Sunday, 31 December 2017

Reviewing the Inspiration!


Like many, New Years Eve tends to be a time where we reflect on the year that has passed and wonder what the New Year will hold for us. 

As years go 2017 overall hasn't been a bad one. It's had it's ups and downs and at times it has knocked me sideways but overall it's given me some things back which I thought I'd lost. 

For some time, I've wanted to write about some people and things that occurred that have inspired me over the last year and motivated me all the more for 2018!




Karen Geraghty aka Yankee Doodle Paddy / @blissbakery 

Many of you will know Karen from her blog Yankee Doodle Paddy and from social media as @blissbakery. I first got to know Karen from following her on Snapchat and immediately I thought "What a lady". Karen has a wonderful attitude to life and always looks for the good there is and spreads love to all who know and follow her. 
When we met earlier this year, I have to say I wasn't disappointed. The Karen you see on social media is exactly who you get and more! Karen just oozes smiles and positive energy that you can't help but to soak it up and bring it with you. 
I feel very blessed to know Karen and love how on a daily basis she inspires me as she does many I'm sure whether it be in her cooking or with her words of love and wisdom. She's a true lady and I feel very lucky to call her my friend. 




Jennifer Rock aka The Skin Nerd

Another lady who many will know from social media, Pippa's Fashion Factories and Ireland AM to name a few. 
Jennifer is you young woman, proud mum to her mini skin nerd and in the last year since becoming her own boss she has gone from strength to strength and stronger. Between her Cleanse off Mitt, her personalised online skin consultations with her Nerdettes, appearances both on TV and and events and now a new book to arrive on our shelves in 2018, she truly has become a remarkable woman and one to keep a close eye on for the future. 
I met Jennifer at an Image event earlier this year and stepped away feeling, I've met a lady who is going to have great successes and will be grounded throughout. Jennifer works very hard for what she has achieved to date and I've no doubt as her brand grows, she will continue to inspire many throughout her journey.  


New Frontiers Phase 1 

I remember the day when I read the email from DIT Grangegorman to say I was accepted to New Frontiers Phase 1. It was a Monday afternoon and I was with our son while we waited for his little sister to finish her ballet lesson. To say I was delighted on receiving the email was an understatement! It was my first time to apply for New Frontiers Phase 1 so to be accepted was fantastic as I knew it was the kick start I needed. 

Taking part in New Frontiers made me think not only about my business Darcy the Dingo in a new way but also about myself. In setting up a business you can become quite lost and sometimes you need a little redirection to help you get back on track and New Frontiers certainly helped kick start this for me. 


Curraun, Co. Mayo



As some of you may know Mayo for me is my home from home, and more specifically Curraun is. Curraun is where my mother and her family were reared along with many of my cousins and now for our family it is the place we love to visit for our holidays every year. 

This year, Mayo gave me a lot more than previous years and that was to unwind more and to take in what truely was around me. When you are sitting listening to the radio in the evening and looking out onto Clare Island and a school of Dolphins passes you can't help but feel blessed. Visiting Mayo is always a simple and relaxing holiday but this year taking an extra week to soak up all of what Mayo has to offer made it perfection. Mayo this year, gave me a lot of clarity on things and reminded me again that I can and will move forward and all will be great.  


Acorns  

Acorns was for me one of my high points of 2017. When I read the email that I was accepted I cried. It was my 3rd time to apply and my final chance to join the amazing women who are part of Acorns. 

When I met the wonderful Paula Fitzsimons who was behind the setting up of Acorns, she shook my hand and congratulated me that I kept trying and didn't give up on applying for the programme. Hearing her say that gave me such a boost and ignited my confidence which I'd mislaid during the months prior. 
Every lady I met just oozed inspiration, motivation and confidence which you couldn't help but to feed off it and thrive. 



Within our round table we have a wonderful lead in Alison Ritchie, Managing Director of Polar Ice. She's such a lady and has helped spur me on, along with my colleagues to move me and Darcy the Dingo forward. I feel very lucky with the great ladies that form our roundtable who are as follows;

Being accepted to Acorns has made me feel part of something so much bigger and when I see great women such as Nicki Hoyne of My Shining Armour, Niamh Hogan of Holos Skincare, Geraldine Byrne of Mediskin, Claire Molloy of Sweet Living Kilkenny and Jo Browne of Jo Browne to name but a few and seeing how they have progressed I feel all the more inspired as what the future holds for me. 


Brian Kelly aka my husband, father to our children and my rock

And my best inspiration of 2017 I've saved for last! My wonderful husband! Brian has put up with many of my up's and downs not only in 2017 but since 2004 and still as always he is by my side supporting me and our family. 
He's a true rock to me and there's many times I'd love to shake him in a good way as he doesn't realise what an inspiration he is to us. No matter what he is there and he always does his level best to be there for any appointments our children may have and help me when I need it to attend meetings etc for my business. 

I feel very blessed and proud to call Brian my husband and I know that with him by my side, there is greatness ahead ;-)





So, as we draw near to the end of 2017, what will 2018 bring? If I'm honest, who knows, but one thing I do know is it's going to be a great year! While there'll be lots of hard work, there will also be lots of fun and a trip or two to Mayo and most important of all, everything that is done will not just be for me but our family. 






I'd like to wish you a wonderful New Year and I hope that all you dream of comes true for you and your loved ones 





Friday, 8 December 2017

Now is the time!



As many of you know who follow me or chatted to me, I've been working on #secretproject for some time which many of you now know as Darcy the Dingo! When I revealed what #secretproject was, I was so excited and was ready to share Darcy the Dingo with all. 
Through one thing or another it didn't go as planned and as time progressed and life got in the way, I lost a lot of confidence in my own self if I'm honest! 





Last week when I met up with my fellow Acorns and our Lead, Alison Ritchie, I was filled with mixed emotions. While I'd my goals set and prepared from our initial meeting and was excited to see everyone, I was nervous too.

Deep down I'm excited about Darcy the Dingo and I know I'm not a failure in my own self and I've a "few brain cells" I can rub together but I'd lost confidence to move forward and take the steps I've needed to just start! 

Thanks to our Acorns round table talks last week, I'm now trying to stop overthinking, reducing how much I listen to everyone's "advice" and I'm just going to DO IT!

So, thanks to my fellow Acorns and also support of family and friends, I'm now doing it!





So, today, I finally have on sale, subscriptions for Darcy the Dingo and also an additional gift option which you can shop for here

Today, I feel proud, proud that I've finally just done it, even if it's not how I planned, I'm delighted to be moving forward and gaining back confidence in me! 

I must say a massive thank you too, to my fellow Acorns for pushing me in the right direction and also family and friends for helping me to take the leap and JUST DO IT! 





If I'm honest , for the last week after saying to my fellow Acorns, "Ok, I'll do it, I'II have a pre-sale / launch"! when I said the words, I shook and in many ways, I've hidden myself from admitting to those words and trying to figure out ways to get out of what I said but in saying that, it's a great thing to have happened! I'm now getting out there, I'm going to MOVE FORWARD  and I'm really looking forward to the journey!