the lines! Losing a baby in 2014 (it was a baby, and not an embryo to me, even at 12 weeks old!). Baba having heart surgery when he
So right now, after pressing ‘publish’, I will get my third coffee of the day and I will cheer to all that I have achieved in those years! And you should too! Whatever it is for you ( a new job, a project you went through, raising some good kids…), you should start the year celebrating your successes and not feeling guilty with New Year’s Resolutions! Take 10 minutes and write down all the good things you did!
And keep being your awesome You! Because even if there will be shit days (there are always ups and downs), you will go through it and you will still evolve! It doesn’t matter how fast you will do it, the new You on the first of January 2020 will be better! Like a good old Merlot! Tastier with age!
Now go and kick this 2019 Ass ladies!
Happy New Year 2019! Bonne Année 2019!
Some very inspiring words! Keep being amazing! And all tge very best for 2019!! X
I think you’ve done fantastic considering . Baba looks well and healthy . Your doing a great job. As for grumpy boyfriend well I have grumpy hubby. They come from a different planet I think Uranus lol I’m sure you’ll have Great 2019
Wish they had these blog things when I was working and raising 4 children, especially when grumpy hubby was working nights and I had to keep them and 2 dogs entertained and quite in the day time. A few word of encouragement go a long way, but we survived and our 3 three surviving children are now grown up with children of their own. And guess what they use blogs to help them out now. Sometimes the good old days are just days gone past looked through rose tinted glasses cus it sure wasnt easy. But we made it. lol. (forget the Merlot pass me another gin haha). All the best for the future xx
Amazing post!! ?
Great advice to celebrate the sucesses!
What a lovely post. Well done on your courage and success and wishing you well with your blog and your family this year.
I love reading your blogs
Great blog very interesting
Yes mama! So true
Oòoo la la – courage is always needed to suceed – happy New year
This year has been ok but I need to do more
What a lovely post, you have so much to be proud of
Well done on your achievements it’s a great blog you should be proud
Great advice to celebrate the sucesses!
What a great idea I love it thank you for the inspiration Happy New Year
Fabulous advice as always
Very inspiring, you always have to look forward to progress but look back to see how far you have come 🙂
Wow fantastic advice as normal ?
A lovely post. You have done so well with your blog going from strength to strength. Looking forward to reading more of your blogs.
you should be very proud of what you’ve done in 2018 and looking forward to seeing your blogs for 2019
I loved reading this. You are amazing and very inspirational.
awesome blog as always
What a wonderfully inspiring post. Well done on quitting smoking, health is everything and you have certainly achieved tons. I rarely reflect but am going to more often this year, it’s so important to stop racing for more, more, more as soon as you’ve reached a goal and to relish in the achievement. It’s an act of self-love. Happy New Year! Hope we get to meet up again soon x
Hoping my year will be better this year!
Looks like you had some great times and fun . Happy new year
Great advice for the New Year! I have told myself this year that we aren’t going to stress about the small stuff! 2018 put a lot into perspective for us.
What a wonderful, inspiring post! You have accomplished so much!
Congratulations on your achievements, and have a happy and healthy 2019.
Great post congratulations on all your achievements and hope to you have more to come
Great Article
Such a lovely idea to celebrate your successes rather than thinking of a resolution to do something you failed to do in the previous year! I think this should become the new tradition for everyone!
Very inspiring article – thanks for that
love your blogs
an awesome blog
here’s hoping that everyone’s new year will be better than the last
you’ve done amazingly, well done! xx
wonderful blog
Awesome post, and I totally agree! Especially as women we tend to put such incredible expectations on ourselves, we should definitely be celebrating ourselves as well!!!
Great advice.
Wonderful advise thankyou
love reading your blogs
I am going to try and be more positive this year
Very good read and great advice!
Great article.
hoping to be has successful in my life has you are on your blogs
Fab advice. Well done on your achievements.
Thank you for such an interesting article. I feel it is so important to be optimistic and to keep trying – whatever the task is.
a very interesting blog
Well done for accomplishing so much, keep up the great work and i’m sure you will have even more to celebrate in 2019. Personally 2018 was the worst year of my life and I feel I am at rock bottom and have so much to sort out in 2019 that it feels overwhelming, but thanks for your encouraging words they are very inspiring to me x
Well done on achieving so much in 4 years. Hard work really does pay off x
Your blog is fab!
Some great achievements. Here’s to a fantastic new year
What a super list of achievements – keep up the good work.
Wow! This is amazing – really inspiring! Happy New Year to you.
A really inspiring post
very inspiring words
Gosh you’ve been through a lot but your positivity is wonderful and inspiring! AND you quit smoking which is so unbelievably hard to do, I know from experience! Keep on being amazing! X
Great advice, lovely post
interesting read and sound advice though common sense
your blogs are very interesting, love reading them all
Well said! Nice to reflect on what has been and look forward to all the good that’s to come in 2019, fingers crossed!
What an amazing yet terrifying at times journey you have been on. Fantastic experiences and hopefully many more to come for us to follow
Great post! We should all stop and realize that we are a success, rather than thinking we should do more, all of the time. I am in awe of you!
Having the ability to reflect on your life is such an amazing thing to do. I often struggle with this and takes somebody to remind me just where I was 5 years ago. Changes take time and sometimes they take so long we dont really notice they have happened. I’m here, a Happy single mum of 2 little men still juggling life work and home while dropping it all for the children.
looking forward to reading your blog on how you are doing
What a brilliant blog, so inspiring
You have achieved so much already and I wish you success for the whole of the year. We love reading your blogs!
Your positivity is really inspriring to me. Really enjoy reading your blogs. I also have quit smoking. It’s only been 17 days, but I don’t feel the urge to smoke and know that I have turned my back to it. You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. Best of Luck to you & your readers for 2019!
great site
Sounds like you had some great achievements this year congratulations
Interesting blog.
You’re right, we should be celebrating what we already do well and not always living for the future. I think people are happiest living in the moment and be happy with who you are x
Fantastic thankyou for your great blog
great blog post, you are absolutely correct we need to celebrate what we have achieved, rather than berating ourselves for things we have not yet done
so true
Congratulations on your achievements.
I hope that I am as successful has you
lovely post