In 2020, the various lockdown phases forced me to slow down (as I was sinking into burnout) and face who I had become – exhausted by the ever-widening and deepening gap between the person I presented to others and had convinced myself I was, and my true self, whose needs and limits had not been respected.   This enforced break led me to review my life, to explore it by going back in time and rediscover the little girl I once was... and whom I had mistreated and abandoned through my choices – both consciously and unconsciously...   The result of this exploration is the writing I am now sharing with you. I conceived it as a collection of thoughts that can be dedicated to a future child or to the child we once were – that 'inner child' who is none other than our authentic, true and deepest self.   I hope you enjoy reading it.   F. TO YOU… ...to whom the earthly adventure has beckoned, I promise to be an imperfect mother... but a loving one, attentive to your needs and eager to help you realize your potential at your own pace.   I promise to hold your hand for as long as you need me to, and to let your hand slip from mine when the time comes – when your time comes.   How beautiful is the world in which you are incarnated! You will discover landscapes of greatbeauty; you will taste the wonders that nature offers to those who take the time to observe it.   In this world, you will meet welcoming and kind people who will accompany you on your journey and inspire you with friendship, love, sharing... and many other things that will make you want to move forward, express the best of yourself, explore the world around you and love life. WHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS ARE NOT AT THEIR BEST In this world, you will also meet people for whom relationships with others boil down to power struggles, because they don't know any better – they haven't experienced anything else.   Do not judge when you cross paths with one of these people: they suffer from not having been welcomed, from nothaving been listened to or loved for who they truly are. They have only ever known exhausting and destructive powerstruggles with others. Do not judge them, but do not try to 'save' them against their will from their suffering, because you will suffer too.   Only help to the extent that you are truly able to, but never overestimate your energy or your own abilities, at the risk of exhausting and deactivating yourself … SOMETIMES IT IS WISER TO MOVE ON You know, sometimes it's better to walk away, and that doesn't make you a bad or heartless person.   Remember that you can only give love and help to people who are ready to receive it.   We cannot force anyone to take the hand we offer. Under no circumstances can we impose our help, not even on someone who begs for it insistently but never takes it – be aware that this person's goal, even if unconscious, is unfortunately not to maintain a balanced relationship with us, but to obtain and retain our attention and presence, our energy and vitality...   It is a matter of exercising discernment, respecting the choices of others and respecting your own limits, even if it frustrates, pains or displeases you – everyone's free will must be respected. SELF-RESPECT I will teach you, as best I can, to respect yourself first and foremost, to respect your values and needs, what you are capable of doing, enduring and taking on.   But I will also teach you to protect yourself from those who do not respect you and try to bend you to their will for their own benefit.   Never accept anything that makes you uncomfortable, or that shames you or hurts you in the name of love or friendship, or out of a need to be accepted or loved! Never! Love, friendship and kindness give you wings, you know! They don't restrain them or clip them! Never!   Wanting to be accepted by everyone comes at a price, and it's a very high price to pay: by bending to the expectations of others and pretending to be someone you're not, in order to please them, all you gain is the loss of yourself, to the point where you no longer know what truly suits you, what you love, or even who you really are, deep down.   SOCIETY AND ITS PRETENSES You will see that, very often, the human society you are now joining (capable of both the best and the worst) still encourages appearances, lies and "false pretenses".   I will do my best to ensure that you do not give in to this pressure, that you acquire the tools necessary for the true expression and affirmation of your being, so that you never lose yourself in this masquerade, at the end of which only suffering and destruction await – by wearing masks, we deny our deepest selves, we stifle them... and we extinguish them.   I know from experience how painful it is to realize that you have given in to what is, above all, a lie to yourself. And I know the energy and time it takes to rebuild yourself and regain your integrity, your identity, in truth... FACING THE REACTIONS OF OTHERS Some people, including some who are close to you, will not understand your choices and will reject them – especially if these choices go against what society expects.   