Bonjour, Happiness!!

I guess you heard this quoted many times: happiness is never too far but often hide in the simple things of everyday life. I'm fully agree with this. For me, happiness is to finally have a quiet and relaxing Sunday. Re-arrange my apartment, re-organize iTunes' song list and lying down in the couch while reading this interesting book: Bonjour Happiness by Jamie Cat Callan. It is about how French finds it through their culture of pleasure and embrace all the things that make life so delicious.  And for us girls, it's really  a fun and exciting guide.  It reveals us some secret why French can always look charming despite of age, body size and simple dress they have. Also steal some life tips on why they don't race against the world but they can be content at the same time. Curious? OK, here are slices of favourite lesson shared by the writer:

• Break the connection between spending money and happiness by finding experiences that bring you joy, but do not cost a thing. Happiness often comes from an experience that we share with others. This is the true meaning of Joie de Vivre. It is all about this experience that connects you to your love ones, your family and friends, and the world around you. i.e honor birthday and other celebration - not by buying some expensive gift, but by giving the gift of your time and effort and the thoughtfulness. Something made by your hand is often the most memorable one.

• Reject the fast and efficient and instead choose something that takes a little more time and delays gratification, ultimately creating more satisfaction. The writer says about Zen of French. Where most of French women keep the stress away by simply creating a Secret Garden: a few hours everyday for a delighted moment, of savouring the detail of everyday existence i.e stay longer in bed writing for a journal (therefore this blog exist! :p), drink the morning coffee from exquisite porcelain cup, keep flowers on the table, acknowledge the handsome good looks of gentleman walking past you on the sidewalk. Life is too short not to contribute to the joie de vivre of the admiring world around us!

Fresh flower everyday. my home feels home :)

• Celebrate your beauty. A Parisienne said the secret of their confidence is " we are a women. So just be!" It doesn't matter how old you are or how not skinny you are, we just need to be proud of who we are and how life experience makes you interesting to others. And sexy!! Travel is one of the key word. Don't you feel when you're away from your ordinary day, you loves to wear anything you can think of and not worry so much about what fashion police says about it. And when you come back, there's a story to tell.. a little more things or two.

Carla Bruni. My fave role model, she's always looked naturally stunning!

• Don't be afraid to be sexy. Even for your self ^_^. French way is wear good lingerie all the time. For ourselves. It's a terrific confidence booster. And when we're out, heels always makes a big difference. It make us conscious of my own body and posture when we enter a room. To make it sexy yourself, think about the musicality of your heels clicking on the floor. Appreciate the power of a look, the flutter of eyelashes and your smile!

xoxo

-Nuning-