Hey guys! I hope you’ve all had a lovely week. I have to say, sitting down each weekend to write this post really does give me such a sense of peace, I always look forward to it! Let’s have a look back at the past seven days in my life and what I’ve learnt from it.

What went on in my doctor life…

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I’m going to leave out this section of The Weekly Balance for now. I can’t share the specifics of my day to day work – its not appropriate for many reasons, but confidentiality is the main one. I would also guess that many of you, like me, enjoy taking time to switch off from all things pandemic, and I hope these weekly posts might help with that a little. I hope you guys can understand that, and thank you! I am continuing to share COVID-19 update posts on my Instagram at least once per week – you can check those out here.

What I’m thinking about…

The challenges we face moving forward in our daily lives as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. I’ve spoken before in the Weekly Balance posts shared previously about the idea of ‘the new normal’, and in Ireland our Phase 3 of easing restrictions began on Monday last, the 29th June. Life has gotten busier for many people, especially as some return to work on site and as people begin to socialise in person again (albeit with social distancing in place). It’s a strange time, and I know many people are finding the re-opening of our country challenging, because we have been so used to the ‘stay home’ life for the past few months.

I watched a brilliant video clip recorded by the World Health Organisation this week, in which Dr. Mike Ryan (the Executive Director of the Emergencies Programme at the WHO) spoke about the importance of personal motivation and of each person looking at their own risk, as we continue to live during a pandemic. He said – ‘If it doesn’t feel safe, it isn’t safe for you’ – and I think that is just such a relevant statement. The key steps we can all take to protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19 have not changed – in particular for those in Ireland, hand and respiratory hygiene, social/physical distancing, use of face coverings in certain circumstances, and knowing the symptoms of COVID-19 and what to do if you develop them. Plus, being informed about the local transmission in your area and country – that’s very important too. As we move forward over the next few weeks, focus on what YOU can do to protect yourself and your loved ones. Let’s do our best for each other.

What I’m reading…

This week, I finished Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge. I had been really looking forward to reading this book, as I continue to educate myself more about white supremacy, white privilege, structural racism and anti-racism. As a white woman, I found this book to be a confronting, informative and eye-opening read. Eddo-Lodge begins by recounting the history of racism in the United Kingdom, and then dives deep into various issues, with chapters on systemic/structural racism, white privilege, feminism and race, social class and race, and justice – dealt with and discussed through stories, interviews, personal experiences, and research. The quote that caught me early on in the book was – ‘This is the difference between racism and prejudice. There is an unattributed definition of racism that defines it as prejudice plus power.’ 

I learnt a lot from this book, and found the stories in it, both those shared from history and those shared by Eddo-Lodge herself and those she interviewed in the book, very powerful and compelling. The title of the book is a provocative one – it’s the same title as the 2014 blog post written by Eddo-Lodge that went viral – and the book itself IS thought-provoking, but that’s the point. I sat down with this book to learn and to unlearn, and I’m still thinking about it a week after finishing. It’s definitely a book I will come back to again and again I think, and may read again at some stage, particularly the chapters on feminism and white privilege as it in particular gave me a lot of food for thought.

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

What I’m listening to…

This week’s episode of the How To Fail Podcast by Elizabeth Day with Julia Samuels as the guest was an absolutely wonderful listen. Day interviews Samuels about her life, grief, love and loss, and it’s a very gentle yet inspiring and emotional listen. I love the How To Fail podcast and I’ve yet to find an episode I didn’t like!

I also finished my most recent audiobook, which was Untamed by Glennon Doyle. This was an inspiring book – based on the idea that we should strive to be the truest, most beautiful versions of ourselves, the version we were before the world and all it’s ideals got it’s hands on us. The book is a series of stories from Glennon’s life which each inspire a message in them, all on the theme of untaming, unleashing ourselves from the standards set on us from early on in life through mainstream and social media and culture. This was the first book I’ve read by Glennon Doyle and I have to say I loved it. It kept me company on many walks and drives over the last couple of weeks and I almost didn’t notice how quickly I read it, because it’s an engaging book and the way it is narrated kept me listening too. I listened to a few Podcast interviews with Glennon Doyle before reading the book and I think that helped me understand her story and message a little before reading Untamed. Her interviews with Oprah, Brené Brown and Fearne Cotton on their Podcasts are lovely listens. By the time I finished this book, I was ready to embrace my inner cheetah and feeling inspired to do so (it’ll make sense when you read it!).

What I’m watching…

I’m still watching Killing Eve, and loving it! But my favourite thing I watched this week was the Hamilton film which was released on Disney Plus on the 3rd July. I had never seen Hamilton before as a play, but had always heard amazing things, and I have to say it lived up to every expectation I had. Incredible, just incredible, and I know I’ll have the soundtrack on repeat for the next few weeks now!

I also really enjoyed an old episode of Desert Island Discs, which was an interview with Lin-Manuel Miranda, the American composer, singer, actor, playwright, rapper and producer, best known as the creator of the Hamilton musical.

Recipe of the Week

The recipe I’m loving this week is my Turkey and Kidney Bean Chili  – a quick and easy recipe to whip up, and ideal for snacks for a new week ahead! You can find the recipe here.

And that’s a wrap for this week gang! If you want to get in touch, you can find me @theirishbalance on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. I hope you have a lovely week ahead folks – remember, stay informed with the advice from your local health authority, stay safe, wash your hands, keep your distance and be kind!

Ciara 🙂 x