Do not judge these people! Judging them is tantamount to deceiving yourself: declaring yourself better able than anyone else to understand and manage life... Who are we to presume such a thing?   Do not judge these people! Judging them is tantamount to deceiving yourself: declaring yourself better able than anyone else to understand and manage life... Who are we to presume such a thing?   Only respond to taunts if you can do so with humor – humor helps to defuse many tensions.   Don't respond to malice with aggression: that would be giving it importance it doesn't deserve. Malice is nothing more than an admission of the sad state of mind and suffering of the person who resorts to it!   Respond to jealousy and envy only with kindness and humility – you are dealing with someone who suffers from not feeling loved, or who does not believe themselves to be lovable enough, or legitimate enough, or good enough...   Do not respond to violence with violence – it will only increase! Nelson Mandela showed us the way: although he could have given in to the temptation to resort to violence against his jailers, he chose to make them his "allies" – thereby giving his country the prospect of a more humane future than the one into which South Africa was sinking. Mindsets do not change in a split second, nor can prejudices be destroyed with a snap of the fingers. But this great man knew how to plant seeds of hope and instil the vision of a more just and peaceful world in the minds of many of his fellow citizens who, even today, are taking strong action to make this vision a reality. THINK, DECIDE AND ACT CONSCIOUSLY I will teach you not to make decisions lightly or on impulse – out of provocation, spite or frustration!   Sooner or later, we all have to face up to our responsibilities. And it is up to us, and us alone, to bear the consequences – both in our own lives and in the lives of those affected by our words and actions.   I will teach you, as best I can, to think for yourself, to decide and act according to your conscience, with respect for others and for yourself. LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION I will also teach you to trust the little voice inside you that we call "intuition".   When faced with a situation or a person, we all sometimes experience a moment of hesitation, a step back or reluctance that surprises us. Politeness and propriety teach us to ignore this initial reaction, even though it often turns out to be very accurate in hindsight!   I will do my best to teach you to listen to your body's reactions and pay attention to the thoughts and emotions prompted by your intuition. I will help you to use your "inner voice" wisely and make it your ally.   Please note: this is not about justifying anything and everything, any old how, on the pretext that 'my little voice told me to'! No! It is about learning to listen to the reactions that come from within you, that are unique to you, in order to protect yourself from predictable and avoidable setbacks. THE CIRCLE OF THOUGHTS You will experience wonderful things thanks to the body that will be yours. It will allow you to discover the world around you, but also the world within you: a rich universe, strewn with clues that I will teach you to welcome and decipher like Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple – whichever you prefer!   You will see that this inner universe consists, among other things, of a profusion of thoughts: some you will easily pick up on, because they will be in your full consciousness; and there will be others, many others, whose existence will only become apparent to you through facial expressions, gestures, words or actions that will emanate from you so spontaneously... that they will leave you speechless! Do not be afraid! Every human being is confronted, sooner or later, with this strange realization: "How could I have reacted like that?" "Did I say that?" "Come on!..." These spontaneous reactions are the result and expression of your thoughts – unconscious, but true. Don't be afraid of them! I will teach you, as best I can, to welcome these reactions and understand them, especially those that are unpleasant and that you would rather do without... But you see, they will reveal what you really think!   Once these clues have been revealed, I will teach you to take out your detective's magnifying glass and be on the alert to examine them, analyze them and give them meaning in your journey – a journey that you will undertake according to the decisions and actions that these clues inspire you to take!   These clues are essential: ignoring, suppressing or denying them would be tantamount to ignoring, suppressing and denying what makes you so rich and what is most precious to me: YOU!   So I will say to you: "Get out your magnifying glass, my little Holmes! Sharpen your brain cells, my little Marple! And let's set off on a joyful and exciting journey of discovery into this new field of investigation, which is none other than You!" THE WALTZ OF EMOTIONS Your inner world will be rich in thoughts, as we have just seen. But you will also discover that it will be full of emotions! You will experience joy – a real delight! But you will also experience emotions that are less easy to accept and manage – such as anger, fear, sadness, disgust, shame...   