What does it mean to live a vibrant “vivante-life”? The definition for sure will vary from person to person. In my perspective, it means shaping a life where your decisions are primarily fueled by your desires and passions.
While not every aspect and choice in life can be made through sheer will, listening to that gut-feeling/intuition more often is definitely within reach for most of us..
I recently pursued a small dream that I'd nurtured for quite some time: attending an immersion course in French in Provence. This opportunity allowed me to dive into the French language, stay in an old castle, dine Provençal cuisine, and enjoy amazing local wines.
That week was nothing short of magical🪄, enriched by the other “students” that had also decided to enhance their French. Truly inspiring individuals, all with different backgrounds and stories to tell. One person in particular, Susan, left a lasting impression. At 75, having spent the majority of her life in England, Susan's French carried a heartwarming strong English accent. When I asked if she had ever studied French, she humorously replied with that strong accent, "Tout ma vie, chérie".
This lovely lady had decided to take this immersion course now as she recently became a French resident. She told me this beautiful story about how she had always dreamt about living in France. So, two years ago she decided to fulfil her dream. Her partner in England did not want to move to France so she bravely pursued her dream and bought that house all by herself.
Now she is living her dream; cultivating her garden with flowers and plants she never managed to grow in England, having lunches with new friends that she has been introduced to & inviting family and old friends to her home regularly.
Such a vibrant and happy lady⚡! I asked her how she manages to stay so fit and fresh. The recipe she shared was “healthy food and a very simple gymnastic routine introduced 40 (!) years ago” .
She does those simple exercises 2 times every week. No wonder she was still flexible and fit after doing those magic exercises more than 4000 times up until today. “Those exercises and moves are simple & I can even do them on my bed”, she told us.
Her routine made me think of a book I recently read; "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. This book emphasizes the power of “habit stacking” and how you can make new habits stick by associating them with existing ones.
Based on research, there is something about bundling habits together and making them easily achievable. So.. if you want to start doing something that you do not fancy too much, you should try to tie it to another pleasurable task that you already do regularly. Maybe listen to your favourite radio program in the morning while doing 10’ yoga or read 2 pages about something new before having your afternoon coffee?
This approach not only fosters consistency but also takes advantage of the dopamine boost you get from the old, enjoyable activity when you stack the new one on to it.
As this was a language course I attended, I also want to share something about the benefit of learning a new language🗣️.
Learning a second language can actually contribute significantly to a vibrant life! It exercises the brain by forging new neural connections, enhancing concentration, memory, and creativity. Exercising you brain with a new language can even offer protection against dementia and other cognitive disorders.1
In addition, you can even explore slightly different personalities of yourself when you are able to express yourself in different languages. How about trying the introvert & arrogant You in French for a day? Or the dominant version of yourself with German? I find it interesting🤓.
Back to Provance and the culinary delights of that region.. I was served the most delicious meals during this past week. Locally produced of course and predominantly vegetarian dishes. We started each meal with vegetables or vinegar-salad, followed by the main and finishing off with desert or cheese (no cheese after lunch for the metabolism according to the chef🧀).
💡Starting off a meal with a vinegar-based salad is not just a tradition but actually a health practice worth mentioning. Why? Because it seems that if you expose your gut to acetic acid (in the vinegar) it can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the carbohydrate absorption from the following meal. 2 So..a small & simple thing to add to our existing dinner-habits!
This adventure in Provence enriched my life beyond learning French. It introduced me to inspiring people, taught me something new every day,and reinforced the value of pursuing dreams. My “new friend” Susan reminded me about the fact that it is never too late to fulfil dreams and create habits that strengthens your body and mind!
Here's to embracing new adventures and living more, vibrant Vivante-lives!
1. Https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2022/04/29/learning-language-changes-your-brain/
2. Panayota Mitrou et. al., "Vinegar Consumption Increases Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake by the Forearm Muscle in Humans with Type 2 Diabetes", Journal of Diabetes Research, vol. 2015, Article ID 175204, 2015.https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/175204
