How to Cultivate a Beautiful Mind
A Note from Tonya Bonjour! I have a question for you: Do you ever feel like you ve let your mind go? Perhaps, it s feeling like you simply have nothing interesting to talk about at a dinner party. Or, you just feel blah when it comes to conversation. Trust me, you are not alone. When once asked at a dinner party in the South of France, Tonya, what are you passionate about? I was absolutely appalled at what came out of my mouth. Because I didn t have an answer. Nothing. Plus rien. Nada. That shock gave me the fuel I needed to change things in my life. That desire, coupled with a plan, was a lifechanger. I left that dinner on a mission: To become a worldly woman who could discuss Voltaire, speak another language and never, ever feel out of place again. In other words, I no longer wanted to be the most boring girl at the table. You see, I had spent so much of my time taking care of others, trying to fix myself and on the hampster wheel of life that I didn t have room or time to cultivate my own mind. Can you relate? Here s the truth: You weren t born to just pay bills, obsess over yourself and then die. Oh, no, ma chérie. There s a beautiful world out there that is calling for you to dive in, explore and learn about the worldly things of life. Oh yes, my Bon Vivant. A true Bon Vivant immerses herself into The Arts and Language and things beyond the daily grind. Even beyond her years as a co-ed, she continues to stay in tune with the classics and even new passions; she continues to evolve and grow, especially as her desires change and deepen, as they always do.especially when she consistently cultivates her beautiful mind. Let s cultivate more knowledge and appreciation about the Arts and Language together, shall we?
I. PART ONE : What are my Passions and how can I Cultivate them? Here are some of the key categories that fall under The Arts : literature & language -- for instance: poetry, novels and short stories, and epics; performing arts among them music, dance, and theatre; culinary arts -- such as baking, chocolatiering, and winemaking; media arts -- like photography and cinematography, and visual arts including drawing, painting, and sculpting. (1) What are my Passions and how can I cultivate them? (2) How can I dive deeper into these subjects? (3) Action plan to make this a reality.
II. PART TWO: Parlez-vous Français Llyane Stanfield has been my personal French Language Coach in the past, and what I love about her is that she s patient, knowledgeable and extremely passionate about the French language. Allow yourself to make mistakes, be curious and practice, practice, practice!!! The lesson below is courtesy of J'Ouellette - a Division of Motivis Ltd. Llyane Stanfield is a Parisian French language coach, and founder of the J Ouellette French Method an organic method using techniques that are employed by the world s finest linguists. She travels between Toronto, New York and Paris, while teaching French via Skype in more than 15 countries. She is a French language coach for busy traveling professionals, and has produced an unprecedented Intensive Program and French Pronunciation Master Class, as well as other visual and teaching materials. Her unique methods produce a quantum leap in confidence and pronunciation, and a short session with her is the perfect start to brush up your French (whatever your level!) at the start of your Paris trip. Click here to download 7 Little Known Tricks to Mastering Parisian French. The most important phrases to know when in Paris Hello, Madam/Sir (Good Day): Bonjour, (Madame, Monsieur). Do you speak English?: Parlez-vous anglais? Excuse me, Madam/Sir?: Excusez-moi (Madame, Monsieur)? Thank you very much: Merci beaucoup. The bill, please [at the restaurant]: L addition, s il vous plaît! One ticket, please: Un billet, s'il vous plaît. A pack of metro tickets, please: Un carnet, s'il vous plaît. How do I get to X station?: Comment aller à la station X, s'il vous plaît? Some phrases you might want to be careful of how you say them... I am hungry: OUI: J ai faim [I have hunger] NON: Je suis faim [I am hunger] To kiss someone on the cheek OUI: Je te fais la bise NON: Je te baise [baiser = to f*ck] I'm hot (it's hot in here) OUI: J'ai chaud NON: Je suis chaude (être chaud = to be horny) I am done: OUI: J ai fini [I finished] NON: Je suis fini [I am dead = I am finished ] Preservatives OUI: des conservateurs NON: des préservatifs [préservatif = condom] I am excited (I am excited about ) OUI: Je suis impatiente. NON: Je suis excitée. [être excitée = to be aroused/horny] A friend introduced me to... OUI: Une amie m'a parlé de [a friend introduced me to... a topic] Une amie m'a présentée à [a friend introduced me to... a person] NON: Une amie m'a introduit [introduire = to insert]
ABOUT TONYA LEIGH Tonya Leigh is an admitted hedonist, internationally trained sommelier and devout Francophile who is on a mission to inspire the modern day women to Tonya writes at the intersection of personal growth and fabulous lifestyle and believes wholeheartedly that the two are inextricably linked. She feminine wisdom on the topics of home, body, mind, style, taste and culture. She is the leader of a movement against the misguided expectations of this day and age: that women should struggle with constantly improving their lives to some impossible ideal. Instead, she is leading a growing group of women who are committed to making today the best day of their lives. With a chic travel society, dynamic programs and her popular blog, Tonya is changing the way her clients think about sensuality, elegance, and luxurious living and challenging women to live their own self-made romances, one passionate choice at a time. Tonya is the Founder and CEO of French Kiss Life, Inc., has worked with Oprah and the IKEA Life Improvement Project and has spoken to audiences around the world about the power of indulgence and luxurious living. Visit www.tonyaleigh.com to learn more and join the French Kiss Life community. 2015 2014 - Tonya Leigh French Kiss Life, Inc. www.tonyaleigh.com