Author Archive
“No, it has to be three weeks” I compromised with my husband as he expressed his wishes to drive across Europe to Germany, then down to southern France and back to Ireland, covering 4500km in 2 weeks. To my horror, he was actually calling this a holiday!
So we settled on 3 weeks and one day, including the ferry trips. The Germany part was attending a birthday party, but the Southern France part was for more obvious reasons – sun, sights and food (ok, maybe the wine too).
I was so looking forward to warming up my bones after a disastrous winter here in Ireland. Our garden was still reeling from the adverse weather conditions earlier in the year. We packed our bathing suits, sunscreen, blankets for sunbathing, and summer clothes. Getting off the Oscar Wilde in Roscoff and feeling the warm sunshine on our faces, we were just about ready for a good break, a good rest, great food, and plenty of sight-seeing.
Our first week involved a lot of driving. In fact, the majority of the overall journey was done in the first 2 days. Arriving into the Alsace area of France from Germany, we were ready for the famous “Massif Central”, an area well known for Read the rest of this entry »
A beautiful lady, Frederique Murphy, told me of a Coaching Blog Awards a few months ago. I decided to enter my blog, knowing that I would be away for 3 weeks, and not have the chance to actively promote my entry.
Having said that, I sent out a “few” e-mails, asking friends and colleagues to vote, but more importantly comment to promote my blog in the rankings.
Then I headed off on my well earned break, and on my return found that I had made the Top 10 entries based on votes. What surprised me more, were the comments. It truly touched my heart, that I had not only touched these people, but that they “understood” my unusual approach to blog writing.
As most of you know, I don’t write conventional blog posts about enhancing your personal development or actively get your business increased or improved. Rather, I seem to be drawn to things and ideas based on the very things that happen around me in my personal and professional life.
Hence, the odd analogies, and strange comparisons 
Read the rest of this entry »
I was watching a Song Thrush recently collecting twigs and grass for its nest. I was thinking it was quite late for her to start, but I am sure she will catch up lost time, and speed up the process of having and raising a family before the summer is over. In fact, she could have 2-4 clutches of eggs.
Why was this song bird so picky about her pickings? It’s all to do with foundations. If we do not built a strong foundation, then the structure on which it stands, will not stand the test of time.
We have seen this in Ireland over the past two years. The structure that was our economy and public services was all built on a promise, not exactly a sound foundation on which to survive.
We know now that it would never last. We seemed to think that it would. So as I manage my business, I think of the initial work I put into the foundations laid down. It takes time to set up a business, that time varying depending on the type, size, shape and location – just like a nest!
So what needs to be in place, for the business to stand the test of time? Read the rest of this entry »
I was recently introduced to a great band called Mumford & Sons. They sing an interesting song called ‘The Cave’. The scenes of the video that accompanies the song uses themes and content from two famous bands of old: The Beatles (Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band) and The WHO (Quadrophenia). The video continues with a connection between the new band and the old favourites.
I am also reading a book called ‘Made to Stick’ by Chip & Dan Heath. The books discusses how to make ideas stick, and how some ideas stick more than others.
The fascinating thing about both the song and the book, is that a great idea does not need to be an absolute original. The Heath brothers discuss the meaning of experience, Read the rest of this entry »
Friday, April 30th 2010. I was in the mid-sentence with a client during a coaching session when a waiter came up to us to collect our empty glasses. He informed us that Gerry Ryan, the much-loved Irish radio broadcaster, had died. He then continued with his hypothesis, when I had to say “Thank you for telling us”. He promptly left us alone again. It brought back memories of Michael Jackson’s death, Lady Diana and Rory Gallagher.
Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when the Omagh bomb blew the street apart on 23 June 1985? Or Lockerbie on 21 December 1988? What about when the Air India flight blew up over Ireland on 23 June 1985?
Gerry Ryan will be buried today after 11.30 Mass as the country continues to mourn. This day will be etched in many people’s memory and some will struggle to remember.
I was just admiring my garden yesterday morning while having an espresso. I was noticing the devastation that challenged me for the “Big clean up” after the adverse weather conditions we had experienced over the past 6 weeks. A blackbird caught my eye – he was busily upturning leaves, looking for breakfast.
“Ah”, I thought, “things are back to normal.” The air is calm, the garden is green, and the temperature reads a satisfying 9o. Read the rest of this entry »
There is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion out there about Coaching and what it actually is. If you Wiki Life Coaching (“Life Coaching is a future-focused practice with the aim of helping clients determine and achieve personal goals”), Personal Coaching (“Personal Coaching is a relationship which is designed and defined in a relationship agreement between a client and a coach. It is based on the client’s expressed interests, goals and objectives”) or Business Coaching (“Business coaching is the practice of providing positive support and positive feedback while offering occasional advice to an individual or group in order to help them recognize ways in which they can improve the effectiveness of their business”), the explanations are nothing to be desired, as Coaching will mean many different things to many different people, and it is completely subjective.
Let me clarify. Read the rest of this entry »
This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday March 14th. In some countries, it follows the old traditions of Mothering Sunday which is a Christian festival celebrating the mother church throughout Europe. It generally falls on the 4th Sunday of Lent. Secularly, Mothering Sunday became a celebration of motherhood. Eventually, the two more or less combined, along with other celebrations (Simnel Sunday, Refreshment Sunday, Rose Sunday) into Mother’s Day. As we are well aware, it has become very Read the rest of this entry »
So we have had a tough 2009 all round. Some more than others, and those of you who have been concentrating on your health will know how difficult it can be to keep the momentum going.
Someone said to me recently: “I saw a new car the other day and it had “Zero Ten” on the registration plate” She then realised her mistake (one zero) and claimed it was difficult to pinpoint a name for the year.
So what do we need to consider when we embark on the New Year ahead? Firstly, we need to decide what we are going to call the year:- Two thousand and Ten? Or Twenty Ten? It’s important to have this clear in your mind, so you can plan ahead and the name of the year remains consistent. The problem with not deciding on a definitive name for yourself, is it conjures up uncertainty, and that is the last thing we need coming into a new year with a new routine and new ideas. Consistency!
The first thing we can do to get us on the right track is Read the rest of this entry »
Ok so we know the date February 14th every single (no pun intended) year is called Valentine’s Day. According to our superior on-line encyclopedia (WIKI):
“The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”). The holiday first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. Read the rest of this entry »