In my series Superwomen that you now know, I keep mentioning people who show exemplary courage to create a better world.

I have largely mentioned in my article Thank you, how important and beneficial it is to thank people. I’m going to continue today.
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Mother's Day will be celebrated in France tomorrow and I wanted to take the opportunity to pay tribute to my mother, but also to all those women who are still part of my life today and are in my heart like my other mums.

My mummy, a brave woman who put love before all and everybody. A woman who fought against her family, racism and prejudices to build the family and the life she wanted.

Women have always guided me and served as role models, nothing surprising while in my turn I want to show the way to new generations and be an example.

Catherine: a very elegant woman who showed me that you could be a mother and a businesswoman. She saw me as a newborn, growing up and becoming the accomplished woman I am today. A golden mentor who supported me in my studies and my career choice, and showed me the way to follow.

Laurence: my professional mother, I always called her like that because she’s the same age as my mother and has always supported me well beyond her role as my manager. An extraordinary example that you must be human to be a good leader, and my course of action throughout my career. Once she told me that if I wanted to have a child, I shouldn’t worry about my responsibilities because she would replace me if necessary ... How many women would like to have such a support?!?

Debra: my Australian mum! While I was 10,000 miles away from my family and friends, alone in a new country and city, both in the office and at home, she took me under her wing and considered me as her own daughter. She attended my graduation in Australia, a great moment of pride in my life and an unforgettable memory.

Françoise: my French mother in Brisbane who taught me to shout to exteriorise my emotions! I don’t go on a rollercoaster ride without thinking of her, and theme parks have become my favourite place to evacuate frustration. Try, you won’t regret it!

Marie-Paule: Christmas without her is not Christmas! Protector of traditions and family values, she always helps people in need. She took me at home while my ex-fiancé had just left me, I will be eternally grateful.

France: my Tahitian mother with incarnate wisdom, full of positive energy and who always has solutions for everything. I speak to her when I feel down, she always has the right words to boost me!

Thank you all for being here for me and for guiding me in my quest for happiness and serenity.

A year ago I was in Madrid and I started the treatment to freeze my oocytes, I don’t know if I’ll be a mother one day, but there is no doubt that I would like to bring to others as much as these women gave me in my life.

Becoming a mum can be a difficult journey and being a mom is an even bigger challenge, but the joy and satisfaction of contributing to this world by raising a new generation, is an exciting choice for many of us.

Read or reread Gift from Science.

Women, mothers, expectant mothers who everyday help, raise and support others; a strength, a courage and that maternal instinct that we don’t honour enough, don’t change anything, you are wonderful!

Happy Mother’s Day to all these Superwomen!

Love & Joy,
L.

Let’s start this article with a new magazine cover: Take 5 (Australia), a special edition in May with another two full pages of my story. Go and grab your magazine. Thanks to Veronika for giving me this picture.

​I was planning to talk to you about pottery today because it's Mother's Day in many countries (except in France), however, several women confided in me this week and I needed to express their anger and frustration:

Being single is not a sin!

So, here I am, I’m going to debunk a lot of misconceptions in this article, because many singles (women but also men) are tired of hearing the same aberrations again and again ...
I remember once, I had just started a relationship with an Australian, and one of my friends surprised us tenderly clasped at a party, she came to accost me later and said, "I didn’t know you wanted to be in a relationship ... " Of course, I always dreamed of finishing alone and being devoured by my cat - which I don’t have by the way!

Many of us are single by choice, not that we want to be sologamous the rest of our lives (even if some make that choice), but because we want to find the right person, the big love, and nowadays it’s damn hard to find!
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We don’t want to be with someone just because society and millennia of religious and moral dictates say we need to, we are very happy single and we are looking for a partner who will be really incredible to change this status. No question of lowering our standards or changing ourselves for anyone, the man or woman of our life will love us as we are, and we are amazing!

How many singles who tell me that their family, friends, colleagues try to find them someone ... I admit that on this side I have no problem, my relatives have already told me that they didn’t know anyone in my league, hard to stay modest after that hahaha.

