Leadership, connection, community and a little reminder of what really matters.
And just like that, October has come and gone!
Another month where, as I sit down to reflect, I find myself wondering how everything fitted in.
When I first thought about writing this month’s reflection, I wasn’t sure I had much to share. But looking back through the photographs, conversations and experiences, I realised just how much October had given me. Wonderful people, meaningful work, new opportunities, community connections and some very precious personal moments.
And perhaps that’s why I’ve come to value these monthly reflections so much. They encourage me to pause and appreciate not just what I’ve achieved, but the people and experiences that have made the journey meaningful.
Because sometimes, amongst all the doing, we forget the importance of simply being.
💼 Leadership, Learning and Growing Together
October brought more opportunities to do what I love -supporting people and organisations to develop their Emotional Intelligence and leadership capabilities.
I had the pleasure of working with a management team at Kersia, inventing a food safe world delivering a workshop on Enhancing Leadership Impact with Emotional Intelligence. We explored how self-awareness, empathy, emotional regulation and relationship skills influence how we lead, communicate and support others. We also measured their emotional capital through RocheMartin ECR assessments,
It’s always encouraging to see organisations investing in their people and recognising that emotionally intelligent leadership is not a nice-to-have, but an essential part of creating healthy, high-performing workplaces. A fantastic team and company.
I also continued my individual and group coaching engagements and was delighted to be involved in the launch of Sustainable HRM Skillnet joining its coaching panel and already securing my first coaching client through the initiative. It was also wonderful to be at the launch Waterford Chamber Regional Leaders Programme in it’s 10th year and contribute to its panel discussion alongside Michael Stafford 🤓 and Tom Cullen
I’m looking forward to continuing my work with Perennial Freight alongside other exciting opportunities ahead. Another highlight was part two of my livestream series with Joe Sheppard our conversations and sharing insights. One thing I regularly remind leaders is that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes our greatest impact comes from creating the space to listen, understand and allow others to grow. Next session is November 19th so tune in.
👩💼 Celebrating Women in Business and the Power of Connection
What a wonderful occasion Local Enterprise Office Wexford National Women’s Enterprise Day in Gorey was! A fantastic opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new people and celebrate the determination, resilience and achievements of women in business. It was particularly lovely to catch up with so many wonderful women from Network Ireland Wexford d including keynote speaks Aisling Hurley and Kel Galavan , and to enjoy the encouragement and genuine support that comes from these networks and events. So many learnings and reflective opportunities.
The theme of Growing Forward really resonated with me and i look forward to rethinking my business model through Aisilng’s PBEE framework again.
Growth isn’t always about doing more or moving faster. Sometimes it’s about building confidence, embracing new opportunities, learning from challenges and recognising how far we’ve already come. Following my recent recognition as National Solo Businesswoman of the Year, I also had the pleasure of joining Verna Goff on South East Radio to reflect on my business journey.
Recognition is always lovely, but what stays with me most is the number of people who have supported, encouraged and believed in me along the way. There’s something incredibly powerful about women supporting women, and I’m so grateful for the friendships and connections this journey continues to bring.
💙 Rotary, Community and Inspiring Young Leaders
October also brought some lovely opportunities to reconnect with my Rotary Club of Wexford community.
Our End Polio Now coffee morning was a reminder of the incredible work Rotary continues to do, locally and internationally, and the importance of coming together for a shared purpose. Thanks to Bernadette Denby MIPAV TRV CIPS MMCEPIan incredible amount of over €1200 raised.
I also had the privilege of judging the Rotary Youth Leadership Development Competition at St Peter’s College. What an encouraging experience to see young people step forward, share their ideas, demonstrate confidence and challenge themselves. As someone passionate about developing the next generation of leaders, these are the moments that leave me feeling optimistic about the future. I cannot wait to see what the County final on November 9th brings.
And of course, October in Wexford wouldn’t be complete without the Wexford Festival Opera! It was wonderful to experience the Opera and enjoy a lovely Rotary fellowship gathering with friends and visiting Rotarians. Great conversations, laughter, friendship and a shared appreciation of everything our wonderful county has to offer. A reminder that community isn’t simply about what we achieve together, but also about the relationships we build along the way.
