It's that time of year again. We ask each other, 'Are you all set for Christmas?'. 'Do you have all your shopping done?'. I ask you now, are you set for Christmas? Have you scheduled in time for self care? Have you planned a Christmas that is in line with who you truly are? Have you found a way to give without giving too much of yourself? Have you allowed time for reflection upon the lessons learned and successes you should bank from 2025? 

Regular daily practices and intentional living can be life changing. I want to introduce you to the GRACE Method. I'll go into more detail on this another time, but for now, I invite you to take a few moments every day over Christmas to check in with GRACE.

Ground
Begin and end each day grounded. This might be through meditation, stepping outside into nature, or simply pausing to breathe. Throughout the day, return to your body: take a breath, feel your feet on the ground, do a gentle march on the spot, then stop and notice your feet again — grounded, steady, alive with energy.
Reflect
Reflect on the day that has been: the lessons learned, the moments that mattered, and the successes worth banking. Also allow yourself to reflect on the possibilities of tomorrow. Choose a fresh notebook — one that brings you joy each time you see it — and begin writing. Let the words take you where they need to go.
Act
Actors get to become new people with every role they play. Begin acting as the best version of yourself. In show business they say “fake it ’til you make it” — and this works in life too. Let’s start simply with posture. Does the best version of you stand small or tall? Before leaving the house, stand in front of the mirror and channel your inner hero. It’s time for the Superman or Superwoman pose.
Create
Creating doesn’t have to mean painting a masterpiece or writing a number one hit song. Creation is about making something that sparks something within you or others. For some, that might be writing; for others, it might be creating a beautiful space at home where you can light a candle and enjoy a quiet coffee. Keep creating. Find your way.
Embody
Gently integrate groundedness, self-reflection, intentional action, and creativity into your everyday life — allowing GRACE to become not just something you practice, but something you live.

I hope you enjoy trying out this method and I would love to hear how you're getting on with it.

Before I go, I'm going to start you off on a little 'Creativity Task'. I want you to sit down and write a Christmas card to your December 2026 self. In this card you will write as though 2026 is almost over. You will write about all your achievements as though they all happened. I want you to dream BIG here. Tell yourself about the dream job you got, the incredible holiday you went on, the fun times had with friends etc. The joy of this task is there are NO LIMITS. When you have finished writing the card, seal the envelope with all it's wonderful positive energy inside, write your name on it and store it away until December 2026. Let it work it's magic!

Until next time, I wish you a peaceful Christmas and will be back again as we dig for the magic of January :)

I've been thinking a lot about November and it's a month I feel a bit sorry for! For some people, it is simply the waiting room for Christmas and for others, it is a month of darkness. It is true that November forces us to endure more hours of darkness. It is cold and feelings of loneliness and grief can often come to the surface at this time of year. But, perhaps we could look at November a little differently.

To deeply feel feelings is so incredibly healthy. Summer sun with all it's festivals and brightness can be distracting. Christmas madness is loud. Spring is all about growth. But what about November? The month where deep healing can start. The month where the sun is dazzlingly bright when it decides to shine. This sun might represent hope, even in dark times. November rain so often results in the most glorious rainbows. So, what I am trying to say is, November might just be that spark of hope in the year. It's easy for summer to appear bright. Autumn is so colourful, it actually looks like a painting. December is quite literally filled with lights and decorations. Spring has it's blossoms and new life. November does the tough job and still manages to give us rainbows and the brightest sun through bare branches. I admire November .

November, by Grace Foley

November is for the searchers  
Who wait and look to see 
The answers aren’t in the leaves  
Of the tallest, strongest tree 
 
The answers aren’t in the flowers 
That burst to life in Spring  
The answers are not in the heat  
That Summer sun will bring  
 
The answers lie inside the times 
When we have to find the light 
Between bear branches, of November trees 
A glimmer of hope in sight 
 

