Catriona Kirwan, Life and Executive Coach, Catriona Kirwan Coaching
My name is Catriona Kirwan. As an accredited thought leader in high impact coaching with Neuroscience, I help individuals turn down the volume on their stress levels and grow their confidence so that they can achieve personal as well as professional success.
Having worked in a variety of roles on the front line for over 20 years, I saw first-hand the impact long-term unmanaged stress can have on health and well-being. I developed a keen interest in the area of stress, human behaviour and what exactly it is that drives us as humans to behave and react the way in which we do. This interest brought me to the world of Coaching with Neuroscience.
I now offer 1:1 coaching in all areas of personal and professional development.
I also offer group coaching sessions and deliver corporate workshops in many areas of professional development including stress and energy management, communication, and workplace wellbeing.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn. I find that connections on LinkedIn are genuinely interested in supporting and learning from each other, and there is certainly much less noise than there is on some of the other platforms.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
My current area of interest is in the area of stress. I think that there is a general lack of understanding as to what stress really is. For example, many people assume that they need to be overly busy to be stressed, but in fact, the majority of our stress is based on our perceptions of our reality.
The mind is busy creating our thoughts' that become our beliefs, becoming our stories, and we get very attached to those stories. So, I am deeply passionate about helping people to eliminate any stories that are no longer serving them and replace them with empowering beliefs and supportive stories that help them turn dreams into reality.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
The results of my clients get having gone through my programmes. I lost a friend two years ago, and it really made me question everything. Now when clients come to me unhappy, unfulfilled, overwhelmed or stressed. I am deeply passionate about supporting them through change.
Life is so short, we are made for great things, and the majority of my clients are bursting with potential. They just need a little bit of help unlocking it. As late as this morning, a client sent me an email, and the line that stood out for me was, "It's like everything I felt was out of my reach has just landed within possibility".
Knowing that the work I do with clients really makes a difference and is very often life-changing is what I love about my career.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
"Be yourself; everyone else is taken!"
When I first started my own business, I had very little support, and I was absolutely starting from scratch. So, I tried to be everyone else, to do what they were doing, rehashing lines that weren't really me and one day, a business mentor gave me this advice. So, I began to post from the heart, the real me, and the response I got was phenomenal.
From then on, I have tried as much as possible to stay in my own lane, go at my own pace and stop comparing myself to others in a similar line of business because it really is like comparing apples and oranges. I now know that I offer something unique and different, and now that I have seen the impact of my offering on peoples lives, it puts a smile on my face every day.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
Always the results of my clients get through my coaching programmes. So, when I may not feel great, or maybe I have not achieved a lot in a given week, reading back over client feedback or following clients' achievements helps me keep going.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
Being an amazing mum! My second child was diagnosed with an intellectual disability when he was one. My world came crashing down. This was not for me. I had no idea how I could ever own this challenge or begin to face it. Fifteen years later, he has transformed my world. I think differently, act differently and operate completely differently as a result of having him in my life.
The love he brings into our household is phenomenal. When I look at him, I feel nothing but gratitude and love, mostly because I have developed skills and strengths I never thought possible in bringing him up. It has helped me build resilience, overcome challenges that I never thought possible and lean into gratitude in times of challenge.
It is only in the last year that I have been able to say that yes, I am truly proud of how far I have come. I bring all that I have learned on the journey into my coaching sessions, and having overcome challenges myself that I never thought possible helps me believe it is also possible for my clients.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
In-person. I have had 18 months of networking on Zoom, and while I have met some wonderful people and made some great contacts, nothing beats connecting in person for me.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
My ability to connect with others is huge. It has greatly helped me overcome challenges in my own life and is serving me now in my business. In addition, I have massive empathy for others and their situations, which helps build trust in my coaching relationships.
I have been told many times that I exude warmth, and in a world that can at times feel cold and clinical to many, my warm smile helps me connect and bond with my clients and build up a trusting relationship quite quickly.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
Well, maybe I was better off not knowing, but I had no idea how vital social media marketing, SEO and building a brand are. It felt like selling my soul when I first started until I soon realised that it wasn't really about me. Instead, it was about my potential clients, and if they couldn't see clearly how I could help them, then they wouldn't come near me, and I would end up helping nobody.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
John Demartini. He has overcome challenges that many would flee from. I value knowledge, and I admire the manner in which he defied logic and taught himself until he was at a standard where he was accepted into university.
Perseverance and determination are high on my values list, and he has these in abundance. I also admire the way he stays true to his values, he has an amazing presence in a room, and I have to say that attending his breakthrough experience in person was a key moment in my life. While I may not agree with all his teaching or theories, I admire his conviction, delivery, and sense of presence.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I love nature. I grew up in rural Ireland, and on days when I was feeling low, I would lose myself among the green fields of the countryside. I now live in Dublin and spend much of my spare time in my local park or by the coast, getting lost in nature, listening to the sound of the sea or the birds.
I am a very sociable person and love to powerwalk with friends though, I am regularly accused of setting the pace too quickly! However, I love a good novel to completely immerse myself in. I was reared on the GAA and never lost that interest.
I have been a keen Limerick hurling fan for more years than I would like to remember; it is wonderful to have witnessed them winning their third All Ireland in four years this year!
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
There have been some negatives, but on the whole, it has had a positive effect. It has given me the opportunity to work with Global Corporates from the comfort of my own home. It has also allowed me to develop my online business to a level that I would never have dreamed possible.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I don't have a mentor at the moment, but I have had one and a coach. We all get in our own way at times, and it is a great way to be supported in getting out of your own way.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
It is a hugely fulfilling career, but you only get out what you put yourself in. So, you have got to be prepared to put yourself out there. It is scary initially, but knowing and understanding that it is not really about you, but about all those people out there who need your help and expertise. It helps you get out of your own way and just go for it.
Secondly, there is no such thing as failure; every hiccup along the way is learning. So, build your resilience and know that the most successful people in business have had many bumps along the road.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Doubting themselves. It is a long road with many bumps along the way, and if you begin to doubt yourself and allow this to feed into your confidence, then it can very often be a downward spiral.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
Stay in your own lane! I love this phrase. I repeat it to myself anytime I start comparing myself or my business to others. We are all on a different journey, and staying in our own lane, eliminates harsh comparisons or judgements, which are energy-sapping. Instead, it helps focus energy on where it is most useful, and that is in my own business.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
I know it is probably cliche, but Nike has been getting it right for years now. I love the simplicity and consistency of the brand. They continually do enough to keep it fresh and current but also keep it consistent.
I love the way many organisations are now partnering with charities and are doing some amazing work with those charities. A couple that comes to mind is PWC's partnership with Pieta House and Brod Gais Energy's partnership with Focus Ireland.
I think that including social responsibility as part of branding is so important as it raises vital funds for these charities and raises public awareness.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Success to me is feeling fulfilled from the inside out, knowing that I am continuing to grow and learn every day of the week. Gratitude is a huge part of my life. It has really taught me not to take anything for granted and helped me appreciate the little things in life. By leaning into gratitude, we learn to see the opportunities presented to us every day.