Courage and Croissants, Inspiring Joyful Living

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Time has moved on, but our original book published in 2010 is even more relevant today in time’s of massive change. After ten years of persistence, patience, and hope we have finally moved to the south of France permanently in our forever home. This book, written 10 years ago was a labor of love for ourselves and something we hoped would bring great inspiration to others. As you read the book and gain ideas from the guidebook portion, remember time will move forward no matter what, so take the time to ensure your dreams are included. Please reach out to us to help you think through new ways to pursue your dream .

2011 Benjamin Franklin Award Top 3 Finalist for Self-Help Category

Available at all on-line bookstores now and in Kindle format and for IPad 

Bloggers: If you write a blog post on the book, we will send you a free E-Lifestyle Planning Book. Just let us know and Thank you.

Read below on how the book is affecting people's lives 

Growing up we were told we could have it all, the American Dream—challenging careers, a rewarding marriage, financial success, increasing amounts of leisure time and even children if we wanted.

Much has changed since 1931 when "The American Dream" was first coined by James Turslow Adams in his book, The Epic of America. Over the past 40 years, the American Dream slowly evolved into devoting your life to your work at all costs. By 2005, the catalyst organization reported that 83% of households had two working adults earning income outside the home and approximately half of those households have children under 18, a 63% increase since 1950. This shift in lifestyle alone has drastically changed how Americans spend their time. Life has become about developing one’s career, living and breathing work, and doing household chores.

 Courage and Croissants is the story and a life guidebook of a mid-life, dual-career couple with a young daughter who took the risk to go in search of what was truly important to them. At its heart is a love of family and the desire for a better quality of life. It is a story for anyone who has ever wondered—is there more to life? It's a story and a guidebook about knowing when it is time to compose a different life experience, having the courage to make dreams happen, embracing the simple joys of living, and focusing on what is important in life. It is about learning the French secret to living with Joie de Vivre wherever you might be.

Courage and Croissants begins with the couple’s search for balance, and clarity in a hectic modern world. Reeling from the stress of life as a dual career couple with a young daughter, they decided to give up a life that was full of status but lacking in sanity. They left the housecleaner and gardener behind, along with the SUVs, moving instead to a small village in the South of France. They would take time to live simply, reassess, learn and grow as a family, be invigorated for the next phase of life and learn from the French what Joie de Vivre really looks like. 

Courage and Croissants reads like a novel and includes a focused guidebook on how to create the life you want to live. The sections include; Part I: Old Ways, Part II: Transition, Part III: New Ways; Healthy Living, Sensuality, Art and Creativity, Travel and Adventure, Part IV: Life Lessons and Moving Forward, and Part V: Guidebook - 14 key Tips. Through their stories, the reader finds themselves transported to a place in which they can begin to find small and big ways to live with greater joy and balance.

Courage and Croissants is for everyone from 35-65, who is thinking that life needs to shift—whether they need a break from the stresses of modern living, are nearing retirement, yearn for time with their family, want to make some simple choices to bring back more joy in their life or are just tired of the rat race. Not only does it take the reader on the journey of one family’s in-depth look at what living with Joie de Vivre really means, it provides guided tips, inspiration and education for those looking to make small and big changes in their lives. It is a narrative guidebook appealing to career professionals who love to grow and learn, adventuress parents, pre-retirees and retirees, armchair travelers, and those who love to travel and experience a different side of life.

St. Remy Press  - Info@stremypress.com

ISBN 978-0-9826909-0-1

$14.95

***

The authors, Suzanne Saxe-Roux Ed.D and Jean Roux MFT, Ph.D., are successful entrepreneurs who have spent the past twenty-five years educating and developing corporate America. Their life work focuses on helping people to develop personally and professionally. Suzanne is founder and past-president of Advance Consulting, Inc, a management consulting and training company and coauthor of The Consultative Approach: Partnering for Results! published by Jossey-Bass, a contributor to Building Bridges, From Writers to Readers, and a SF Examiner.com columnist. Not only are they experts in helping other people through life transitions and transformations and experienced public speakers, they have first hand experience of successfully navigating that process themselves and millions of stories to tell.

***

Like, Why French Women Don't get Fat and Eat Pray Love, this book inspires all of us to reexamine how we are living and how we want to live in order to regain balance, good health, and joy. Suzanne and Jean bring to us ideas, how-to's and a fantastic story on how busy urban families can make simple choices on how to live their lives. As a result, stress is reduced, mental and physical health improves, leisure time is truly leisurely and life becomes enjoyable again.

• Read the Preface and Introduction to Courage and Croissants.

• Read one of my favorite stories that will inspire you too!

• Read about the trends that have shifted the way we need to look at work and life

Read how the book is affecting people's lives

October 11 2010 was a wonderful day for me because I consumed your book as I travelled from Orange County to Houston. I loved your voice, your wisdom, your honesty, your vulnerability, your realism, your humor. The book is an inspiration to me. I especially enjoyed how you told your story first and then came back with the LifeGuidebook tips. These I plan to work on more slowly. The repositioning of the American Dream is very significant work too: you are a master of reframing!

