There were so many wonderful moments, like when we stepped into our exquisite Parisian apartment overlooking Notre Dame, finding myself crying as we stepped into the gardens at the Rodin Museum – it was the moment when I really knew we were there, in Paris – the scale of everything from the Louvre in Paris to the Pope’s Palace in Avignon to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, eating fresh churros from the market in the Marais, the flower market in Nice and its flavoured sugars, café crème, the Salade Marcel at the Tartine place in Avignon, the look on Justin’s face when he first saw the waters of Nice, walking by myself along the Seine, the gardens of Versailles, breakfast in the private garden at our Nice Hotel, eating a picnic lunch overlooking the Rhone, dancing sur le pont d’Avignon. We did it. We made it happen and we will cherish the memories forever

And I’m so proud of us for getting there and for savouring the journey because we also faced a whole lot of challenges right from the beginning, right from our plane being delayed because it had been struck by lightning – yes, by lightning! I’m scared of flying anyway so wow, that was tough. And when we arrived in Paris, it was 8 degrees and pouring rain with a wind that devoured umbrellas. We had rain just about every day and it was so cold that the one sweater I brought was pretty much my Parisian uniform. It helped a little but not enough because on the second day I got very sick. We actually considered cutting our trip short and coming home after Paris but just couldn’t bring ourselves to do it. Instead, a trip to the pharmacy, lots of naps and keeping positive got us through. But when we arrived in Avignon, again in the pouring rain, and Justin broke into a fever, I felt pretty defeated. When the proprietor at the hotel gave us the keys to room 13, Justin had “Are you kidding me?” written all over his face.

But the next day was sunny and Avignon is beautiful and as we found ourselves meandering gently up the Rocher des Doms and having a picnic lunch underneath trees overlooking the Rhone, with the most idyllic view imaginable (pictures to come), I trusted that there would be healing. We slowed down a lot at this point. We had to. And we looked for and savoured every single moment of beauty, of pleasure, of delight, of wonder, of inspiration and deliciousness. And there were many.

I’m sharing this with you because it’s so important to know that dreams can ask a lot of us. This trip certainly asked a lot of me. I was aware of bumping up against my limitations for a lot of this journey. I was challenged by the traveling itself, arranging and then figuring out different modes of transportation, from connecting flights to the high-speed TGV to the metro in Paris. I was challenged by French, a language I adore and have a history with but am far from fluent in. I was out of my comfort zone every day as I asked for help at the pharmacy or tried to understand signage or negotiated ordering dinner.

And outside my comfort zone were also extraordinary experiences and moments of wonder. I could have gazed out over the Rhone for days. I could walk along the Seine or the pebbly beaches of Nice day after day after day. I could lose myself in the art and the beauty forever.

And though I can honestly say I would have loved it if we had gorgeous spring weather and if we had been healthy throughout, I loved this trip. I’m thankful for every precious moment and so proud of us too. Even with the rain and the cold and the illness, this was a dream come true.

Today I’m sharing with you the Paris part of our journey. I hope you enjoy coming along.

How do you wish to grow?

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.

This podcast is 31:30.

This week’s guest: Julie Stuart, graphic facilitator

Website: Making Ideas Visable

The revolution will not be televised–but it could be visually mapped, laminated, overnighted, mounted on a wall, and used to ignite a movement once Julie Stuart gets involved.

Recognized in Harvard Business Review for her graphic facilitation work before anyone could agree on what to call it, Julie has visually facilitated high-stakes meetings for such clients as Accenture, GE Energy, the American Institute for Architects, and the Center for Disease Control. Part strategist, part business truth-teller, part idea taxonomist, part champion of insights, Julie combines the right questions with a few well-placed scribbles to envision what’s really possible for her clients–and to map out how to make what matters happen.

Years ago, when facing a choice between creativity, business, and world-changing, she chose all of the above, finding a new kind of art in bringing change agents’ ideas out of them. She’s never met a good cause she didn’t love. (Ask her about those 73 acres of trees in her hometown–free at last!)

With a Masters in Fine Art, an undergrad in political science and a background in teaching, public policy, journalism, non-profit management, and environmental science, Julie’s résumé has come to resemble one of her visual maps. To complete the picture, just add her three great passions: sailboats, ice skating and photography. It really is all connected, you see.