I will teach you not to be afraid of these less pleasant emotions, and above all not to hide them fromyourself: they too are valuable, you know! Because they will give you clues – yes, they too! – that something is not right for you, that something is upsetting you or confronting you with a difficulty, discomfort or danger!   Learning to detect and listen to these clues is truly invaluable: it will help you make decisions that are right for you and enable you to act in a way that restores your peace of mind and preserves your inner stability, balance and well-being.   Just as with thoughts, I will help you to discover your emotions, and I will teach you how to tame them and make them your allies. JEALOUSY, ENVY, ANGER.. . These feelings are not welcome in our society, which points the finger at them and judges – in a very sententious manner – those who experience them.   And yet...   Jealousy, envy and anger have been part of humanity since the dawn of time! Open the Torah, the Bible, the Koran, the Sutta Pitaka and all the other spiritual collections... Open all the books on ancient and contemporary history... All these books will give you countless examples of these feelings that society still condemns today, without really attempting to address the suffering that results from them and expresses them.   Human beings tend to point the finger at others for everything they themselves can not accept! There is no fiercer accuser of jealousy in others than the jealous person themselves! No harsher judge of envy detected in others than the envious person themselves! No more virulent court of others' anger than the angry person themselves!... What others do reminds us of ourselves and sometimes, even unconsciously, confronts us with our own character traits that we try, as best we can, to flee from, or even stifle and deny, because expressing these feelings is irrefutable proof of an indisputable lack of good manners and self-control in the eyes of our society!   But how can we even imagine controlling something that we flee from, or that we stifle and deny? It's exactly like putting a bandage on a wound without even disinfecting it and saying, "You're fine, everything's fine!" Not only would your wound get infected, but you would also suffer! It's exactly the same principle! If you want to overcome what has caused you suffering, because you sincerely want to free yourself from it, you will see that you have no choice but to do what you would do for a wound: face that suffering head-on and treat it with kindness, perseverance and patience, until it is completely healed!   I promise to accompany you throughout this delicate and lengthy learning process.   HATRED – FEAR OF OTHERS OR DISAPPOINTED LOVE In this world where you are incarnated, you will find that sincere and unconditional love is not always present and that sometimes hatred of others disfigures humanity...   Others are violently rejected because they come from a different ethnic group, a different social background, a different religion... In short, others become targets of hatred for the sole reason that they are... different. Hatred, in this case, is a powerful admission of the fear caused by this difference. The other then represents a threat to those who are overcome by this fear, to the point where all logical reasoning is lost. And hatred, blinding and exponential, ends up convincing those who give in to it that the other will expel them from their comfort zone and cause them to lose their identity and their achievements. Many have used, and still use, hatred of the other to impose their system of thought, with the sole result being the hell of instrumentalised destruction. But the other can also be violently rejected because they are not 'like' they imagined them to be or because they did not react 'like' they expected them to. This gap between what is and what we wanted (or even demanded) is very often experienced as painful 'proof' of a lack of or refusal of love on the part of the other person: 'My parent didn't do what I expected, so they do not love me!' 'My parents didn't give me the share of the inheritance I wanted, so they do not love me!' 'My child is homosexual... If they dare do this to me, it means they do not love me!'... How many families are suffering, torn apart by hatred – this love that has been disappointed because it was conditional...   Do not judge those who are consumed by hatred, whatever its origin. They are suffering souls. COMPARISON – A MASSIVE WEAPON OF DESTRUCTION Our society has a peculiar but deeply ingrained habit: that of comparing everything.   It's about who will be the first to stand up, walk and fall out of nappies, who will have the best grades and the best education, the best job and the best salary, the most beautiful, newest and most expensive car...   This habit is, in my opinion, the root of humanity's troubles. Comparison is the matrix of an unjust and inequitable system: some find themselves valued, in a dominant position; others devalued, subject to the domination of the former.   