Lights, camera, action... 
I was lucky enough to play a small role in Damien O Callaghan’s latest film, 'Tradition'. While we are to remain completely tight lipped about the movie and its' fantastic storyline and cast, I definitely want to write about the experience of being on a film set! 
This was my first time to be involved in the filming process and it truly is fascinating! Damien himself is a man who knows exactly what he wants from every scene and in the delivery of every line in his films, but he is also a man who has unending patience with his cast members. My favourite Damien quote is, 'You got this’. Every single time an actor would struggle with a line Damien would totally put them at ease, thus getting the best performance out of them. This was such a lovely thing to see as I always thought that everyone in that type of position would be very demanding and harsh but I couldn’t have been more wrong. 
As we were extras we did not see the script at any stage so every joke was well tested on us. Trying to keep a straight face while being right in the middle of an hilarious scene was very challenging indeed! 
Everyone knows how I feel about supporting local talent and not only does this movie do that but the locality also supported to movie. Local people and businesses gave so kindly of themselves and their time, it was inspiring to see. 'Tradition’ I due to hit film festivals next year and I for one cannot wait to see it! ​

'We will go there as a team and have some fun'. That was what the late Aine Nic Ghabhann said to me when I was preparing to compete in one of my first Music Feiles. Looking back I now see that Aine knew how daunting it can be to face things like competitions alone, but to be part of a team will make any soloist feel less alone and less pressured. She said we must cheer our team mates on and if one of us wins our competition, we all celebrate. 
The power of a team was never more evident than in the recent programme about the late Anthony Foley on RTE. I have to admit that I am not a big rugby fan but I am a fan of people who have a great passion for what they do. These people leave an imprint on the lives of those around them and this was certainly true of the rugby star. To see huge grown men break down on television was absolutely heart breaking. I was very struck by how Paul O Connell described the time of Anthony Foley's funeral. He said 'We were fine once we were together'. This just shows you that a team is not just something you join just to compete. A team will have your back through many different aspects of life. 
This week I ask any of you who are soloists in your jobs, whatever that job may be, to see if you can find some team mates who will shoulder your burdens with you. The life of a soloist can be a lonely one, we all need a team to lean on. 
 ​

"Comedy is acting out optimism". Those were the words of the late comic, Robin Williams. I have always felt that being a comedian must be one of the most difficult performing jobs. The comedian walks on stage with a plan in their head and a sense of humour that they can only hope will appeal to the audience on a particular night. 
My fiancé and I were recently gifted tickets to 'The Dermot and Dave Show' at the Everyman Theatre in Cork. I am embarrassed to say that I had never been to this theatre before but I plan to return to it as often as I can. This theatre is the type of theatre where you can actually feel the energy of all the performers who have graced its' stage as soon as you walk in. It has so much charm and warmth and is the perfect setting for a relaxed evening of entertainment. The warm up act for the show was Wicklow comedian, Danny O Brien. He walked onstage with what I can only describe as a mixture of confidence and vulnerability which I think is the recipe for the best type of comedian. He had the audience in stitches and set the night up well for the main act. I don't actually listen to the Dermot and Dave Show on the radio so I was at a disadvantage as some of their material went over my head. What really stood out for me was the fact that, yet again, this form of art requires so many other art forms to make it a success. There was comedy, improvisation, acting, singing, dancing and the use of visual art.  I always come to the conclusion that no artist is an island and that one art form cannot survive without the others. Laughter is the best medicine and I had got a good dose of it at the Everyman Theatre Cork. ​

When leaves are fallen and the branch is bare... Winter is calling, and chills the silent air'. Those are lyrics from the very beautiful song 'In the Quiet' by Liam Lawton. That song is always playing in my mind at this time of year as I look out the window and see the changes that are occurring. We usually associate new starts and resolutions with the month of January but I have always felt that we get a second chance around this time of year. 
I recently saw a quote online that really struck me and it said, 'Autumn is nature's way of showing that letting go can be beautiful'. As the brightly coloured leaves fall and the branches are left bare I wonder if maybe we can do the same thing? Perhaps we can shed our layers of doubt and let go of the weight that has been heavy on our backs. A bare tree can be seen as empty and cold or it can be seen as a tree that is ready for a new beginning.  
Everyone who knows me knows I love this time of year. I love the colours and the smells. I love that Christmas is on the horizon again! I urge you this week to listen to music that is associated with this time of year. There is great warmth and hope in so many of these songs. In Winter we need to create warmth to survive and I think we need to do the same things within our own hearts. Embrace change, let go, and decide what your Winter song of hope will be.  'Just remember, in the Winter, far beneath the bitter snow... Lies a seed, that with the sun's love, in the Spring, becomes the rose.' ​