People and resources mentioned in this week’s podcast:

• Our accommodations in France: Paris Bestlodge, Hotel Le Colbert, Nice Garden Hotel
• Notre Dame, The Rodin Museum, The Louvre, The Pope’s Palace, Promenade des Anglais, Rocher des Doms.
• Lisa de Young
• Coaching with Jamie
• Emory
• Chris Zydel
• Harvard Business Review
• Dreamboards

Subscribe to Creative Living with Jamie…

• You can subscribe to Creative Living with Jamie here and also on iTunes here (Note: this link will ask to access your iTunes and then take you to the podcast. You can also simply open iTunes and search for “Creative Living with Jamie)

Connect to Creative Living with Jamie…

• You can email your feedback, questions and suggestions to Jamie.
• You can also call and leave your thoughts on our guest line at (512) 827-0505 ext 8766.

This podcast was edited by Shannon Ridler, find out more about her podcasting see here

What do you want to thank your mom for?

What do you wish for your home?

You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.

This podcast is 29:20.

This week’s guest: Marney Makridakis, author of Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life and founder of Artellaland.com

Website: Artellaland.com
Book: Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life
Book info: Creating Time Book Information

Marney K. Makridakis is the author of Creating Time: Using Creativity to Reinvent the Clock and Reclaim Your Life, and the founder of Artellaland.com, the groundbreaking online community for creators of all kinds. She created the pioneering ARTbundance™ approach of self-discovery through creativity and the ARTbundance Certification Training Program, which trains people to use the ARTbundance philosophy to design their own successful businesses rooted in true passion, personal joy, and creative meaning. Visit http://www.artellaland.com to learn more.

People and resources mentioned in this week’s podcast:

• The previous week’s episode
• Kelly Jack Real Estate
• Annabel Fitzsimmons
• Laura Hollick’s Soul Art Day
• Oprah’s Life Class
• Kate Swoboda
• Jennifer Louden
• Alice Walker’s The Color Purple

Subscribe to Creative Living with Jamie…

• You can subscribe to Creative Living with Jamie here and also on iTunes here (Note: this link will ask to access your iTunes and then take you to the podcast. You can also simply open iTunes and search for “Creative Living with Jamie)

Connect to Creative Living with Jamie…

• You can email your feedback, questions and suggestions to Jamie.
• You can also call and leave your thoughts on our guest line at (512) 827-0505 ext 8766.

This podcast was edited by Shannon Ridler, find out more about her podcasting see here

photo by Hannah Spence

When Jamie invited me to write this piece, I was an effusive YES. Now, in all fairness, if Jamie asked me to shave my head, I’d likely still be an effusive YES, because I love and respect her that much (AND…of course she’d have a good and savvy reason for wanting to see my bald pate).

But it wasn’t like I gave a ton of thought to what I intended to write when I offered up that YES. Intrinsically, I know dreams really do come true. I see it every single day. Big ones, little ones. I hold them for my clients and witness them coming to life. And the frequency does nothing to dim the sheer wonder I feel every time I watch them unfold.

Where I hesitate is in considering my own life. By all of my own measures, I have an incredibly rich one. The life of my dreams, I guess you could say. If I had designed a checklist when I was in my early 20’s of where I dreamt of being by the time I was eyeball-to-eyeball with 40, I know most boxes would be checked with great flourish.

How did that happen? One way. And hundreds ways.

The one way was a clear vision: abundance of love, joy and prosperity (though I’m not sure those would have been my exact words). And the hundreds of ways were the piles of mistakes, missteps and stubbed toes along the way. In learning my value and my values. In leaving room for magic while still holding focus. In living with the questions knowing that they would give way to the answers.

And in this very moment, I realize that some of those unchecked boxes are calling my name, asking to be loved up and tended to.

I’ve been so focused on the meta-view of my life that I’ve not been addressing the “other” dreams – the ones that get relegated to the category of “greedy” or “too much”. The impeccably gorgeous workspace. The travel I want for my father. The cottage. Some philanthropic work that feels so tender I dare not write the words. The personal stylist. The TV Show.

And so, once again, I am grateful to Jamie Ridler. In her request for this piece was a whispered invitation: what dreams to you want to see come to life, Tanya?

I will now make space for these other dreams. With spaciousness and intention.

Thank you, Jamie.

Tanya Geisler is a certified business and life coach who simply cannot and will not shake her indomitable belief that if everyone knew and lived their values, they’d hold the key to shining in their life, in their work and in their life’s work. (Now, wouldn’t THAT make for a far more joyous world?) A catalyst, not a therapist, she wrote The Joy Pages, created Board of Your Life , and speaks with great passion on all things joy, meaning and purpose.

Enjoying these Dream Really Do Come True guest posts? We’ll be compiling them into a free inspirational e-book for you! Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to find out when it’s available.