The most surprising thing is that human beings seem to have found in comparison a way to reassure themselves about what they believe to be their value, their skills, their status, their qualities...   But for a single moment of joy (just one moment!), how many frustrating experiences because someone else got there first, or because the goal was not achieved or proved to be out of reach? How much stress, how much pressure for ONE SINGLE moment of joy? In such a system, it is no surprise that there are so many burnouts, anxiety attacks and deep unhappiness. It is no surprise that people who feel wronged end up rebelling and committing irreversible and desperate acts – whether these acts target their own lives or those of others. Nor is it surprising that some 'dominant'individuals attack those weaker than themselves in order to jealously guard their supposed position of superiority and authority, especially when they feel invested with some kind of truth...   And all these daily conflicts to determine who is right and who is wrong, through comparison and submission...   And all these rivalries and wars built on jealousy, envy and covetousness – because a comparison has made it intolerable that the other has what one does not have in one's possession...   If only human beings could realize that comparison is too often a means of division and destruction, whereas welcoming everyone with kindness, in their uniqueness, has the virtue of uniting us and increasing our potential for action and creativity tenfold! I would like to convey to you, with all my heart, that your uniqueness is a strength: it makes you a unique being, rich in qualities and abilities that you can put at the service of others, just as others can benefit you with their skills when you lack knowledge or expertise in a particular area – which is perfectly normal (and a good thing: no one can claim to know everything or be able to do everything!). Accepting everyone in their uniqueness is, in my opinion, the basis of a fair and equitable system!   What reassures me is that more and more people share this idea with me, and each of us is doing our part as best we can!   So there is hope for a fairer, more stable and more peaceful humanity!   INTENTIONS, THOUGHTS, WORDS, ACTIONS: EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED! In this world where you incarnate, you will often hear: 'I said such and such, but that's not what I meant!' Or even: 'I did such and such, but that's not what I wanted to do!' Do not judge: you yourself will often be tempted to react in this way, especially when your subconscious reminds you of its existence!   Be aware that our intentions, conscious and/or unconscious, condition and trigger our thoughts, words and actions! Whether we like it or not, this is true for everyone.   And don't fool yourself: even when they are not spoken, our intentions are visible and audible to anyone who knows how to observe: just like our thoughts, our intentions are reflected in our facial expressions, our gestures, the tone of our voice, our choice of words and our actions. Even a lack of reaction on our part is a reaction in itself and expresses an intention!   I am not telling you this to frighten you or put you under pressure: on the contrary, it is to encourage you to welcome your thoughts, words and actions, to become aware of their intentions and consequences, and to learn lessons that will help you grow serenely, in harmony with your inner self. I will do my best to ensure that you do not fall into the trap of lying to others and to yourself! There is nothing worse than making others and yourself believe that certain intentions do not exist, simply because they have not been expressed through thoughts, words or actions... And the worst part of this story is that the only person you will deceive is yourself... Sooner or later, others will inevitably see through your lies and may even judge you harshly, even if they cannot or will not say so to your face...   I will teach you to be and remain in the light of truth, my child! This path is demanding, but so much more comfortable than the one paved with lies and hypocrisy – those companions of deceit... THE POWER OF WORDS I will make you aware, as much as possible, of words and the fact that each one has an energy with which we can all destroy or breathe life into.   A child who is constantly told that they are "good for nothing" becomes a receptacle for destructive energy. Conversely, a child who is told that they are trustworthy will mobilize all their vitality to embody this reliable person.   We all say the wrong thing sometimes because we've had a difficult day, because the person we're talking to is exasperating us... We are not constantly bathed in kindness, nor do we constantly radiate its benefits! We all make mistakes and, sooner or later, we all slip up with our words. The important thing is to realize it, understand the consequences and make amends for the mistake by apologizing sincerely, then taking care not to repeat it.   But I will teach you all this. THE POWER OF THOUGHTS Our thoughts condition and trigger our words and actions, remember? But they have another peculiarity: they can be a force for creation or destruction without even being spoken!   