I have to admit (and you all know what work I had / had not completed on the lead up to the race) I was not prepared for the terrain we had to face; I simply hadn’t really gone through my expectations or perhaps that was my way of not getting too sucked into what I would be capable of on the day!

The build up a the adventure centre was great, nice and relaxed, a bit of banter and craic with the girls, getting all the gear and equipment ready, etc. The first person I was introduced to on the day was Siobhán Wynne, only to realise later what a star Siobhán is, she ran an inspirational race, finishing 4^th overall and 1^st in the over 40 category.  What an incredible achievement Siobhán, congratulations!  I hope our paths cross in the future.

So we set off on the run section, 8km – the first 4km was along the road and it was quite a surprisingly nice run, most people making it relatively easily to this marker!  Then it was time to take a sharp right hand turn up the mountain!!   Ok so a series of hills but it was hill after uphill, after uphill!  The terrain was mostly solid underfoot but needed due care and attention.  Some amazing views (scenery was incredible) and some not so amazing views… the next hill! This is when the adventure kicked in; some people ran / jogged / walked / crawled!! When things got tough but the spirit to keep going was just so evident.

As I glanced at my watch I could see I had gone almost 7km but I could also see the location of the bikes at the bottom of the mountain (!), mmmm looks like more than 1km away to me!  When I see a steward directing us to turn right, literally down the side of the mountain, the terrain was soft, wet bog, bog and more bog.  Each step, whilst steep, engulfed the fancy trainers and sucked the life out of my legs.  The refreshing part was that it was nice and cool because I certainly was feeling the sun!

There were all sorts of characters would emerge in this section; the girls that were clearly at home and trotted down the bog like pros, but I was also privy to a conversation between a group of Dublin girls who were standing at the top of little jump into the unknown, searching for the courage to take the leap and leap they did, but the funniest conversation I heard going on was when they were coming down a steep section and one of the girls was trying to get the girls to imagine they were skiing, they discussed the angles their feet should be at, the balance and counter balance – visualisation at it’s best!

I was so thrilled to see our two supporters when the bike park came into view and looked forward to getting on the bike for the next section.  It started with an uphill section which wasn’t ideal but it forced me to get familiar with the bike and the gears very quickly indeed!  I did try to get some food into me but tasted more like sawdust than a protein bar so I put it back in the little pouch and continued the trail.  I enjoyed the cycle section, there were plenty of challenging hills and very rough terrain but it turned out my trusty little hybrid bike was ideal for it.  There were many ladies walking with their punctured racing bike, changing tubes, fixing punctures etc.  There were also a few casualties with cramp etc but luckily most people were still on track and showing as much astonishing strength as they did on that first kilometre.

I wasn’t concerned about the kayaking, as in I don’t have a fear of water so I was looking forward to that, when I dropped my bike back and looked for the direction of the shoreline I felt good, but oh boy was that short lived the 1.5km to get to the kayak was back to the trusty bog, while the day of the race was great sunshine, the two days of rain prior to the race had taken its toll on the ground.  It was so energy sapping, as if I had much left in any case!  This section felt unfair… we had come so far, conquered so much and had 2 of the three elements completed, why oh why did we have to suffer this bog with all its holes (some got more acquainted with than others!), streams and hardship.  These short legs were not able to be jumping across the elements, but that didn’t stop me from wading where I needed to!

I was thrilled to finally see the kayaks and two of our girls just getting our of the water, the kayaking was really good, a nice opportunity to get into the water, pair with a fellow competitor, have a quick chat!, get some encouragement from the support staff and tick yet another element.  As I got back to the shore, there were two more of our group of girls just coming to the water, it was great to see we were all still going strong.  The 1 or 2 km back to base was mixed for me, I didn’t know if I could jog or needed to walk, it was a mixture of realising I was nearly there and wondering if the finish line would ever come.  My watch said 27km and I couldn’t even see the finish line on the horizon!  Who said this race was 27km??  I came upon a steward, who assured me it was just over the next hill… not the first time I had hoped this to be the case today!  She was right, the finish line was in sight, so were our supporters.  It was just mixed emotions crossing the line, elation, relief.  I was happy; delighted, incredibly grateful for having taking part for having successfully completed it and for sharing this journey with a wonderful group of ladies.

