My name is Susannah and I am an Australian living in Paris. I’ve been here since 2007. I came here first as an exchange student when I was 15 and visited and revisited until settling here with my young family. I love France and the often challenging and ultimately rewarding experience of living in France. This blog is about my wellness journey living in Paris.
All in all, I’ve spent the best part of 2 decades exploring Paris. I know most of the tourist attracttions by heart, I’ve visited many galleries, musée, monuments, and places of interest. This I’ve done as a solo traveler, in a couple, with my family, and also with many of our friends and family who come and stay. There is always something new to discover in Paris and I never get tired of it.
Why wellness?
However, as a permanent resident, I have found that there is more to life than tourist destinations. The reality of juggling work and family life in a big foreign city is not always a piece of cake. To be all the things to others, I need to create time to support my well-being and health. This means self-care – eating well, staying fit, feeling good, nourishing my cultural and intellectual interests, traveling, and relaxing. My me-time is an important way of ensuring I’m keeping my head above water.
I’ve always been one of those people who like to exercise for two good reasons – so I can eat what I want and because I feel such a boost afterwards. This has meant a regular gym membership and the occasional pilates or yoga courses. A few years ago (not long before Covid hit) I began to explore more fitness-related courses and found that I enjoyed the variety. During Covid I did lots of pilates and gym classes in my living room (thanks YouTube!). Like many others, this strange time made me acutely aware of the fragility of our existence. Without good health – physical, mental, emotional strength – life and happiness felt less sure. I realised the importance of wellness and well-being.
Wellness is more than fitness
After the worst of Covid was over I got back into trialing new classes across Paris. It meant discovering new classes and meeting new people, but also, visiting different corners of Paris.
But I realized that running between yoga, pilates, and dance classes was not enough. Sometimes I need to do nothing, just be still. Other times I love to read, do short courses, go to the movies, or the theatre. A spa session or meditating are favorites too. A long walk, a night out with friends, or just a change of scene are all good for my souI. I needed a more multi-faceted approach. I needed to define my wellness journey living in Paris. That is when I came across the 8 dimensions of wellness. This helped me build a holistic approach to my wellness.
My wellness in Paris blog is my way of sharing all the fantastic places and things I have found along the way to support you in your own holistic approach to achieving and maintaining wellness in Paris.