Reflections on My First Year in Italy
I am so excited to finally be sharing a brand new episode of Live Consciously with Nicole!
I’ve been craving it, missing it, intending to carve out the time, and in a way waiting for life to “calm down” before getting back to it.
But the truth is, life hasn’t really calmed down (and I don’t think it will in the foreseeable future!). I recently added on top of everything–wedding planning–as we start to prepare to celebrate our marriage next summer in Calabria! While there are so many joyous things happening & my life has been feeling so incredibly full, the most precious resource which I have recently been hard-pressed to find, is time.
If you’ve ever felt life changing rapidly on the outside, while struggling to stay centered in your own energy, you’ll understand why it took me a minute to return.
This past year has been… a lot. Mostly in the best way possible but not without its challenges.
It’s been my first year living in a new country–Italy, my first year of marriage, my first year navigating a new culture, a new language, and a whole new pace of life. There have been moments that felt like a dream and moments that felt like a spiritual bench press.
And that’s what I want to share today: the beauty, the overwhelm, and the tools that help me maintain my center.
Progress Over Perfection
I’ll start with something simple and very real: I almost didn’t record this episode.
The evening I felt my sense of determination returning, “Okay, I’m doing it,” I accidentally knocked my camera over. It fell flat on the lens. As a filmmaker, that kind of moment can feel like a small tragedy. The emotional spiral was immediate: Great. I guess I won’t record.
But then something stronger kicked in: No. This is just an obstacle. I’m going to find another way.
So, I grabbed my iPad. I let it be imperfect. I let it be real. And I showed up anyway.
Because honestly, this year has taught me that showing up imperfectly is the way we continue to move forward.
Oil Painting, Florence, and the Divine Plot Twist
I’ve started oil painting, and it has been deeply fulfilling on a soul level.
I’ve always painted, but historically my work has leaned abstract–collage, mixed media, wild, unbridled paintings. I never thought I’d be the girl trying to paint a face that looks somewhat photorealistic. But living in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, surrounded by masterworks, has awakened something in me.
And what’s wild is… I never planned this.
I didn’t put “classical art studies in Florence” on a vision board.
It happened to me. And yet, it feels so aligned with my soul it’s almost surreal.
That brings me to a spiritual thread I come back to again and again: releasing the tight grip of the ego and learning to live in a state of “Outrageous Openness” (the title of one of my favorite books by the author Tosha Silver).
Not the kind of “open” that’s passive or naive. But the kind that says: “I’m willing to be led by something higher than my fear.”
The Way Italy Feels to Me: Beautiful + Overwhelming
I always describe living in Italy with two words:
BEAUTIFUL… and soproffatto (overwhelming).
It’s been a paradox, both true for me at the same time.
Italy is, to me, the most beautiful country in the world. You get everything here: food, mountains, beaches, history, culture, art, soul.
And it’s also a place that forces you to slow down, soften, surrender, and grow.
The Language
I didn’t speak Italian when I met my husband. Not one single word.
Learning a language has challenged me more than I expected. I’m an artist. A filmmaker. A writer. An actress.
Language-learning has never been “the effortless thing” for me.
So, I’ve had to practice self-compassion. The phrase I keep returning to is:
Piano, piano.
Which, in Italian means… Slowly, slowly.
Sometimes I tell myself: “One new word today.”
Slowly, steadily, consistently, my knowledge of the language is expanding.
The Pace (and the Reality Check)
Italy doesn’t do “American fast.” Things take longer. Stores close for lunch from 1-4pm. Weather changes plans. You learn to be thoughtful instead of frantic–to check the weather forecast before scheduling an appointment.
And honestly? You can either lose your mind… or adapt.
I’m choosing to adapt.
Driving + Independence
Driving here has been another challenge–the road signs, the parking rules, the cadence of the roads… it’s different.
It’s another things I am intentionally taking quite slowly; not because I’m not capable of learning, but because I’m practicing self-love instead of self-pressure.
Paperwork, Patience, and the Temporary Sacrifice
Another aspect of the practical side: residency paperwork, appointments, waiting, fingerprints, processing.
It took about nine months for me to receive my permesso di soggiorno (residency permit). And during that time, I didn’t travel outside Italy because I didn’t want to risk complications returning.
At first, I was mad. I love freedom. I love movement. I love travel.
But eventually I reframed it:
This is a temporary sacrifice for a long-term gain.
I changed my relationship to it. I took the year to concentrate on writing & editing my upcoming book.
And now that I’m through that temporary time period, I’m grateful I chose a harder, yet more rewarding path than if I’d simply remained in my comfort zone in California.
What This Year Gave Me
This year gave me a deeper relationship with:
trust
patience
softness
adaptation
presence
surrender… and the willingness to let more love in & allow life to surprise me
It also gave me a clearer creative focus as I spent so much of this year writing and reworking my upcoming book.
What was once a story about sacred solitude and being joyfully single… now has an unexpected ending!
A Guided Meditation for Staying Centered
At the end of this episode, I guide you through a short meditation for staying centered when life is coming at you fast.
A simple breath pattern. A hand on your heart. A return to your inner lighthouse.
Because no matter where you are in the world, no matter what’s happening around you, you can always come back to your center.
You are enough.
You are a light.
And you deserve to let your light shine.
Listen to the full episode below, and if it resonates, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