Even though there were many challenges, since the day I decided to do this race and commit to encouraging others to do it to, it was such a rewarding experience.  From start to finish, the training, the journey to the start line, the adventure to the finish line and the celebrations that evening.

I was incredibly proud of my sister Eilis, aka ‘Tinkerbelle’, who travelled the journey along side me and conquered the race, a real trooper.  It was great to share this experience with you x

So there’s plenty of talk of what the next step might be, how adventurous it might, as we crossed the finish line we really believe that ANYTHING possible.

The post We did it! appeared first on Smaoineamh.

There’s a great bit of banter with the girls I know who are doing it – all at various stages of fitness, various levels of training and various levels of appropriate equipment!  It’s going to be fun.

There’s a loose plan in place in terms of the day – leave in the morning ON TIME(!), have a nice brunch along the way because it’s a 1pm start time it’s needs a little effort on the timing of food etc. to ensure the right balance!  So we will get there for registration, drop the bike at the appropriate spot etc. and be ready for the safety briefing that is due to happen 15 mins before the race.

What happens for the few hours of the race is anyone’s guess but dinner and overnight accommodation are booked so that’s as much of a plan as we need.  I’m travelling with ‘Tinkerbelle’ and really looking forward to the day, to a good few laughs, the feeling of achievement and as Henry Ford said; whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!  I know I CAN and so can you!  See you on the other side….

PS If anyone following the journey is in Leenane tomorrow please come say hello and join in our fun!

The post Yes you can! 24 hours to go… appeared first on Smaoineamh.

In case you haven’t heard of it before, Amatsu is a therapy that has been used for thousands of years in Japan, it is based on ancient principles of natural movement and can be used to help many musculo-skeletal and lifestyle related conditions, as well as supporting the restoration of general health and well being.  I’ve been a couple of times, not specifically for an injury but just to get general alignment checked (especially after all the action of child-birth!)

Anyway, my session showed that I my pelvis was twisted a little because of a non functioning muscle and therefore my left side was working hard to compensate, so after the realignment the advice was to stick to 15 mins of walking on a flat surface for a week and then build up slowly to jogging again.  The cycling could continue because it is less stressful on the body.  You might think this was a reason to say I’d never be ready for the race if I had to take a week out with only 3 weeks to go but as far as I was concerned the timing was perfect because I had planned a few days away and well now I could do it completely guilt free!

On the Thursday myself and my husband went to see Greenday  in Dublin and as I said on facebook I was just as excited to leave the kids and go to it as I was the first time I left my parents to go to an outdoor concert!  We had a great night with plenty of laughing, chatting, singing, dancing and walking

For the rest of the weekend I was heading to Donegal with my sister and one of my friends – I am so lucky they were taking me away for my ‘big birthday’!  It was fabulous in the Lough Eske Castle Hotel and Spa.  On the Saturday we ventured just beyond Killybegs to Fintragh Bay Beach for a stroll on the beach and back to the spa for an afternoon of pampering (courtesy of another amazing friend!).  We had dinner in the fabulous restaurant that night with a few glasses of Prosecco / Bellini’s to wash it all down. The weekend was total escapism, unbelievably relaxing, quality time out.  We stopped to watch Galway win the hurling on the way home and then arrived back to reality Sunday evening.

I was back with great enthusiasm on Monday morning, it hadn’t been a week since the Amatsu so I stayed with the cycling and did 16km, on Tuesday morning I did 14km (only because I vary the route) and on Wednesday I did 5km walk / jog; maybe walking for 100/200m and then jogging the rest of the KM and 14km on the bike.  This morning I was tired, not simply from the exercise but from everything else that’s going on; with work, home, catch up from last weekend etc. so I just listened to my body and plan to go for a walk or an easy cycle later this evening.

Taking time out is really important whether it be from the hum drum of everyday activities or needing to gather your thoughts or your energy for the next phase.  I was in a place where I was beginning to panic because our au pair is returning to France to study this Saturday and I felt like was ‘panic buying in a sale’ trying to get everything done before she left.  It’s just not worth it, my time out was really well spent and I now feel able to face the next stage.  Yes, juggling work, exercise and the children will be a challenge for the next few weeks until there is a more permanent solution in place but it will be fine.  I just need to get more creative and that’s what I will do!

