Greetings from France, blog readers.
I am spending 2 months here while teaching at a University near Paris (a great place to be as spring approaches), and I came across a very interesting book that my wife picked up. It is called "French Women Don't Get Fat", by Mireille Giuliano (a French national married to an American). It's stated purpose and focus is on helping women find a healthy, sustainable way to enjoy food while eating well and honouring their bodies.
I have enjoyed reading it so far, in part for its useful advice on wellness and eating healthily, but even moreso for its wise words about life in general. I want to share some of that wisdom with you here.
Probably my favourite statement in the book so far came on page 41. It is, I think, a very useful insight into life:
"We are fragile beings in a world full of temptations"
This comment is made in the context of an insight the author's former doctor had about people. It was an insight he applied to his work with the author in helping her return to a balanced weight and a sustainable way of eating and enjoying life.
When I read that phrase, it landed so solidly I had to put the book down for a while. My mind raced with images of so many times when that statement held true for me. I became inspired and had a flurry of ideas. I found myself reflecting on many situations I've wrestled with as I tried to stay on course for a goal I was pursuing, only to beat myself up because I had strayed from the target due to some other interruption or priority. It also really resonated in the sense that I am interested in many things, and sometimes find it difficult to stay focused on a few key priorities when so many fascinating and wonderful new opportunities come to my attention all the time. Fortunately, these are generally "good" temptations. Stil, they can create a lot of consternation inside of me.
I also appreciated the quote because of the compassion I saw in it. I am sometimes ruthless with myself when it comes to falling behind on a goal or making a mistake with something or someone where I feel I "should have known better". For me, the "fragile beings" part of the quote really speaks to the nature of being human, and it seems to call out for self-compassion. I think we can all use more of this.
Here are two other thoughts I appreciated:
"Deprivation is the mother of failure"
and
"Any program that your mind interprets as punishment
is one that it is bound to rebel against"
So true! Think of how many changes you've tried to make in your life that either felt like punishment or involved a lot of deprivation. Did they last? I bet not.
This is not to say there isn't a role in life for occasional deprivation. There are many cultural and religious traditions around the globe that involve periodic or ritualistic deprivation of one sort or another. However, in many cases these are short term undertakings, and I see them as ways of teaching us (or reminding us) to appreciate life as we have it. In situations where the deprivation or punishment is designed to be part of everyday life, I see high costs and unclear benefits.
Finally, another piece of wisdom I very much appreciated was the notion of the power of "slight recalibration". That is, the power of small changes. As the author put it,
"Little changes
can make a big difference
in the long run"
Absolutely. If we want to make a big change that wil become a part of who we are, one of the most sustainable ways to do it is to make small adjustments in that direction, like a ship adjusting course on the ocean. In time, those adjustments add up to something big. Perhaps most importantly, because they were made in small steps along the way, they have become engrained in your way of doing things; even in your way of being. That, my friends, is a recipe for success. Sure, sometimes quick, bold, dramatic shifts are called for, but many things in life need time to incubate and nurture themselves. The incremental approach described by the author definitely creates that space.
Let's all be thankful for the gems of wisdom we come across in our lives.
Recent Comments