As I was saying in an earlier post this week, this pandemic is also the perfect moment to spend some time evaluating our life, thinking about where we want to go and what our priorities are. And adapt accordingly…

Since 2008 I have been trying to find my place in this world, sometimes following my heart, at times following my professional dreams. I moved from France to UK, to Spain, to Australia, back to UK, then again France, Romania just to decide that somehow France had become home and it’s where I wanted to be.

If at the beginning I was lead by what I thought ‘should work’, according to the effort and some critical decisions I had taken, like not going back to Australia… I was then lead by what my professional expectations were (according to my experience in Australia). I was determined and convinced that I had control of my career and it was the one thing I could count on. But as I learned, with the crisis of 2008, and the different market expectations, I had little control of that as well. I dreamt of working for private sector, then fashion companies (did even a luxury fashion course on online), of coaching expats and third culture kids, but my CV somehow didn’t seem to fit. I didn’t have the experience required or I was expected to start again… and was maybe too old for the job – let’s not even mention the starting salaries in comms in UK compared to the living costs in London, where I wanted to be.

I was tired and felt consumed and this was the only thing I was hanging onto. My only ‘pillar’ in life, as my dad would say. And that wasn’t good. But I didn’t and couldn’t see a way out. I felt I ‘needed’ to make it up the corporate ladder – I thought I was worth more and I thought I would make it, as I was expected to, during my studies.

One belief never left me… the feeling that I was not complete and this wasn’t it. I thought it could be better – should feel ‘right’. And that didn’t refer only to my professional life, but my life in general.

There are those that would have said that I was idealistic, or a dreamer but … I beg to differ. Yes, I ended up having to make some compromises and to adapt my expectations and maybe also reevaluate … but that is only after I had tried everything. Only then, knowing that I had given a chance to London, to Strasbourg… even going back to Bucharest, only then… was I able to finally accept some realities and maybe results of previous decisions and I could finally go for what my heart was telling me was right – and needed all my energy. That reality was the realisation that I just wanted to be back in France. After years of living here and making it my home (without my parents), I felt good here and I had my habits. I missed the language, I missed the boulangerie, I missed the smells of certain shops… my cooking shows on TV, even if in France I felt I wouldn’t have the career ladder that I saw possible in Anglo-Saxon speaking countries. I wanted to be back and I was going to apply until I found something. I didn’t even care about which city – I just knew that I wanted a job in comms and in English (wasn’t going to compromise on comms). I had some trials but didn’t go to all interviews – Lille, with no direct flight.. didn’t appeal to me… until I found a fit with an organisation in Sophia-Antipolis.

I felt great satisfaction and a bit of amazement as I got off the flight from Bucharest to Nice. I was back. I had ‘made it’.

The rest of the story, would have to be for a different post… but my main idea is this: follow your gut. Try everything you feel you need to. We ONLY have ONE life. It doesn’t matter what people think and say. You know your truth. If something is telling you things are not right, they are probably not.

Don’t sacrifice your dreams, don’t compromise where you shouldn’t. Yes, I didn’t get exactly what I thought I wanted (at particular points in my life), and I reevaluated my priorities. But that’s only after having tried.

While things may not always be ideal and completely perfect (are they ever?), I have now, after 10 years of fighting and searching many of the things I wanted: a job in comms (my profession and passion), in France and to top it off – in a region I am completely in love with and that suits my personality and needs: Cote d’Azur – Nice: sunshine a big part of the year, the sea 10 mins away from my house and a region with multiple influences/multicultural (I’m in my heaven).

As Steve Jobs said, and this has to be one of my favourite quotes: “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition”. Go for it. Live your life 100% and don’t quit on your dreams. Till next time…