I hope you are all getting on well and as usual I would love to hear from you, I’ve been told several times over the last week that I have a great colour so clearly my overall plan for this adventure race is going well.  What about your goals?  Keep the faith.

The post 15 Days to go: Time Out appeared first on Smaoineamh.

It’s been a week of many ups and downs!  Wednesday and Thursday were pretty uneventful, doing 10km on the bike both days, just getting on with it I suppose.  It went downhill from there though, we had a wedding at the weekend so I was really busy getting the kids, dinners and the house organised for when we were gone, that resulted in nothing exercise related happening on Friday.

The wedding was Saturday so the exercise on that day pretty much just involved exercising my arm with drink and my feet in high-heels on the floor!!  I did meet Davy Fitz on my travels so maybe that could loosely translate to some sort of motivation?!

Sunday was recovery mode and Monday was catch-up mode, taking me right up to Tuesday and really anxious to get back on track.  Dehydration at bay, I decided to stick to the easier option of cycling.  I settle on my usual loop of 10KM would be a good start so that’s what I went for, it was an absolutely glorious day and the cycle was really enjoyable.  That was until I was on the home stretch and could hear a lorry coming behind me, I’m thinking ‘it’s ok, nice and steady and it’ll be fine’ until he passes me out, sees an oncoming car and leaves about an inch between me and his lorry.  That’s ok until I come to realise that my entire left side is so far in the ditch that I’m getting repeatedly stung by nettles!!! So to the Banagher Concrete Lorry driver, that gave me the burning desire to pedal faster I say ‘Thank you’.  For providing an update on the state of my legs, I say ‘Thank You’. For making me appreciate and be more mindful of cyclists in the future, I say ‘Thank You’.  Perhaps in Offaly the county council keep the growth of ditches under control, but it’s certainly not the case in Co. Galway.

That was Tuesday, today I decided to get back at the jogging and did a slow 5km jog followed by the usual 10KM cycle.  Truth be told I could still feel the sambuca from the wedding oozing from my pores but hopefully that’s the end of that now!  If I thought my experience with the lorry was bad yesterday, it was compounded today by a near death experience. I was jogging (in the first 3KM), when I hear two cars coming from behind, but that’s ok they are on the opposite side from me so I just keep going.  That was until another car comes around the bend in front of me, sees the two oncoming cars and heads straight for the ditch!  Now, I realise I am only 5ft 1” but seriously, does he see me at all? Before I know it, I’m in the ditch, in another bunch for nettles, burning, burning, burning…. The up-side you might ask?  Could there possibly be an upside?  Because I was jogging it was now my right side that is covered in stings.  So the update on my tanned or not so tanned legs as a result of all this exercising is that they are NOT brown but red, raised lumps in need of serious ‘doc leaf’ care and attention.  I did make it back to the house and the transition to the bike was indeed welcome, so was the breeze on my legs as I picked up speed on the bike!  You couldn’t make this stuff up but who do you think I met on my cycle but Mr. Banagher Concrete, driving his lorry, you have never heard anyone say ‘Thank You’ as loud as me because he was coming towards me and not behind me!  He got the biggest smile of the day from me.

So getting back in the saddle has been good and the burning desire interesting but just remember it doesn’t matter how much distance you cover, or what speed you are moving at as long as you keep moving forward.

As usual I would love to hear from you, please comment and share.

PS Tinkerbelle got her own bike pumped and ready for action so she is fully on board, onwards and upwards.

The post 30 Days to go: A Burning Desire…. appeared first on Smaoineamh.

Distance Covered: 12Km, 6KM, 16KM, 12KM

So everything’s on track since the last time I checked in, I’ve covered 46Km!  That’s not a typo I really have covered that distance but I’ll break it down later.

On Thursday afternoon I got a lovely call from someone saying that after chatting to me on Wednesday they were inspired to borrow a bike and go for a cycle, well if that’s all that happens between now and July 22^nd then that’s a result!  They have also signed up for the race (they are still in the closet and no one knows they have signed up) so for now let’s call her ‘Tinkerbelle’, I expect to get a few training session in with Tinkerbelle between now and July.  So if there’s anyone else out there that’s signed up or simply just dusted off the runners or the bicycle, whether you’re in or out of the closet in relation to your plans then I’d love to hear from you.

