Welcome back to week SIX of The Weekly Balance! I don’t know about you guys but I am really glad its February. January always seems like a very long month after the warmth of Christmas and New Year’s, and embracing longer evenings and brighter mornings as spring arrives is something I am definitely here for!

What went on in my doctor life…

This past week at work has continued to be very busy with the rapidly evolving novel coronavirus outbreak. I wrote about this in last week’s article, and as you guys will have seen, the situation continues to change every day. It’s very important to stay up to date on this situation and to be aware of measures we can all take to help reduce the spread of this virus. The Irish Health Protection Surveillance Centre have an excellent and regularly updated Frequently Asked Questions section for novel coronavirus on their website, which you can have a read of here. Keep an eye on my Instagram tomorrow as I’ll be sharing a post explaining a little bit about outbreaks! Below is a great infographic by the World Health Organisation on ways we can all reduce our risk of novel coronavirus infection.

I finished out my week of work with an on-call Friday. I’ll be honest, I spent most of last week feeling quite nervous for it, so keeping my self-talk positive and bringing out that self-belief was key. As with most things, I learn by doing, so each day on-call is a day of more experience for me – that’s the positive I always focus on!

What I’m thinking about…

Last weekend, I shared a post on my Instagram about gaining weight, which is something I (intentionally) did last year. You can check it out by having a peek at my Instagram page here – I won’t go into the full post again in this article! I wrote this post at the start of 2020, and wasn’t sure if I would ever share it. However, last weekend it felt right to, and I was absolutely blown away by the response to the post. So to all of you who liked the post, commented on it, and/or messaged me about it, I wanted to say a sincere thank you. It meant a LOT to have a very honest and open post received so warmly and positively. My blog and social media platform is much more about the objective content I can bring to you guys than it is about my own journey to balance in life, but at times it feels right to share little insights into it. The main take-home point from this post was that for some, weight gain (not loss or maintenance) is a path to improved health, well-being & life itself. And no one should be judged based on their body shape or size. Ever. 

The second thing I’m thinking about is that I’m very excited to be speaking at Thrive Festival in Dublin on Sunday March 1st! Thrive is a huge health and wellness festival in Dublin city – I went last year as an attendee, and really enjoyed it. There are health and wellness themed talks, fitness classes (everything from boxing to pilates to yoga), cookery demos, and lots of food and other brands with stalls that you can check out! Oh, and the festival is held in the Dublin Convention Centre, so it takes up 3-4 floors! As I’m a brand ambassador with KIND Snacks Ireland  who will be at Thrive (I’m sure many of you reading have had a KIND bar before – the Dark Chocolate Nuts and Sea Salt is my favourite!), I’ve been given an opportunity to give a talk at the festival! I’ll be speaking about Finding Balance Through Kindness on Sunday 1st March at 10am in the Thrive Life section – let me know if you’re coming!

Finally, I’ve also been thinking about being brave and trying to make friends. Last weekend I organised a small group meet-up using the GirlCrew app, which I’ve written about in last week’s post, and which went really well! This weekend, I’ve organised a second one, and I’m excited to see how it goes – I’ll keep you guys posted! You can read more about GirlCrew here. 

What I’m reading…

I shared a book review yesterday on my Instagram of the latest book I’ve read – Pretty Unhealthy by Dr. Nikki Stamp. You can check out that review here! I so enjoyed this book, and would absolutely recommend it. It’s a non-fiction read, which is all about our societal obsession with health and wellness – the good, the bad and the downright ugly. Reading this book caused me to reflect on changes to my own relationship with food and exercise over the past few years, and made me grateful to be in the place I am today. Pop this on your book list!

Currently I’m reading When All Is Said by Anne Griffin (an Irish author), which is a fiction novel about an elderly man called Maurice Hannigan, reflecting on his life and those most dear to him in it. So far, I’m absolutely hooked, and lots of people have messaged me on Instagram to say they loved this book too! Once I’m finished it I will of course share a review.

As always, let me know what you’re reading in the comments below!

What I’m listening to…

My favourite Podcast this week was the most recent episode of the How To Fail podcast by Elizabeth Day, which featured Irish author Marian Keyes as the guest. I’ll admit, I haven’t read many of Keyes’s novels, but she’s a household name in Ireland for sure. The interview was just fantastic, covering so many aspects of Keyes’s life, and she couldn’t have been more honest and just human in her responses. Well worth a listen.

I’ve discovered a new podcast recently called Science Vs, and I’m loving it! It takes scientific deep dives into so many topics, from vaping to pandemics to heartbreak to fertility – and I’ve only scratched the surface with it so far! Definitely one to check out – you’ll learn something new with each episode!

Brews and Eats 

Yesterday, for a break from the library, I decided to try a cafe my friend recommended to me in Galway – Freshii! I tried the Mediterranean Bowl which had quite a few of my favourite ingredients – feta, olives, quinoa, roasted red peppers, and more! It was absolutely delicious and the staff were so friendly. A great ‘grab on the go’ lunch option – their menu includes salads, wraps, burritos and more! As you can see from my photo below, there was a lot of colour in my salad too!

And that’s a wrap for this week folks! If you’re looking for some recipe inspiration for the week, don’t forget you can find lots of recipes (new and old favourites!) on my blog – I’ve linked the recipe section here. Have yourselves a great week, and Happy Valentine’s Day in advance! Remember, whether you do or don’t have plans, you gotta love yourself first, and while that’s easier said than done, it should be a priority. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so fill yours up with love first and foremost! I’m thinking I might buy myself flowers on the 14th…who’s with me?!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s blog post. As always, let me know – leave a comment here, send me a message on social media, you know what to do! Find me @theirishbalance on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook!

Ciara 🙂 x