Our thoughts, like our words, are energies that you must learn to manipulate with awareness, integrity and discernment.   Physicists will explain this much better than I can, but know that everything here on earth is energy – whether you view the world through the prism of minerals or plants, animals or humans.   Everything is energy. And what emanates from it is vibration. Therefore, our thoughts, all our thoughts, are vibrations – whether they are expressed in words, actions, or not.   Be aware that vibrations do not take into account the concept of space-time. Sooner or later, you, like all of us, will find yourself in places where there is no one around you and feel deeply how peaceful they are. Some people will say 'You can feel the good vibrations here!'. Other places, on the contrary, will make you want to flee. These different places are receptacles for the positive or negative thought-vibrations that their residents or visitors have associated with them. The beings are no longer there, but their thought-vibrations remain.   The same phenomenon occurs through projection: for example, when we think well of someone, whether they are near us or not, we project our thoughts and vibrations onto them, as if we were enveloping them in a cocoon of gentleness and warmth. When, on the contrary, we think badly of someone, we associate them with heavy and overwhelming thought-vibrations, and we lock them in a suffocating vice.   Remember: our words can breathe life and energy, or destroy. The same goes for our thoughts. Positive thoughts envelop others and ourselves in warmth and love, accompanying and uplifting us all. Negative thoughts imprison, immobilize and destroy.   Let me reassure you right away: I know that your thoughts will not always be kind to me, especially when, in fulfilling my duty as a parent, I am forced to thwart your desire for satisfaction – for example, when you want to stay in the bath at all costs eventhough the water is getting cold... Later, you will understand that I was preventing you from getting sick. But at the time, I will be the least sympathetic and most frustrating mother in your eyes! Don't worry: your protest, which is natural and understandable, will not imprison me in a suffocating prison! No! The heavy thought-vibrations I am talking about are those that we consciously project onto others with the aim of harming them because we want to destroy them and see them suffer... Unfortunately, these thought-vibrations exist, and those who emit them will sooner or later have to face the consequences and take responsibility for them!   It is very tempting to wish harm upon those who have hurt us, to wish ill upon those who upset us and stand in our way. We all experience this. All of us. I am no exception. But I will do my best to help you resist giving in to malice or the need for revenge, and to keep your conscience clear. YOUR NECESSARY REVOLTS It is clear to me that the journey that lies ahead of you – and which I am already looking forward to accompanying you on – will not always be a 'long quiet river'! It is also clear to me that you will often rebel against me as a mother, until you understand that my intentions have never been to clip your wings, but rather to offer you a safe and reassuring environment, allowing you to become an independent, sociable and responsible adult, comfortable in your own skin, balanced in your heart and mind, and capable of making constructive and healthy decisions in line with your inner self.   What's more, your rebelliousness and anger will be necessary for your development: they will allow you to separate yourself from me and assert yourself! It will certainly not be easy for either of us, but it will be healthy and vital!   And then I'm not infallible: I have my faults and limitations, like everyone else. I will make mistakes! Lots of them! That's a guarantee! But I promise to do my best to remain as clear-headed and objective as possible so that I can realize them in time and react accordingly.   You see, I too am on a learning curve: your presence will help me learn the 'craft' of parenting. YOUR JOURNEY HERE ON EARTH The day will come when you will question yourself about the journey you have come to accomplish on this Earth, and the meaning of that journey.   No one but you can define this journey. No one else, do you hear me?   Under no circumstances should you agree to follow a path that is not in line with your true self – under the pretext of 'pleasing others' or 'keeping up appearances' because you want to be liked in order to win people's favor! This will only bring you false advantages and real inconveniences...   I will accompany you as best I can, with love and kindness, as you discover yourself and explore your uniqueness, your strengths and your weaknesses. This is how your path will reveal itself.   