So on Thursday evening I’d like to say I went for a swim and a sauna but that sounds lovely and civilised, the reality is I went for a not-so-graceful doggy paddle and a quick burst in a steam room because the sauna was out of action!  It was nice though and a welcome relief to my leg muscles.  It’s important to listen to your body and mine needed that little bit of care and attention.

On Friday morning I decided it was time to tackle the jogging side of the preparations.  After a few quick muscle stretches I began to jog in the direction of the nearest village, to be honest I didn’t think I’d manage to keep going for any distance but as I began to get into it, I decided to jog for 2.5KM if possible and then walk back.  It might see silly but I think the little bit of exercise that I have been doing is making a difference, I jogged 3KM, pushing myself for the last 500m and then walked back, it may not seem far but it’s a long time since I did any sort of jogging so I was pleased with that and feeling quite good by the time I got home so I had the brainwave to try getting on the bike in order to see what the transition might be like.  I quickly decided to cycle 3KM and then return.  While my rear-end was still giving out for the first few meters it was actually quite enjoyable.  I couldn’t believe it, 12KM covered; 3KM jog, 3KM walk and 6KM cycle.  It’s been a great few days.

I was undecided as to what the weekend would bring because of childcare and everything else that takes priority so I decided not to get bogged down on that and I would take an opportunity to exercise if it came about.  On Saturday afternoon I got the chance to go for a 6KM walk, it was nice and refreshing and felt good to get it in unexpectedly.  Carpe Diem and all that ladies!

Sunday was spent with the family; a day of rest…. That included washing, ironing, cleaning, cooking, organising, planning, etc. etc.  all the things that every mum gets up to on her day of rest!

Monday is the beginning of a new working week.  This is day 6 into this new routine, it already feels more like a habit, let’s keep it up.  The morning was so windy and miserable I didn’t think I could face a jog but that’s the good thing about having variety I was happier to get on my bike.  Today though not even the postman would recognise me, I’ve got a pair of cycling shorts, a helmet AND the big news is a new pair of glasses.  The ones with the reflective glass so you’ll all be able to see my phone when I start to take selfies on my progress (don’t hold your breath!)  I set off and decided that if I felt good over the first 8KM I wouldn’t take the usual road home (for 10KM) I would go on a bigger loop and see how it went.  I was grateful for the glasses, not from the flies but there was a very strong headwind and they really protected my eyes.  I got to the 8KM turn and decided to keep going, so today I did a great big loop that covered 16KM.  That’s the full distance of the cycle on the race so that’s great going.

If you have a goal and you need support, get it from someone that will keep you accountable, whether it’s eating healthy, starting to exercise or simply to make yourself a priority for once.  Pair up with someone and you can encourage each other from there.  It takes 21 days to make /break a habit so find yourself a partner, decide what you want to achieve, make an agreement for 21days and keep in touch for the ups and downs and go achieve!  If you need a partner, drop me a line.

It may appear that I seem to be getting the time I need to fit in all this exercise and wonder where the hell are the two kids?  Well yes I do have childcare covered 5 days a week and I am self-employed so it is a little easier for me to manage my time but it all still has to get done.  When I got back from cycling earlier I went straight to the shower, only to have my three year old insist on coming in with me, that’s ok she usually lets her imagination run wild with lotions and potions and plays with her dolls.  Thinking I had all bases covered with the bathroom door closed I got into the shower only to hear my one year old squeal with delight as he started banging on the shower door, I’m covered in shampoo and I’m just thinking – SERIOUSLY, can a girl not get 2 minutes by herself for a God dam shower???  I mean I’m not looking for a spa experience, just the opportunity to wash the sweat off this tired but satisfied body… Eh?  No, and by the time I opened my eyes he had thrown both of my towels in the bath and turned on the taps, throwing his head back in delight at his new found freedom….. YES there was another adult in the house, one that saw fit to open the bathroom door and let the child in…. because ‘he wanted his mammy…’ they were all heart though and closed the door behind him, I’m guessing to protect my modesty – WELL THANKS VERY MUCH!

It’s all go in every house and especially in a house with small people but it’s important to prioritise self care.  To all of you ladies reading this blog, take time to make time, you are very important and need to be cared for.  If starting with taking time to use the bathroom or shower by yourself is where you are at then that’s your starting point.  Or take time for a coffee first thing in the morning, on your own while the house is quiet.  Perhaps a few minutes of meditation as you place your feet on the ground before you get out of bed, or using the 30 mins of exercise as ‘me time’ then that’s what you must schedule into your day.