❤️ Lourdes – A Reminder That We Are Human Beings, Not Human Doings
Amongst all the activity of October, one of my most special experiences was travelling to Lourdes with my mum. And perhaps what made it so meaningful was the simplicity of it all. The peace. The quietness. The opportunity to reflect, reconnect and simply be. We travelled with a small group of people, some of whom we knew very little about. We didn’t necessarily know their surnames, their careers or their ambitions.
And none of that mattered.
We simply shared time, conversations and stories.
Some of those travelling had lost loved ones over the past year. Listening to their experiences, and understanding what this journey meant to them, was incredibly moving. There was no need to offer solutions or find the right words.
Sometimes just listening is enough.
There is something very special about the spiritual energy of Lourdes. A sense of peace and stillness that’s difficult to explain, but one that leaves you feeling reconnected, almost as though your soul has been re-energised. And personally, having that uninterrupted time with my mum was precious. After a very difficult couple of years for her, seeing the joy and energy she took from the experience meant so much.
No rushing, no competing demands, no endless to-do lists.
Just time together. ❤️ And what a gift that was.
It reminded me of something I often say to my coaching clients, and particularly to some of the wonderful women in my life:
We are human beings, not human doings.
Yet how often do we measure our days by what we’ve accomplished, how productive we’ve been or how many things we’ve managed to tick off that never-ending list?
Between work, family, responsibilities and the expectations we place on ourselves, it’s easy to forget that we don’t always have to be doing something.
Sometimes, what we need most is simply to be.
To slow down.
To listen.
To reconnect with ourselves and the people who matter.
And perhaps that’s one of the greatest lessons in Emotional Intelligence recognising when we need to stop doing and give ourselves permission to just be.
🏡 Family, Mid-Term and the Little Moments
Of course, October also brought the usual family activities, including school mid-term and the excitement of watching my daughter take part in a gymnastics competition. As a mum of three, balancing business, family and everything in between is always a work in progress! And while I love what I do, I’m equally conscious of the importance of being present for those little family moments.
They might not make the professional highlights reel, but they’re every bit as important.
🌱 My Emotional Intelligence Reflection — The Power of Presence
As I look back on October, one word keeps coming to mind.
Presence.
Whether it’s being fully engaged in a coaching conversation, encouraging a young person, supporting another businesswoman or spending quiet time with someone we love, our presence can have a greater impact than we realise.
Mimi Nicklin – Empathy Advocate work on empathy continues to resonate with me, particularly the importance she places on listening and genuine human connection.
And October reminded me that we don’t always need to know someone’s entire story to connect with them. We don’t need to know their job title, achievements or ambitions.
Sometimes we simply need to make space to listen, without judgement, without distraction and without feeling the need to respond with a solution.
In a world where technology, AI and the pace of change continue to accelerate, I believe these human qualities will only become more valuable.
And perhaps we need to practice them not only in our workplaces, but also in our own lives.
✨ Looking Ahead to November
November is already shaping up to be another exciting month.
I’m particularly looking forward to participating in the County Wexford Chamber Leadership Summit on 12 November, alongside Gerard Reynolds Reynolds from BD and Deirdre Forte from Kersia, where we’ll share insights from Emotional Intelligence coaching in practice.Another wonderful opportunity to highlight the importance of investing in people and developing emotionally intelligent leadership. Get your tickets quick before it is sold out.
County Wexford Chamber Leadership Summit 2026 | County Wexford Chamber (CWC) on Glue Up
But if October has taught me anything, it’s that alongside the plans, ambitions and opportunities, we must also make time to pause.
To appreciate the people around us.
To celebrate the little moments.
To reconnect with ourselves.
And sometimes, to simply be.
Because life will always give us another list of things to do, another opportunity to pursue and another goal to achieve.
But amongst all the doing, we must remember to make time for simply being.
After all, we are human beings, not human doings. ❤️
Thank you to everyone who has been part of my October.
I’d love to leave you with a question:
As you reflect on your own month, have you made enough time to simply be?
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