This is also how you will be able to define your priorities, your needs and desires – which are bound to evolve throughout your life, and that is right and good. You will have to make choices throughout your journey. And it will not always be easy for me to welcome and accept them – especially when they take me out of my comfort zone. But this is your life here, not mine! If there's one thing I've learned here on Earth, it's that forcing anyone to take a path that isn't theirs never does any good in the long run, either for the person or for our relationship with them.   I will teach you to be clear about the consequences of your choices and actions, and to realize that once you are an adult, it is up to you, and you alone, to take responsibility for them.   It's a long learning process that awaits you, that awaits us. But you'll get there. I have every confidence in you. UPS AND DOWNS Life is a constant learning process.   You will have the joy of experiencing wonderful moments, just as you will have to face situations or periods that will be less pleasant. Do not worry: these are part of the learning process, and I will show you, as best I can, that there are always lessons to be learned.   When these lows appear, I will help you not to focus your mind solely on the negative aspects of what is happening to you. Focusing on these aspects would be like training your mind to see only what causes you frustration, anger, pain, sadness, anxiety... This is how we would fuel a state of mind that does nothing good for your emotional and mental health.   On the contrary, we will do everything we can to help you hold on to the positive experiences you have had and will continue to have. This is how we will train your mind to focus on the end of the situation you are going through, on the lessons you can learn from it, and on the determination to get through it. In this way, you will find it easier to calm your anxiety, overcome your frustrations and anger, and avoid sinking into thoughts that would weigh you down and paralyze you.   I will teach you to look at things clearly and realistically, but also to seek solutions while fighting with optimism and determination against the pull of the bottomless pit that is depression. LISTEN TO YOUR HEART… … because that is where you will find your truth.   And it is also in your heart that you will find the courage to accomplish the journey you have come here to experience. I PROMISE... I promise to do my best, imperfectly but to the best of my ability. And I am well aware that you have a long learning curve ahead of you: that is what life is for all of us. I will pass on to you everything I know, having experienced it myself. But I am well aware that, like everyone else, you have free will: I know that you will have to make your own decisions and to have your own experiences. I will be there to guide you, reassure you, but also to respect you and your choices without judging you – especially those that you may make even though they do not correspond to what I would have done in the same situation. But, once again, it is you we are talking about here!   I cannot walk your path for you, and that is out of the question! I can simply give you all the tools I know, but it will be up to you to choose whether to use them... or not.   A colorful experience awaits you! Don't be afraid! Live it to the fullest! And as long as I am allowed to be, I will be there, by your side. With love.

The following list is not exhaustive and is subject to change. However, it provides you with tools for reflection that have been tested and found to be relevant. I hope you find it useful! Kind regards, F. Heal Your Wounds and Find Your True Self (Lise Bourbeau) Listen to Your Body - Your Best Friend on Earth (Lise Bourbeau) The Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz) The Key to Your Energy : 22 Steps to Rebuild Your Energy and Free Yourself Emotionally (Natacha Calestrémé)

This list contains works that have inspired and accompanied me in my quest for well-being. I am delighted to share it with you! As with the personal development books, this list is far from exhaustive, but will be added to as I discover new works. Kind regards, F. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho) Your Second Life Begins When You Realize You Only Have One (Raphaëlle Giordano) The Man Who Risked It All (Laurent Gounelle) The Man Who Wanted to Be Happy (Laurent Gounelle) Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Mandela) Siddharta (Hermann Hesse) I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiago (Hape Kerkeling)

May Nelson Mandela's wisdom accompany us throughout this week - and all those to come: « May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. »   Wishing the best to you all,   F.

« I never lose. I either win or learn. » Nelson MANDELA   This strength of character is within everyone's reach, if such is our will. Have a nice day,   F.

After the rain comes fair weather!   When we find ourselves in a situation that affects our emotional and mental balance, it is often difficult to remain optimistic and keep in mind that this situation will come to an end...   Everything then depends on our ability to bounce back and hold on to the belief that better days are ahead.   Just as we know that a rainbow is a promise of good weather, may we always anchor our thoughts in the certainty that better days are coming! F.