So Tuesday has come around very quickly and I need to get back to trying the jogging, once again after a few stretches I set off, my hope is to jog (stay moving at more than a walk) for 5KM.  I decide to head towards the bog, the biggest pro is that no one will see me; the con is that underfoot the terrain can be a little more difficult but it is more inline with the conditions of the race so I guess that’s a win all around.  I did the 5KM slowly but I did it – yeahhh!  It’s a little harder on my knees so I need to be mindful of that.  By the time I got back to the house the sight of the bike was strangely enticing, I think it’s just because I’m already hot and sweaty and well it’s much more time efficient to keep going instead of trying to get back out on the bike later in the day, isn’t it? I go for it, hop on the bike and that’s another 7km done and dusted.

38 days to go and I feel like I’m going to crack this race, it feels good.  Keep it up ladies.

PS If you have a challenge, whatever it might be and need a partner, please get in touch x

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So it’s day 2 on the journey and it’s beginning to rock and roll!

It didn’t start like that though – I had every reason in the world to bail out this morning, the weather was crap, the kids were complaining, I needed to be at work as early as possible, my father-in-law dropped in for his breakfast…. Did I mention the weather, it was lashing…

Right, I’m going to do this, so my first thought was ‘the flies won’t be bothering me today’ – bonus. I got the kids their breakfast and changed into ‘my gear’!  I could see my father-in-law looking at me oddly and I thought ‘I’m sure he’s thinking where in the name of God is she going with all that has to be done this hour of the morning’.  Then I flipped it on its head and said ‘maybe he’s thinking hasn’t she got great get up in go first thing in the morning, wouldn’t it be great if it was Máire that I was trying to get up to milk the cows and not the young lad next door!’… The reality is he probably didn’t even notice that I was parading around in shorts and fiddling with my garmin as I wiped clean the saddle of the bike!

I was off…. The plan today was to go a little further, cycle to the nearest village and around in a loop back to the house.  I’m not sure of the distance but I know it’ll be a little more than yesterday.  I get up on the bike; ouch, ouch, ouch…. My ass is sore from yesterday – so much for thinking I had all the padding I could need on my big ass!  Oddly enough it didn’t last long, I’d say 500m down the road and we were all friends again, me, the bike and the open road.

It’s funny the things you notice when you are not in a car and are just that one step closer to nature, the birds were singing, the cows were getting milked, the children are all off to school, the postman is all kitted out in his rain gear delivering the post.  “Oh wait that’s a different post man, have I cycled so far that I’ve gone into a different jurisdiction?  Wow wow wow…. This is fantastic.

I cycled on, the route is nice with a good mixture of up and down hill, everyone is saluting me and I’m saluting them back.  I have no idea who they are but I can almost hear them saying ‘I wonder who is that now, I think she looks a bit like the wife of yer man with all the cows at the top of the hill…..’ With a smile and salute I cycle on.  I’m really enjoying it this morning and so my mind starts to focus on the length of the route, I look at the watch, it’s approaching 8KM and I’m approaching the local church – wouldn’t it be great to hit the 10km mark…. I cycle on, I still have the big hill to navigate but I decide that even if I haven’t reached 10km when I get to our house, I’m going to cycle past – 10km sounds good for this morning.  I reduce the gears and did deep for the final incline, I’m going really slow but I’m moving forward and that’s all that matters, I get to the top of the hill and look at the watch; 9.81KM and it just tips over the 10km mark and I’m about 50 yards from my own front gate…. Result!!!

The lesson for today is that anyone who thinks they have a big ass, rest assured that your seat bones will always reach the saddle, no amount of adipose tissue will cushion that connection.  If you have a big ass he’s out eating grass in the nearest paddock!  Don’t believe me?  Give it a go.

PS About 30 mins later the postman arrived, the same one I had met on my travels; he is working as a relief worker for a few days, he made me smile.

The post 43 Days to go: My Ass appeared first on Smaoineamh.