In my writing I often draw a parallel between sports and music. The athlete and musician have so much in common. We both start out with a desire to perform. We strive to perfect our skill by practicing regularly and generally taking care of ourselves. What we must remember is that we all have our own unique attributes. Whether you are part of team or are a solo performer, the only way you can bring the best out in yourself is by never leaving behind the essence of who you are. 
I recently watched the Irish movie Handsome Devils and you really can’t beat an inspirational sports movie to get the blood pumping. It had everything from the topic of sexuality to the struggle of the athlete in keeping his mind clear while on the field. As in life, the content of these movies usually boils down to one topic; Embracing  your individuality. People love certain players, not just because of their sporting ability but because of their personality. People’s favourite singers are often not the most talented musicians, they just have that 'X factor'. 
There are some great quotes out there like 'Be yourself, everyone else is taken' and the age old , 'To thine own self be true' but I came across an absolute gem in this movie. The English teacher is struggling to impart wisdom onto a class of young men who's biggest fear is being considered 'different'. In a moment of pure frustration with the class the teacher says that if ‘you spend your whole life being someone else who is going to be you?' 
 
September is a time for big change so if you are a student in school or college or indeed simply a student of life, remember that it is a good thing to be you. It is better to leave your mark on this world than to leave behind regret. We all have a unique fingerprint that no one else possesses...use it. 
 
 
 ​

There is nothing quite like the sense of achievement to make a person want to do even more. I recently had a run of my show, 'An Irish Heart’ which played to audiences all over Kerry. This show stemmed from a simple idea. All it takes is an open mind and a pretty notebook to get the creative juices flowing! 
I began performing this show on St. Patrick’s Day and the production has simply grown and grown since then. As performers we can get caught up in the struggle for perfection but the warmest memories I take from this time will not be those where the notes were perfect, or indeed the times when the notes were off. I will always remember the love of our audiences, the funny things that went wrong and the mishaps that only we knew about on stage. 
The people we choose to work with will make or break us and I am so blessed to work with a group of people who I can genuinely call friends. Jayme Linehan is our pianist and she is one of my best friends. In my moments of terror, she is always there with a hug and a smile. Conor Linehan is our guitarist and he is so multi talented. Conor always brings much needed calm to proceedings. The gentle and sweet Lucy Tanner is our violinist and I have come to know and respect her very deeply through this process. I cannot forget our two wonderful dancers; Scott O Meara and Ciaran Quigley. These young men bring such joy an energy to the stage every night and they are an absolute pleasure to work with. We plan to run this show throughout 2018 and cannot wait to get planning our next step.  
To plant the seed of an idea, water it with love and watch it grow into something much bigger and much more beautiful than you ever expected is such a gift and a it is a gift that I will always treasure. ​

I have often encouraged you all to see aspects of life and art and performance with a childlike wonder. Well this week I am asking you to listen with ears that have lived, loved, lost and learned. 
Just recently my mother discovered a cd of mine in my childhood bedroom. She listened to it and urged me to do the same as she knew I would feel a huge connection with number of the songs. As I listened I felt a sense of familiarity with the music, yet it also seemed new to me. I played to this album over and over again as a child but it is only now that the sentiment of the songs really rings true for me. I realised the reason for this is because I have lived so many years since I last listened to this album. I do not simply imagine what loss might be like; I have experienced it. I do not have an untainted sense of hope; I have been deeply hurt. The melodies are so familiar yet the words only now make sense. 
As an innocent child I could never imagine what it would be like to one day sing songs about things that have actually happened to me. One song in particular has struck a very special chord with me. This song is so true to my own life's journey and there is a certain symmetry to the fact that I actually first fell in love with this song before I knew how much it would one day mean to me. 
This week I ask you to take out your old CDs or record or tapes and listen with new ears. Listen with a heart and mind that has lived through so much since you last heard this music. You might find yourself falling in love with a song all over again... ​