One thing I hear often from people is that 'one day' their dream holiday to France will come true
But how to make this happen when family responsibilities, perhaps money, job commitments, and other distractions complicate the simple desire to just go?
I have been lucky enough to holiday in France regularly (no mean feat when you consider that I live in Australia!). However, please don’t think that this is because I have family money, won lotto, or have a job that takes me overseas.
No, I have had to manifest these frequent trips to my beloved France by sheer belief and absolute dogged intent. I want to share with you my particular way of making travel a reality. Here are some pointers that help me make my annual pilgrimage to France a reality.
Let's get this party started!
- Be clear about your dream. To go on a holiday to France, yes, but to any destination in particular? Paris? Nice? The Loire? And for how long, really? I say ‘really’ because you will need to be realistic in your dream, especially for this first exercise.
- Write it down: ‘I want to go to the Loire Valley for 2 weeks in September 2026’. Or, whatever it is. It has to be believable. By this I don’t necessarily mean easy (or, you would have done it by now…) but not hugely impossible for you to get your head around. Make the date some time into the future so that you can get your manifestation juices working!
- Consider travelling on your own, especially of your significant other isn’t fussed, or you don’t have a significant other. Invite a girlfriend, peut-être. I LOVE travelling alone. I can do whatever I want, when I want. Just remember to take a smartphone with you for when quiet times (read ‘loneliness’) shows up! And it may do, occasionally…
- Tell everyone of your holiday plan. Constantly. Ask for people to help you see it, to support you in your dream, to cheer you on! Often.
- Start saving. For me, this means setting up a direct deposit – daily – of some small amount that I won’t miss. Say $10 or $15 per day. The amount of people who undervalue this step never ceases to amaze me. Your long-held dream is never going to get any more real, or affordable, in the future. It’s incredible - in my experience - how quickly you can adjust to (and forget about) this small amount of money, and yet how quickly it can accumulate into a bit of a stash. This is one area where ‘time flies’ works in your favour! Create a 'Holiday' account, name it 'France, and get saving every cent you possibly can.
- Get organised with a Frequent Flyers program. I use Qantas here in Oz. Find one which works for you. These programs often involve using a credit card to accumulate points. However, and I stress this point, DO NOT EVER use a credit card unless you can pay it off in full by the due date. Nothing, I repeat nothing, is worth accumulating interest payments for. I mean, there goes your little savings plan. If you can manage a credit card well, use it for everything! I currently have enough points for a Business Class flight around the world, and no debt.
- Ask your family to put any birthday, Christmas or ‘treat’ money into this account. Sell stuff you don’t need, have a garage sale – whatever – and put all of your money into your holiday account. Save all your gold coins in a jar – seriously! It’s an amazing feeling to watch your savings grow…manifestation in action!
- Now, increase the amount that goes into this account as soon as you can. Remember how quickly you got used to $10 being gone? Now update it to $15 or $20. That’s more than $5500 per year…for starters!
- ‘Clear out the clutter and debris of compromise’. Physical and emotional baggage will only cloud your resolve and your ability to focus. Clarity of intent will always help your goal.
- Research cost-effective travel options. Travelling with a buddy can cut costs for accommodation or hiring a car, for example, but sometimes a single room in a cool hostel will work a treat!
And, when you are finally ready to go, make sure you read my Top Tips for International Travel for how to stay on top while you are travelling to your favourite destinaion in the world. Get ready to earn your Francophile badge on honour.
Make the decision
The most important takeaway from this post is the decision…the intent. It’s not going to work to dream of ‘one day’. If you are serious, it’s time to say so, talk about it, write it down, and put your money where your mouth is, now.
Begin it now!
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Comments 4
I love reading about your beloved South of France. How fabulous it is that you have found a way to turn your travel passion into a business that will give so many women the most fantastic memories. So happy for you
Author
Thanks so much Maria. You have hit the nail on the head perfectly. I woke up to myself about 3 years ago and thought, ‘I need to find a way to travel to France as a business expense’. Then, I thought about building the blog, and after that the Tour focus arrived. Happy Days! I feel very blessed. Thanks for following along and reading my blog. XX
I LOVE THIS BLOG!
Author
Leona, thank you SO MUCH for your comment. It really makes a difference when a reader takes the time to respond to something I do…merci beaucoup!