Just a bit of background, there was a time in my life when I was fit, so I do know what that feels like but lets just say it’s not where I am now.  After growing two tiny humans (well actually not so tiny) inside this body, then managing to transition them to the outside world and well since that its all been about keeping them safe, happy and healthy so what better idea than to sign up for an adventure race – as a seriously unfit 40 year old, mother of two (a 3 year old girl and a 1 year old boy)!  FANTASTIC idea.  I’ve decided to share my journey with you, highlighting the ups and downs and definitely share my delight at conquering the challenge on July 22^nd.

Ok, so it’s the 7^th of June, 2017 and I signed up to an the Connemara Adventure race (probably a month ago) – I’ve just checked their website and it tells me there’s 44 days and 13 hours left; lots of time – SURELY?

What does it involve?

1. Running/walking: 10.5km approx      2. Cycling: 16km approx      3. Kayaking: 0.5km max

If you’re interested they are still taking registrations http://gaelforceevents.com/en/web/register?group=9

Today I started… I got on my bike (not looking at the FAQ section to see what type of bike is most suitable cause I’m not investing in a bike so I’m sure my bike is perfect or maybe ignorance is bliss) and set off – I have a Garmin watch from my fitter days, even though it’s probably an antique in 2017 it does the job and off we go.  I’m not very familiar with the roads around where I live but I have an idea of a loop that’s probably around 6km so that’s my aim for this morning.

I survive and I covered 6.8km…. yeaaaaahhhhh what a start.  So what did I learn?

• There was a sense of ‘go me! – I’m exercising’
• I wonder if the wind chill on my legs will give me a nice colour by the time I’m finished training? Bonus! (My mum multitasking mindset is never far from the surface)
• Ooohhhh even with my modest cycling I do pick up a little speed when freewheeling down hill… I also pick up lots of little flies in my eyes – yuck, do I need to wear glasses of some sort? Now I’m going to look fabulous, tanned legs AND cool glasses, great.
• I come to a steep hill – start messing with the gears, yes there are gears – and they do make a difference – phew! This is a lovely little bike.  Again it makes me wonder; would I need to be able to fix a puncture the day of the race??  Who knows because I certainly wouldn’t be able to do that today – isn’t that why you bring your phone with you?  In the event of an emergency and all that……
• Now I’ve started there will be no stopping me

Until next time, remember to take one step at a time, one day at a time and stay positive.  If you feel like signing up for the event and want to share your experience I’m happy to hear from you x

The post Get Active! Jump right in… to an adventure race! appeared first on Smaoineamh.

Whilst working closely with a client who had applied for a job, and was successful in getting to the next stage, they were facing their first interview in over 18 years.  The client felt it was a daunting prospect; the thought of the interview and the interview process was getting more energy than the interview itself would take.  There were self deprecating thoughts and words, feeling that so much had changed in industry over the years and yet not giving any thought to the fact that they also had changed in 18 years and had so much more to offer now than they did back then.  So much more experience, both life and career experience.

We worked together to re-frame the interview process as an interview in both directions, the client to interview the company as much as they would interview the client, perhaps the company would not be a good fit for my client.  My belief is that a good fit for both employee and employer benefits from this approach.

The client prepared for interview, for meeting someone they had never met before, for promoting their strengths and challenges, for facing the recruitment world, for the expected sleepless night before the interview and opened the conference room door to the first interview in over 18 years.

The feedback was “It was ok, much better than I thought… I felt comfortable in answering the questions’ – great, it was a success, whatever the outcome in relation to the job it was a success, the client is out of the pigeon hole ‘first interview in over 18 years’ – that’s fantastic.

The process moved on and a week later the client gets called for a second interview, and is only one of two people to get to this stage.  The chatter starts again, more unknown people, what will they want to know? The other person being interviewed is elevated to new heights; they must be incredible, mustn’t they? After all they got a second interview.

The second interview takes place; ‘they were lovely, made me feel very comfortable, but I had a list of answers prepared to lots of difficult questions and they never asked me…. That was disappointing….’ ‘I am happy with the interview though and whatever the outcome it went well and was really good experience’.  This was quickly followed by ‘the guy I’d be working with is a bit of a serious character though’,’ the HR department seems really inefficient’, ‘I’ve heard there is a high staff turnover’…… It prompted me to ask, do you really want this job?

