A Change of Scenery, French-Style

I have big news to share. We're moving to France! 🇫🇷

...for six weeks. 😬 

I have a few lessons to share in light of this grand adventure. But to understand how we got to today, we need to rewind the clock. 

A year ago, I was speaking with a consultant friend. I couldn't remember where he was based, so I asked him, "Where are you again?" He casually responded, "I'm in Portugal." I was surprised. "Like, on vacation??" "No," he replied, "I live here most of the year."

Wait a second.

I had a lot of questions, mostly around "How does that work?" He works with US-based organizations, so to hear that he was doing advisory work from Europe was quite interesting.

We have relatives in France — my wife's aunt moved from the Pacific Northwest to the south of Paris many years ago and raised part of our family there.

We've always been close to our French family. We've visited a couple of times, and our daughters love being with their French cousins. 

That night, after that conversation with my friend, I asked my wife Heather, "What would you think about 'moving' to France this next summer?" I think she was as shocked to hear the question as I was asking it. She loved the idea.

The next step was to talk with our girls. I had no idea how they would respond. To our delight, they both loved the idea.

So, almost a year ago today, we began to dream. Where would we live? How could I serve clients and do my work while investing in my family? Could we budget responsibly?

We downloaded Duolingo and started working on our French.

Today, we begin this grand adventure. 😄

Above: Nemours, France in 2014. The parish church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, built in 1170, marks the center of town. We will be living near family, just north of Fontainebleau. 

We are calling this summer together “Joie de Vivre 2024.” Joie de vivre is a saying in French that means the joy of life. As in, “they are filled with joie de vivre.” 

Joie de Vivre is about being fully present in the moment and with the people in front of you. The joy of living is not only about happiness, but about embracing whatever life offers in the moment. 

We are fully embracing our joie de vivre.

For the next month, we'll be living just south of Paris. I'll continue to advise and coach clients. Work on the book. Reflect. Learn. 

We'll share meals with family. Explore our little 12th-century town. Go on weekend outings. Eat pain au chocolate. 🥐 

Why share this? I debated whether to. This is a once-in-a-lifetime type of opportunity, and I realize this kind of experience isn't accessible to everyone (...or is it?).

I often talk about getting outside your context and seeking diverse perspectives, and it would be hypocritical of me to invest in my own Outside Mindset and not ask you to consider the same.

What are you doing in this season to cultivate an Outside Mindset? Here are some ideas:

☀️ SUMMER IDEAS FOR CULTIVATING AN OUTSIDE MINDSET

✅ Read a book that will challenge you or introduce a different perspective.

✅ Ask someone on the fringes of your social network to lunch (or Zoom coffee).

✅ Visit places and spaces that help you see the world from a different perspective, even if they are in your backyard.

✅ Be present to experiences this summer. Don't let the summer months slip by. Go on that walk. Have that barbecue. Take the family to the park.

✅ Find a coffee shop or park bench and journal about this last season. What is on your heart and mind? Journaling is an opportunity to be honest with yourself.

The work will continue this summer, but our family will invest in being present — with each other, the culture, and the world around us. Living with joie de vivre.

We're looking forward to the next six weeks. The Wave Reports will continue, and I expect I will sprinkle in some updates of the things we are learning, but others I’ll store up for the months (and years) to come.

In the meantime, au revoir et a bientot! 👋 🇫🇷

  - Dave

About the Author | Dave Raley

Consultant, speaker, and writer Dave Raley is the founder of Imago Consulting, a firm that helps non-profits and businesses create profitable growth through sustainable innovation. He’s the author of a weekly trendspotting report called The Wave Report, and the co-founder of the Purpose & Profit Podcast — a show about the ideas at the intersection of nonprofit causes and for-profit brands.

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