Behind The Scenes: What I’ve Learned From My Year In France

Episode #90

Here’s the short version. To listen to the full episode, click on the play button above!

Here’s what I’ve discovered over the years since I walked out the door of my corporate job. It’s not just about becoming your own boss or having a business based on your passion, although that part is great. It’s about having the freedom to re-design your life. Once you have made one big change, it’s amazing how easy it is to start making other big changes and find the ideal path for you. You start to have the power to make those long-held dreams (that you secretly thought were just fantasy) into an amazing reality.

Now, if you have already listened to episode 49 ‘Behind the Scenes: My Big (& Exciting) Decision” you will know how I made the daydream I had in my corporate job a reality. If you haven’t already heard it then do go and listen to it now, because it will give you all the background to my decision to come and live and work in France full time for a while.

So yes, I moved to France one year ago this week. The time has absolutely flown. I’ve spent most of my time here but have also managed to travel to other European cities and have had multiple trips back to the UK to hang out with friends and keep that part of my life alive.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Has the fantasy lived up to reality? Absolutely!

But, I have realised a few things about myself and what I need to feel completely fulfilled and happy.

Although I 100% love the country and the chilled way of living here, there is a part of me that misses the buzz of the city, exploring new places and life in the fast lane. I’m not quite ready to rusticate completely yet.
Also, I’ve learned that there can be too much of a good thing. It is great to have the time and headspace to focus on your health and well-being, and I have loved my time here for that. I have also been able to get my head down and really push my business forward. But I think I may have got a bit too chilled! I realised that I need more variety, more action, and more challenge in my life to really achieve what I want to and feel happy.
I need more connection with people. This is a very friendly village, but very low-key in comparison to London! I need to be around more people more often.
My big learning was that I just don’t want to be tied to just one place yet. Certainly not for all of my time. Whenever I thought about long-term renting or buying somewhere else, I just started to feel trapped! Which made me procrastinate.

WHAT I’M DOING NEXT

So what is next for me? Well, I’m going to up the ante a bit. I know that being in France 100% of my time is not for me… yet. But I also I’m not ready to say goodbye completely.

So here’s what I've decided… my next chapter will be filled with variety. I’m sticking with France as my main base, but am going to spend half the year living in other countries. I haven’t decided which countries yet, but it will mean spending a month or two in different places learning new cultures and experiencing their way of living and popping back to France for some r and r and headspace in between. It’s still in the really early planning stages but what I do know is I’m heading back to the UK next week for a couple of months and then will come back to France for the Summer, after that I’m not sure. But you will be the first to know when I know! I’m a planner so will have it all figured out in time!

I’m not sure how long I will want to have this half-nomadic lifestyle, I may decide one day that it’s not for me anymore, but at least I will have experienced it. And will be able to share my experiences with you.

So there you go, that’s what I learned from my year in France and a sneak peek at what I’m planning for my next chapter. Do I have any regrets about my move to France? Absolutely not! It’s been a great experience and only by doing it could I get clear on what the next exciting chapter is for me.

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?

So what about you, what’s your next move going to be? What do you want your future to look like? If you could do anything or go anywhere what would you do? Allow your mind to think big, to consider what seems impossible, because it very rarely is.

If you need help working out what you really want to do next in your working and personal life, then check out my free course on how you can decide your next move. Through a series of videos, I talk you through step by step how to get clear on what your next best move is, so you can stop procrastinating and start believing that there is more for you beyond the 9 to 5, there is another way if you just decide to go for it.

To sign up for the course go to www.nicholaohara.com/free-course

THE BOTTOM LINE IS…

What you do with your life and how you want to live it is totally up to you. You may not be able to see exactly what you want yet, or you only know the first step, but by making the decision that you no longer want to accept the status quo, you are opening the door to so much more in your life.

You just have to make that first decision and then all the other decisions and choices will be so much easier, I promise. And before long whatever your daydream is right now, will become a reality.

Mentioned in this episode…

Denise Duffield-Thomas - Chill and Prosper

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>>FREE COURSE<< If you're feeling stuck and uncertain about what to do next in your working life, be sure to check out my free course "How to Decide Your Next Move." I guide you through the simple steps you need to take to get crystal clear on what you will do next in life, beyond the 9 to 5.