The waiting began, the longer the wait the more the client wanted the position, wanted to be ‘successful’, wanted to be the chosen one of the final two candidates, wanted to be employed again, didn’t want to stay in the recruitment arena, didn’t want to face more interviews and more preparation.

Today I received a text that simply said ‘Didn’t get job ;-(’

Before I speak to the client, I can’t help but wonder if my client will be upset and disappointed or if they will be able to celebrate the success of having overcome significant challenges in the last two weeks.

I believe this is an accomplishment to be proud of, a great opportunity to learn more about themselves and the journey to a new role.  Truth be told I don’t know if this role / company was a good fit for my client, I have a feeling there are bigger and better opportunities on the horizon.

So please remember there are lots of ways to define success; for some it is making a million euro, for some it is owning their own home, for some it is getting that sought after job / role, for some a good relationship with family, for some it’s a lucky escape and for some being able to walk and talk unaided is the best reason in the world to celebrate.  Rejoice in your successes and be grateful for everything that is good in your life.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts”.  Winston Churchill

The post Defining Success appeared first on Smaoineamh.

Working with a client over the past few weeks that came to the realisation they were not being true to what they wanted out of life, I was reminded of the times in my own life.  Times when I made choices, that although they were my choices to make, in reality I made my decision based on what ‘I thought’ others wanted me to say or do; my parents, siblings, partners, work colleagues, friends, the list goes on.

For some people the simplest of everyday tasks get ‘hijacked’ by others needs, you start the day with a list of what you need to achieve and someone asks you to help them out, suddenly you’ve spent the day working with the other person and not fulfilling any of your own needs.  For others it’s a career choice that you make with your parents/partners wishes taking priority; for example ‘a good secure job that will pay the mortgage’.

Take a moment to reflect on the choices you have made today, now think about the bigger choices you have made in 2016, how about the last 5 years?

If you have taken the time to read this post then please be reminded that you are on your own journey, to fulfil your own dreams.  The choices you make should be true to you and your desires.  Remember all of your choices shape your journey, take responsibility for them and make them with peace in your heart and a smile on your face.

So I leave you with this though;

Are you willing to stop ‘people-pleasing’ today? The best way to honour yourself is to say no when you mean no, and yes when you really want to say yes! – Iyanla Vansant.

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The map is not the territory* is a presupposition in Neuro Linguistic Programming** (NLP), but what does that mean for us in every day life. If we take a physical example like travelling from Galway to Dublin on the old N6 I’m sure lots of you can remember the long queues to get through the small town’s and villages like Moate and Kilbeggan, some of you may even remember further back to the long wait through Athlone on a regular journey and it being like a car park if it was math day in Croke Park! The map at the time was to follow the N6 and deal with the blockages and backlogs as you encountered them. It was the only way to go, the default and learned route.

Moving time on, the majority of people now use the M6 to make that same journey from Galway to Dublin.  Planners look not only at the map but also at the entire territory; they consider the options, and in the end forge a new path way that will in the longer terms deliver a better way. Indeed, anyone close to a project like the M6 Motorway will be aware of the challenges this option also presents, compulsory land purchases, environmental concerns, etc. However, in the end the project is fully implemented and a new path is created giving many benefits to motorists, businesses, local communities who get their town / village back, travel times improved, safety on our roads has improved, to name but a few.

So going back to NLP and considering our own map in life, what benefits could we get if we regained our power, took responsibility for our choices and really looked a the same old road we travel; our current behaviour on a daily basis, with family, friends and co-workers? Is it time for change? Is our model of reality, reality itself? Could we look at things differently and achieve what we want to achieve.

Today’s challenge is to take one aspect of your life that currently presents a challenge; and consider your model of what’s going on, then consider the model from every angle, e.g. the other person, the communication, the language used, the default programme you have chosen to use and ask yourself honesty, might there be a better way? You have the power to make the change, take it.

* The map is not the territory was first used by Alfred Korzybski, a Polish American Philosopher and scientist and author of Science and Sanity. The map is not the territory encapsulated his view that an abstraction derived from something, or a reaction to it, is not the thing itself. Korzybski held that many people confuse maps with territories, that is, confuses models of reality with reality itself.

** NLP stands for Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a name that encompasses the three most influential components involved in producing human experience: neurology, language and programming. It was created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, United States in the 1970s.  Máire uses NLP as a tool within the coaching environment at Smaoineamh.

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