For me, there’s a real connection between what you talk about in your book and the malaise we experience with our “users”: the honest, hard working, somewhat manic employees who work in Fortune 500 organizations. And our company can also learn from your advice as well! 

Suzanne: thank you again for the gift of your book. After a day so close to you and your family I have to send  you, Jean P and Zoe Pascale my love and gratitude!

Viv Price, Executive Consultant, Forum Corporation

***

I just finished your and Jean's book and I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed it

and how much it meant to me. My own discovery of life beyond Huntington Woods, Michigan also began in France.  I traveled there as an exchange student when I was 17 and I came home with the same two feelings I still have every time I travel today:  a sense of

gratitude for having the opportunity to have grown up in America and a sense

of wonder at the wider world beyond.  Since that time in France, where I

acquired my eternal wanderlust, I've been to more than 90 countries and will

keep traveling until I die. 

What I wanted to say to you is that your book made me feel a little more

connected to a kindred spirit in a world where sometimes I feel out of place

because my experiences are not generally run-of-the-mill in this day and age.

When I returned from France I knew that I would always be a global citizen.

How I would manifest that in my life remained to be seen, but I knew I could never go

home again, literally or metaphorically.

Today I am grappling with how to create the life I want--- on my own, i.e.,

how does one feed one's soul without the support of family.  Your stories of

family and the deepening connection you made with each other touched my heart

and I am searching for how one takes this journey without that base of support.

I loved Jean's question on p. 230:  "What makes a life worth living?"  I've

been pondering and exploring that for several years in its various forms:

"What is my life for?"  "Why was I put on this planet earth?"  "What is my

legacy?"  Perhaps there is no answer, but living with the question and

searching its various contexts continues to rejuvenate my spirit.

Sherry Paul, Marketing Consultant 

***

I've been telling everyone about your wonderful book.

Your book has made an impact on me with this chapter in my life. I too, have a daughter (going on 4 years) and I just turned 40.I still battle between having another one, or am I at peace with one child. I have conflicts with my career and my search to do "what makes me happy".  Your book has shown me that you 

can

 do what your heart is set to do.

I am very fortunate that I have a wonderful and loving husband who supports me with everything and our journey together has always been exciting.(We've moved from Los Angeles to San Diego. SD to Virginia/DC and back to San Diego. Now because of the crazy hustle and bustle in SD, I am eagerly considering a calmer lifestyle and we are planning to move to Denver in a couple of years where I may just possibly become a yoga instructor-we'll see! Life is exciting when you have a partner who loves to do things with you! :)

I loved hearing your experiences and during a time, when I needed this "inspiration", it showed up perfectly.

C Hoffman, San Diego

***

I went home and started the book....finishing it today.  As promised, I found it inspiring, easy to read, and right on track with key questions for personal application.

It's so serendipitous that the day before the book celebration Ted & I explored the possibility of going some place for a year.  Our 3 ∏ years in the UK was so amazing and filled with learning that we have been finding ourselves restless in California.  We came up with an initial list of places to live and work:  Australia, Israel, Greece, Holland, Ireland, China.  We've started researching.  All this came from talking about the power of our London experience and where are we now/what do we want....  Anyway, it's early in the process.  The book articulated a lot of what is driving us and how we're approaching this possible next life phase.

Arlene Scott, OD Consultant

***

"Read this book! Whether you seek inspiration to claim the life you have

always dreamed of or just want to savor a well written novel, you will

devour Courage and Croissants.  This real life story evoked powerful new

insights for me in and enchanting and surprising way! Delicious."

Ann Hermann, President and CEO of HBDI

     ***

Your book has changed my life! I’m sure I’m not the first to say (or the last), but it has really awakened in me so many incredible “ah ha” moments.  I have already started putting my plans into place. My first objective was to get my husband to read the book.  He’s accepted my suggestion, so more to come as the plans evolve.

Marianne Doherty, Consultant, wife, and Mom

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Interactive Business Planning
E-Workbook

Follow a simple process to create a One Page Business Plan that provides your unique roadmap to achieve success as you define it. Using the interactive, illustrated E-Workbook you will easily answer questions, assess issues, make decisions, and create a practical, easy to use one-page business plan.  

The Interactive Business Plan E-Workbook $19

The Business Planning E-Workbook is for:

• Entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, coaches, consultants, and small business owners
• Start-ups and companies wanting to grow their business
• Those who want to have a plan that is easy to develop and even easier to use on an ongoing basis
• Those individual practitioner, businesses, and organizations that truly want to achieve their goals and objectives this year and next
• Coaches and consultants looking for an interactive illustrated E-Workbook that they can use with their clients in person and virtually.

The Business plan includes the following:  

Business Plan Components

• Vision Statement  - What are you building?
• Mission  - What is your driving purpose? Why do you exist?
• Goals and Objectives -- What do you want to measure?
• Strategies - What is your business model, the direction you want to go, the business activity , expected results and methodology on how it will be accomplished?
• Action Plans - What needs to be completed by when?
• Resources, Timelines, and Budgets - What are the priorities and must-dos?
• Success Criteria - What does success look like in 6 mths, 1 or 2 years?

