Hi Brooke!
So yesterday I asked you if you dared come to Paris. I was pretty sure you would say no because there’s no way you’re going to agree to all our whims and wishes. I was confident because I was anticipating rejection.
But, then, you said… yes?! I was in disbelief. I so expected you to say “I love you and no”, which would have been ok.
So I ended up panicking – what have I done? I’m scared, I won’t be able to honour my dare!
What’s more, I’ve involved two other French ladies, Camille and Clothilde, who happen to live in Paris but whom I don’t know. How irresponsible of me! I felt guilty.
But I also remembered last November when I reached out to my favourite French writer, Philippe Jaenada, and he said yes too. I was so scared! I buffered big time the whole week before I met him. But it was fantastic and, guess what? I survived!
So I’m anticipating that I’ll survive too and that we’ll have a wonderful time! I’m SO looking forward to it! t’s so exciting ! I can introduce you to my friend Iza who’s also passionate about yoga (and an English teacher) and show you around the Paris I know and love best and maybe invite you to my place so that you can also see the two pigeons who’ve decided to breed on our balcony (isn’t it the ultimate Parisian chic ?!) and contemplate the beautiful sunset… I need to ask you when you’re coming, how long, with who, what you want to do, where you want to stay, and so on… Then my brain gets super-active and I love it ! It’s going to happen ! So much fun!
To finish, I’m feeling so grateful to you for making me experience so many emotions in such a short time frame (even though your answer is only the circumstance, obviously)!

Unintentional thought pattern
C – Parisian dare
T – Brooke won’t say yes, she can’t say yes to anyone who wants to meet her, so I’m pretty safe.
F – safe, serene, self-confident
A – I post my dare
R – I feel proud of myself, ready for rejection.

C – Parisian dare
T – She said yes ?! I never expected her to say yes ?!
F – surprised
A – my brain freezes.
R – ???

Unintentional thought pattern
C – Parisian dare
T – Now I have to honour my dare ! I must have been out of my mind.
F – panicked
A – my brain freezes
R – ??? or I’m still out of my mind since no one seems to be “up there”

My brain freeze seems to extend to the results I get. Or I suppose I don’t get any results when I don’t act.

C – Parisian dare
T – It’s going to be fantastic !
F – excited
A – I start planning
R – It’s already fantastic because I’ve decided it’s going to be so.

C – Parisian dare
T – It’s going to be hard but I now know I can do hard things, especially if Brooke is involved
F – brave
A – I brace myself for the ordeal
R – I feel ready and confident

And I was about to ask you advice on being brave! I’ve now got to experience it first hand, hehe!
I’ve borrowed that quote from Byron Katie (found in Self-Coaching 101) – I’ve translated it into French so the translated translated version may be different from the original one but here goes : « they all love me and they don’t know it yet ». Brooke is going to love me (and maybe, wise as she is, she already knows this !). Love love love !

Intentional thought pattern
C – Parisian dare
T – Brooke is going to love her stay in Paris and me
F – happy
A – I start planning
R – I love the idea of Brooke coming to Paris!

Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day!
Nan