This episode is my most vulnerable and personal one yet — probably because my pain is a core focus of it. In the last few years, a lot of people in my life died: two of them were very young and meant the world to me. I chat about how my views of life and death have significantly changed, but also how I have learnt to hold myself and carry on after losing people I love, and how I have had to let myself be held by others when the pain was too much. I hope that listening to this can help you find your inner resilience to keep going when life feels hard. Creating art & helping others can be the most therapeutic form of coping with pain; I talk about the different people I met who turned to service during times of hardship to help them carry on.

In this week's episode, I share my experience in Bali and how I discovered far more about myself and life than what I initially expected!

Keep an eye out on @modernwomenbali  where I'll be sharing my regular column 'Branch out in Bali' very soon.

What's Your version of 'normal'? In this episode I go deep into my own personal beliefs & what I am passionate about. I chat about how & why labels can feel very limiting to me : especially the label 'normal'. 

The power of language continues to surprise me everyday as I catch myself using words that can dramatically change my mood & I notice when I am triggered by particular words that other people use.

Listen to this episode for more on mental health, the limitations of labels, how to set boundaries & what I feel it means to be selfish vs how to take care of yourself and set personal boundaries.

(Apologies if the sound quality isn't up to scratch: the downside of moving about while traveling!)

As always, send a message with any feedback at @agoodkindofscary on Instagram.

For more information on the work that I am doing, click the link below:

https://linktr.ee/saoirserafferty

This week's episode is one I will always hold close to my heart. I chat with Aoife Butler about the pain of losing a brother & how we can all find reasons to 'hold on' when life feels painful. We both share our personal struggles of learning to live a life without someone who has always been in it. Aoife lost her brother Matthew to suicide in 2016 and continues to honor him in her everyday life.

Aoife is a mental health nurse - someone who is very passionate about helping others & advocates the importance of kindness. We look at ways we can all be kinder to ourselves and delve into our imperfections. Aoife is this year's Sydney Rose of Tralee but believes there is no 'perfect person' or idealized rose on a stage. She is inspired to share this message as well as the importance of holding on when life is difficult because she never thought she would be standing on a stage as a Sydney Rose.

Listen to this episode to hear a very genuine, emotional & honest conversation. 

Follow @agoodkindofscary on Instagram or 'A Good Kind of Scary' on Facebook.

More information on Aoife:

@sydneyroseoftralee

Podcast episode on @acountydownunder

In this week's episode, I reminisce on my teenage years where I spent a lot of time at school and on the bus, looking forward to the next disco. I analyze the behavior that was considered the norm during this time and the challenges of learning to socialise in anti-social environments. I also touch on how being in anti-social settings can impact our ability to socialize as adults and heighten our insecurities. I chat a bit about the benefits of sea swimming, especially in regulating our stress levels.

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On this week's episode, I provide four steps you can take to move forward in an ideal direction that suits you.

Do you ever feel like you're running around in an endless loop with no clear direction in sight? Or do you feel stuck in a rut that there's no way out of? Maybe you are constantly moving forward and trying new things but unsure of the purpose. Or you're just bored!

This episode is for everyone and anyone. It will help you gain clarity into how to move forward & make a positive change in your life today. Just take a walk with me along these four simple steps!

Resources Discussed:

Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz

Matthew McConaughey Speech

Follow @agoodkindofscary on Instagram or 'A Good Kind of Scary' on Facebook

I had the most beautiful discussion with Lou, known for her community 'living and laughing with Lou' which she started with her adored Granny Nancy (who lived to 107 years). Lou talks about how she started this online community as a way to connect and stay close at a time when we were told to stay away. Lou documented her time with Granny Nancy during the covid pandemic, and what started as fun has led Lou to find her purpose — helping people known they are not alone and preparing them for the fragility of life.

We delve deep into the heartbreak of grief: something we are both very familiar with. This discussion was healing for me & I've no doubt it will be for all of you too. Lou has a warm presence and is so genuine in what she says.

Become a part of Lou's Facebook community here:

https://www.facebook.com/LIVINGANDLAUGHINGWITHLOU/

Follow her on Instagram @loucoghlan

Check out her website to read her book about her adored Granny Nancy or sign up to Lou's coacing services:

https://livingandlaughingwithlou.com/

Do you want to incorporate journaling into your daily routine? I provide some straightforward tips on how to do this as well as suggestions for getting into the creative flow and allowing yourself to have some fun while writing! I include a short visualization at the end of this episode to help spark your creative energy. There are many benefits of journaling and reasons why I love it (which I chat more about throughout this episode).

I have created an online course 'Writing for Wellbeing' & explain more on this. You can follow me at @agoodkindofscary or www.agoodkindofscary.com to keep updated on when you can sign up.

Emer Varley (@evpt2023) (@emervarley) is a close friend who is passionate about fitness and nutrition. We talk all things ranging from life in the UAE to building self-belief and healthy habits. We even reminisce on our teenage disco days when Emer’s social life would often suffer because of her dedication to taekwondo. Emer has always been one of the most confident people I know & we chat more about this throughout the episode. 

Jo (@realsoberjo) tells her story about how she got fed up of the constant highs and lows in her life & why she became a life coach. She was always the party girl living a 'work hard, play hard' lifestyle until blackouts became a normality. We speak about the socially accepted drinking norms in society and how you can create fun environments without alcohol.

Jo is an inspiration to listen to. She is so honest and genuine in her words and intentions. You can check out her website and sign up for a discovery call if you're interested in working with her:

https://www.soberjo.com/