It may take a few pages of notes and ideas but quickly, you will refine your plan and whittle it to one page, review it with others, clarify, and finalize.

The Business Plan E-Workbook is designed to be used on your own, in a team, or with a coach or consultant. The questions and format will guide your thinking and the interactivity makes it easy, transportable and a format that is fun. By the end of the workbook you will have created a fantastic, personalized One Page Business Plan that will drive your focus, energy, and resources.

The Interactive Business Plan E-Workbook - $19

Dr. Suzanne Saxe-Roux, Ed.D., a highly trained and skillful professional who has built a company and successfully sold it allowing her to take 3 years and live in the south of France. Suzanne's expertise as a business woman, growing and leading small businesses, business development, operations, sales, product development, training and customer service enable Suzanne to quickly understand your needs and move you to results.

Order the Business Plan E-Workbook and Lifestyle Plan E Workbook together for $29

For any Questions or problems downloading, please email: ssaxeroux@gmail.com

Interactive Lifestyle Plan E-Workbook 

New Self-Study Interactive Lifestyle Planning E-Book Available Now 
Get your Lifestyle Planning E-Book and
start creating the life you want to live.

Easy to use directed guidebook that you can do alone, with a partner, or a coach. You will be amazed how you can create whatever you want once you decide what it is and focus on attracting it into your life. 
$19

The Lifestyle Plan E-Workbook is for:

• who are in transition and want to create a life that works in every way
• Pre-retirees who are planning the next phase of their life
  
• Busy moms and dads who are examining how to live balanced lives
  
• Coaches who are working with individuals on creating their dreams
  
• Consultants who are working with small businesses in creating success in all areas of their clients' lives

The Lifestyle Plan E-Workbook $19

The Lifestyle Plan E-Workbook developed by Dr. Suzanne Saxe-Roux coaches you through an interactive Lifestyle Strategic Planning process that will clarify, motivate, and move you into action in creating the life you want.  

Using a proven methodology you will design your strategic lifestyle plan. The questions posed in the E-Workbook will empower you to tap into both the rational and intuitive sides of your brain to develop a plan, that will sustain you in your next phase of life.

Our approach is to make it easy for you to assess, design, and plan the lifestyle you want to live. The Lifestyle Plan E-workbook combines the best of strategic planning and the great questions a coach would ask you. You have the insights, intuition, creativity, and ideas. 

The E-Workbook can be used alone or with a coach, partner, or colleague who will drill deeper and ask the right questions at the right time, listen to underlying themes, help you to get unstuck and encourage you to move through obstacles. The Lifestyle Plan E-Workbook is a great tool to use alone or in concert with a coach to help you to achieve the lifestyle you need and want in order to flourish in the next phase of life.

Through this process you will uncover what is right for you, unveil the truth about who you are at your core, clearly define what you want to do with the next phase of your life and how to live freely in your full potential, in happiness, alignment and harmony.

For those who have spouses, life partners or other family members that need to buy into your plan we work with you to determine the best way to involve them in the process. This can happen through direct participation, feedback, brainstorming conversations, or mini presentations. The goal is to bring them along as you evolve your strategic lifestyle plan so they become a partner as you move forward.

 You will walk away with:    

• Real clarity on the direction you want to go in your life
  
• An assessment of the current balance in your life - from relationships and leisure to career and finances
  
• Identification of priorities enabling you to make startegic choices about where to create more balance in your lifestyle
  
• A deep understanding and assessment of  how you want to balance your life overall ( health, environment, spiritual, life long learning, financial, leisure, relationships, and career/entrepreneurial/meaningful work) 
  
• An impactful personal vision that will keep you motivated and engaged
         
• A Lifestyle Strategic Plan that includes your vision, lifestyle mission statement, five bold goals and outcomes, a detailed action plan,  support needed, supporting beliefs, success criteria, and timeframes
  
  
• A new perspective, hope, and excitement about the next phase of your life

        In conjunction with the Lifestyle Strategic Planning System we will be using a variety of tools such as the Lifestyle Wheel.      

The Lifestyle Plan E-workbook goes beyond the Vision and the Design and coaches you through the development of an action plan.

Coaching available

Dr. Suzanne Saxe-Roux, Ed.D., a highly trained and skillful professional who has recreated herself through a variety of life transitions as individuals, a couple, and a parent of a young daughter. As your coach she will work with you strategically and in the moment. The results will be a clear strategic plan for yourself and possibly your partner / family. This plan will guide you in the execution resulting in achieving your goals in all areas of your life in a balanced way. If desired, consulting is available as you move into the execution of specific aspects of the overall plan.

Contact us for a complimentary introductory coaching session and find out what Lifestyle and Entrepreneurial Strategic Planning and Coaching can do for you. This one click can make the difference between moving forward on your dreams or staying stuck in wishing something would change. 

The Lifestyle Plan E-Workbook $19

Order the combination Lifestyle and Business E Book for $29

For any additional questions, please email ssaxeroux@gmail.com