Your feet will take you where your heart is....

Hello pal

Happy Wednesday!?

I was on holiday last week in Ireland, yes correct… “holidaying” in Ireland! :) And it was one of the best holidays I have ever been on.?

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Not so long ago I did my DNA testing with Ancestry UK and found out that I am 85% Irish! I feel like so many people I speak with these days are so fascinated by their ancestry. I truly believe everyone deep down wants to know where they have come from because when you understand where you've come from, you better understand your present moment and when you know why you are where you are today, then it will most certainly guide what you do next and into the future.?

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Despite growing up an hour's flight away from Ireland I had only ever been there once and that was for my 21st birthday in Dublin. I didn't remember most of that trip apart from the inside of Temple Bar and the bottom of a toilet hehe.. ;)

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So, I was excited for this trip, not only was I getting to spend some quality time with my pals, I was also able to spend time exploring this beautiful country.?

Surrendering to the unplanned moments

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I have found over recent years what makes my holidays and actually my life, relationships & work more fun and in flow, is having a wee bit of a plan but then surrendering completely to not having a plan at all. I like to call it leaving space for serendipitous moments. Those moments you can never, ever plan for, in most cases never expect and almost always turn out to be the best moments!

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When I arrived into Dublin, I found myself with some time before a 3 hour train journey to meet my pals on the west coast of Ireland. I whipped out my phone to see what was close by and to my delight as a nature lover, I discovered Phoenix Park, 1,750 acres of divine green Irish beauty. I started to walk there and on the way I was drawn to the most beautiful small coffee shop where I enjoyed the BEST oat chai latte I have had all year with a melt in the mouth vegan banana bread. As I was paying for my breakfast I noticed a wee handwritten note at the counter that said why not pay for someone's coffee who cant afford one right now and I thought to myself yes why not… that was my first introduction to the Irish way.?

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The sun was shining as I sat at a tiny wooden chair & table and I started to “watch the world go by” :) This is a saying my darling Granny Betty use to always say when I was growing up and we use to sit in alot of places and do just that. Sit in silence and just observe the world. Take it all in. It was such a beautiful act she taught me. As I was sitting watching the world go by I noticed the first “sign” from Ireland and what a powerful one it was.

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“Let us rise with courage and pride”

After I finished my delicious breaky, I continued my walk to Phoenix Park and as soon as I walked into the park my second sign “bike hire” :) Of course I immediately hired an electric bike and was cruising around that park like a dog with floppy ears hanging their head and tongue out of a car window! hehe..?

Honestly, it was like an inner child moment, speeding around the park in an electric bike. Similar to making space for serendipitous moments, I also recommend making room for inner child like moments! They always bring the most FUN, smiles and laughter!?

After my wee adventure in Dublin I then make my way over to County Mayo and honestly was blown away by its beauty. Mother Nature in all its glory. My fav spots - Castlebar, Westport, Keem & Keel Beach, Croagh Patrick (Ireland's Holy Mountain) and Galway. The feeling I had on the mountain and the beaches was pure peace.?

And the people… wow the people….. I honestly believe the Irish aren't “lucky” at all…they are the most loving, genuine, laid back, funny and generous souls I have ever met. ?They pour out LOVE and in turn what they get back from the universe is perceived as LUCK but its not, its PURE LOVE.?

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In Westport, ?I went into the shop and the man that owned the shop asked me if this was my first time here, to which I replied yes and I love it here. We continued our conversation and I followed him around the shop as he was tidying things up (well that's what I thought!) but what he was doing was picking me out a selection of postcards and as the conversation ended he handed me the postcards and said “here you go” have a beautiful time.?

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I have observed something about the Irish as they are pottering around the place in a conversation with you they act as if they are not paying attention but actually they notice EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. And they always give you something without ever wanting anything in return, they are genuinely generous and I ADORE their way.?

In Galway, I had a similar experience on my last evening as I was paying for my ice cream. I was the last customer of the evening at 10pm and I was trying to use up all my loose change and I needed 5.50 Euro. As I was handing it over to the young man serving me I realised I was 50 cents short. He smiled at me and said “its all good just give me the 5, this works for you and me!”?

My heart sang again, with this generosity of spirit.?

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Because we know that financially that didn't work out for him but from a much bigger point of view it always works itself out in his eyes. And I believe most Irish people feel & act the same way. They really dont sweat the small stuff, they let things go, they give without looking to receive, they know it will be all OK whatever happens.?

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This entire trip made me feel so grateful to be 85% Irish, now I GET why I am so Irish, as Nora Roberts puts it “Ireland is a land of poets and legends, of dreamers and rebels!”

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I felt a deeper connection to the land, I felt a deeper connection to the people and I felt a deep sense of pride to be Irish just as much as I am to be 14% Scottish (oh and 1 % Norwegian!) :)?

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Here's to my Irish ancestors.?

Here's to traveling & adventures.?

Here's to surrendering to serendipitous moments.

Here's to surrendering to inner child moments.?

Here's to generosity of spirit.?

Here's to the LOVE (not the LUCK) of the Irish.?

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p.s are you going to go to Ireland now?

p.p.s are you definitely a wee bit Irish too?

I've got your back,