It is not always easy to say ‘thank you’ when life's ups and downs shake us up. For a long time, I ‘cultivated’ anxiety, fears and pessimism before realizing that I was maintaining a state of mind that, far from being fruitful, was distancing me from the serenity I so desperately longed for... That's when I started saying ‘thank you’ for the little things that life offered me or allowed me to experience: thank you for the flight of butterflies that I am able to observe, thank you for the music whose sweetness envelops me... And little by little, my state of mind began to evolve and open the doors to serenity. This state of mind recharges my batteries and allows me to navigate the ups and downs of life, not with carelessness and naivety, but with discernment and lucidity, and with an ever-growing confidence that I will overcome whatever I have to go through. Wishing everyone this state of mind,   F.

Feeling good and staying positive... Easy to say, but oh so difficult to achieve when your heart, mind or body are suffering...   This July 2025 pushed me to my limits.   I have already experienced a lot of physical, emotional, psychological and even spiritual pain, but I had never broken down or cried out in pain like I did this July.   My lower back had already warned me in the past that I had been carrying a crushing burden for too long, but sciatica – taking root in that same lower back – left me with no choice but to believe that I would NOT be able to get over it in no time with the help of ointments and medication.   This sciatica forced me to listen to my body: it prevented me from resting or sleeping. The only thing I could do to calm it down was to walk... day and night... without respite... for a whole week (despite the prescribed painkillers)... Sitting for more than half an hour was impossible, lying down was hellish... At the end of the sixth day, I found myself on all fours, in the middle of the night, crying my eyes out... all those tears I had never cried and which had frozen, crystallised in my lower back.   Enough is enough...   Everything that is not expressed ends up, sooner or later, being imprinted on the body, and everything I had not expressed – since my earliest childhood – had chosen to freeze, for the most part, in my lower back...   Very strong painkillers eventually replaced the first ones, which had no effect, and taking them in very high doses finally relieved my pain. But this suffering triggered my reflection, my need to understand the root of this acute and incisive pain.   And as one thought led to another, the transgenerational component of this pain also became clear to me: my mother has suffered from lower body pain for a very long time, my father hardly ever takes off his lumbar belt (herniated discs causing him pain with astonishing regularity), and my two grandmothers (maternal AND paternal) spent their last years paralysed – their legs had stiffened and rigidified to the point where they could no longer support them.   So what? Did I come into this world to carry this burden as my inheritance? That is OUT OF THE QUESTION! I categorically REFUSE to be the third generation to suffer such a yoke!   So, in addition to my medical follow-up with a general practitioner and a physiotherapist, I decided to give Natacha Calestreme's book a try: ‘The Key to Your Energy : 22 Steps to Rebuild Your Energy and Free Yourself Emotionally’ – a book that I had already come across, but whose urgent usefulness I had not yet realised.   I tell you all this not to make you feel sorry for me or pity me. I just share my experience to show you that the saying ‘what is not expressed is imprinted’ is not just a witty remark: it is a FACT! And what is imprinted on the body ends up, sooner or later, being expressed through pain... Pain that I would not wish on anyone.   Don't let unspoken words, repressed pain (of whatever kind), or swallowed tears (yours and those of the generations before you) take you hostage and prevent you from fully expressing the potential you came here to embody!   Don't allow that to happen! That is all I wish for you!   So speak up! Put your feelings into words! And dare to reject destructive legacies, Truly, In kindness towards yourselves and towards others, But firmly, And fully aware of the wonderful and indispensable beings that you are in and for this world!   Take good care of yourselves, F.

Have you heard Cynthia Erivo's masterful rendition of Nina Simone's ‘Feeling Good’? If not, enjoy the discovery! F.

" Love is the only flower that grows without the help of the seasons. " Japanese proverb

Don't allow conditioning to suffocate your potential! Don't allow inappropriate, malicious words or actions to damage your self-esteem! Don't let others, circumstances or events define you!   Instead, embrace with kindness and lucidity everything that makes you unique: ● your skills and qualities, ● your faults and flaws. All this makes up the person you are - UNIQUE and PRECIOUS - whose presence matters in this world.   So BE! Embrace yourself, all that makes you you, without taking pride in your light or judging your shadow parts.   Just BE! In truth, with humility and authenticity.   F.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." African proverb often attributed to Nelson MANDELA