Welcome to another Weekly Balance post! Let’s take a look at the last seven days, what I’ve been thinking about and what I’m recommending to you guys from this week.

What I’m thinking about…

Your life, your pace. This week in Ireland, a plan to slowly ease current COVID-19 restrictions over the next few weeks was announced. When I asked people on Instagram how they felt about it, the response was a mixture of nerves, excitement, and anxiety. All of which mirrored my own feelings on it. It feels like a lot at once to me, but I say that as a public health doctor who has worked through 3 waves of COVID-19 in this pandemic here in Ireland, so I think I’ll always have a cautious approach! Saying that, it is lovely to see that soon we can move outside our county, and yes, get a haircut! I very much hope people take it easy and we get to have a safe summer. Time will tell! In the meantime, remember that you get to go at your own pace with this. It’s your life, your health, your pace. One thing, one day, at a time. And let’s hope that the rollout of our vaccination programme continues at the pace promised. That’s our light at the end of the tunnel.

What I’m reading…

This week, I finished the first novel in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, The Duke and I, which I couldn’t resist picking up after reading the second book last week. I didn’t think I would want to read it having seen the Netflix first Bridgerton series which is based on the first novel, but I’m so glad I did! The Bridgerton books, which I’m sure many of you are aware of by now or have watched the first series, are all about the Bridgerton family – Violet Bridgerton and her 8 children (there are 8 books in total so go figure!) – set in the 1800s in London. The first novel is Daphne Bridgerton’s story, who we meet during her search for a ‘suitor’, when she meets the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset. Daphne is fed up of her mother trying to pair her off with potential husbands, and Simon is sick of all of the attention from the ‘ton’s’ mothers trying to marry him off with their daughters! So they form ‘an attachment’ – a ruse to make everyone in society think them madly in love. But will they fall for their own trick – and each other?

I loved the first two Bridgerton books – as a Jane Austen fan, although these are a little different of course, I knew I would! I’ve got the 3rd and 4th books lined up next but I’m going to take a little break from them to read a couple of other things on my list. Next up, The Road Trip, the latest novel by Beth O’Leary!

As always, let me know what you’re reading in the comments below, I’d love to hear!

What I’m listening to…

Here’s my top podcasts from this week.

Awards Chatter: Some of you guys will have seen me post about this podcast on my Instagram, and that’s because it’s my latest listening obsession. Awards Chatter is a Hollywood Reporter podcast, hosted by Scott Feinberg, which takes the form of deep dive interviews with the many famous actors, actresses, writers and more, of Hollywood. So far I’ve listened to episodes with Sandra Oh, Lily Collins, Hugh Jackman, Emma Stone, Adam Driver – and there are many more on my list! Well worth checking out.

Give Me Strength with Alice Liveing: This is a podcast I’ve been a fan of for a while, and with a new series re-started recently, I wanted to share a great episode I listened to last week. Alice interviews sports dietitian Renee McGregor, whose content and work I’ve been a fan of for a long time, about the concept of health and what it means to us all. It’s an important and accessible conversation and I really enjoyed it.

What I’m watching…

I’d love to tell you guys I have a new show to recommend for you – but, I’m finishing The Bold Type this weekend (roll on Season 5 this month!), and then I’ve got Big Little Lies (once I read the book!) and Girls up next to check out.

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 regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay safe, wash your hands, wear a mask, keep your distance and be kind!

Ciara x