Of course, these same people will argue with marriage and children, again, not everyone is aspiring to these sacrosanct values, then I’m living proof that you can get married and consider having children alone!! And besides I'm happy! Reread my articles My Solo Wedding, Gift from Science and Happiness. 

​Even today we are judged by our marital status, after 30 years old, regardless of the success of our career, the money on our bank account or the number of marathons won, people still think that if you’re single, you’re not accomplished, they almost insinuate that you’re failing in life. Nobody ever asks you if you are happy.
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Besides, how many people believe that because we are single, we are necessarily desperate? I had a comment recently from a woman who told me that she was surprised to know that I was single (and moreover married to myself) because I looked very happy and balanced. She, on the contrary, married and mother, looked like at the end of her tether ... Happiness is a personal quest and no code should define it.

I’m often asked how I do to go out alone. It’s not because I’m single that I must stop living, and for me out of the question to put my life in parenthesis. I go to the restaurant alone, to the cinema, opera, ballet, museum, concert and horseracing alone, I even go to bars alone!
By the way, the last time I’ve been to New York, I went to the prestigious bar of the Baccarat Hotel and drank a delicious whiskey, comfortably seated on a velvet bench to admire the huge Baccarat crystal chandeliers above the bar. A memorable memory!

Again, from my articles you know that I’ve also travelled all around the world on my own, and how much I have at heart to achieve my dreams, I don’t wait after anyone to do it or help me. I'm not saying it's always easy, I have to motivate myself and kick my butt all by myself without the support of a partner, but it also gives me the freedom to do things at my own pace.

Some articles to read or reread:
Montreal
Christmas in New York
In the air
Sorolla 

Strangely people's perception of me has changed after my solo wedding, no one asks me anymore if I have a boyfriend or if I'm looking for someone. As if to have married to myself, affirmed my quest for happiness and its accomplishment. I’ve always led my life as I wanted and I’ve never waited for people to validate my choices, but today I feel more respected and listened to.

So, to all singles around the world, I'm here for you!! Always be proud of who you are. We are neither monsters nor criminals, we are sensitive people with a heart, we just need more time to find our soul mate. And in the meantime, we continue to enjoy life!!

One of my friends called me Miss Spectacular this week, a nickname that I like a lot, then the song of the article was found "This is me" (from the movie The Greatest Showman):
“I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I meant to be, this is me!”

​No article next week, I'll be on the plane (alone!) For new adventures ...
 
Have a good week and have a Happy Mother's Day!!
 
Love & Pride,
L.

I’ve already discussed with you the benefits of music on me in my article Freedom with a beautiful performance by Joshua Edelman at the end (listen absolutely!)

I talk a lot about ways to reduce anxiety in recent weeks: Thank you! , Be Positive, Happiness!.
Well, I have to admit that writing a book is stressful, especially telling a story about a drama of my past.

Music is essential in my life and it has been even more so in the last two years. So, you noticed that many of my articles end with a song. This week, I would like to go deeper into the subject and talk about its incredible healing power.

It’s now proven that listening to music influences our brain and therefore our mood. Its benefits are multiple: antidepressant effects, reduces pain, reduces stress, activates memory, helps concentration, acts on motivation, and generally makes us more positive and happier.
So, do it!

​I promised you some excerpts from my book, so here's the first one:

​James Bay, I'm absolutely obsessed with this artist right now and I probably listen to him 20 hours a day, the rest of the time, I'm trying to sleep ...
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This 28 years-old English singer, songwriter and guitarist, with two albums to his credit, hasn’t stopped since 2014 to demonstrate his talent, and received many awards.

By the way, if you took the time to listen to the song last week - Us - it was a duet with him and Alicia Keys.
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His latest song Peer pressure, a duet with Julia Michaels, is addictive!

James inspired me a text with his song titles (you can click to listen to them):

Craving to Slide into your arms, no Peer pressure, Just for tonight, with our Scars and Best fake smile, Hold back the river, Running, Need the sun to break, For clocks go forward, because I believe in Us!
 
Have a very good week!
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Love & Music,
L.