Profiter de l’Instant Présent: A Lesson from a Paris Park

There’s a French verb I’ve fallen in love with since living here in Paris.

Profiter.

More specifically — profiter de.

You hear it constantly. When the sun appears after days of gray skies, someone inevitably says, “Profite du soleil !”

Enjoy the sun.
Take advantage of it.
Don’t miss it.

Yet what I’ve realized is that this verb carries something deeper than enjoyment. It carries intention. It means: live in the moment, fully! Basically mindfulness yet not as some type of self-help saying, but as an everyday sentiment as simple as bonjour!

A First True Spring Day in Paris

The other afternoon in Paris, the temperature crept close to 70 degrees. One of those first golden spring days that feels almost ceremonial. I walked to Parc Monceau, one of my favorite quiet spots that transports you in time, and I was stunned.

Every bench was filled.
Couples leaning toward each other in conversation.
Friends sharing lunch.
Someone reading quietly.
Picnics scattered across the grass like small celebrations.
No one seemed rushed.

It was as if the entire city had proclaimed: “Today, we profiter du soleil.” And it struck me — this is a cultural ritual of presence.

Even for thirty minutes, people pause. They step outside. They sit. They absorb the light. They choose the moment. I happily joined in and read my book for an hour enjoying the warm rays.

If Not Now… When?

Lately, I haven’t been actually asking myself that question but actually ACTING ON IT.

Moving to France semi-permanently, receiving my visa and building this next chapter of Wanderlust Designer here, it's all happening now. I'm creating a creative life between Paris and California.

It’s amazing yet to be honest, it’s also vulnerable and yes, sometimes scary. There are moments I think, What am I doing? Moments of homesickness and moments of doubt. But then I reminded myself to stop the spiral as I know I would regret NOT trying far more than I would ever regret trying.

So I am doing it — imperfectly, a little messily yet with the intention to profiter de l’instant présent. (Live in the moment!)

I'm here to build, create, invite and make steps forward even when certainty isn’t guaranteed. Because the older I get, the more I experiences I have where I find life does not wait for the perfect time. The perfect time is exactly when you act.

Try This at Home

Take 30 minutes this week and “profiter de” something small.

The afternoon sunlight on your favorite chair. A walk around your neighborhood. A really good chapter in a book. A quick chat with a neighbor that you don’t know well.

Afterward, spend a little time with your journal. Write a few lines - were you happy you took the time to enjoy? How did that quick pause make you feel? To "profiter de" doesn’t require a grand gesture. Just a few moments... et voilà !