On the latest episode of the “Lean into Life” Podcast I was delighted to welcome on Banker turned Bard Paul Byrne. Paul has recently published his 2nd collection of poems called “For the love of Kerry” This is a must see book and it also includes some wonderful photographs of the Kingdom of Kerry which mostly have been captured by Paul himself. Paul is definitely someone who has leant into his own life and we talked about his early childhood in Listowel, Kerry and then moving up the country before finding his way back to the Kingdom years later and turning away from the corporate world and turning into his creative side and becoming a published poet. Paul has been on an amazing journey and we all now can benefit from his creative writings and his musing about the county he loves so much. I think you are going to get so much from this episode. Please share, like and subscribe if you like the episode and want to support the channel. Enjoy  Click the link below to take a listen. Thanks Michael

Welcome to Episode 54 of the “Lean into Life” Podcast and episode 1 of my new series and what better way to kick off the series than Irelands leading Health & Performance Coach Gerry Hussey. This was Gerry’s 3rd appearance on the podcast and I was so excited to have him back on to talk about his brand new book “I Am, I Can, I Will”. Gerry was already a number 1 bestselling author after releasing his other 2 books, “Awaken your Power Within” and “The Freedom Within” Gerry’s latest book is all about that “Inner Voice” which is inside all of us and how we can firstly become aware of the inner voice which may not be serving us very well currently, then how we can rewrite your story and reconnect with your dreams and then build practices to help you take action towards those dreams. I know you are going to love this book and this powerful conversation I had with Gerry on this episode. Please subscribe to the podcast and like, share and comment because i passionately believe this conversation and this book can literally change your inner voice from one of inner critic to one of inner empowerment thus changing your entire life. Below is a link to buy the book off Easons and also a link to an special Soul Sunday event at Johnstown estate on 6th April where Gerry will be expanding on the learning in the book and as Gerry states “Don’t miss this opportunity to break free from limiting beliefs and step into your greatness” Book link: https://www.easons.com/i-am-i-can-i-will-gerry-hussey-9781804582152?srsltid=AfmBOoqQJzzZCyG8PE-lg8g6VZFBIQIQudLQesUBDaQeCsDBmSZYMMIa Soul Sunday link: https://ti.to/procomm/i-can-i-am-i-will I hope you enjoy this episode, thanks guys Michael

On Episode 53 of the "Lean into Life" podcast, I was delighted to welcome back on Psychotherapist Sheila Ryan on for a chat. This was Sheilas 4th appearance on the podcast and this time we discussed Christmas, and how its a time of the year which obviously can be fun and joyous but can also be a very tough, sad and stressful time for people. So we talk about the overwhelm that can happen and how we can best navigate through this time with as little stress as possible. It was a really interesting and much needed discussion about this topic and it's covers some really important topics which i'm sure a lot of people will benefit from. Please share with those you think would benefit, tag and rate also if you can, let us know if this episode lands with you. Wishing you all a very Happy and stress free Christmas and wishing you a magical 2024 :) Thanks Michael

On Episode 52 of the podcast, I was delighted to welcome on Nerissa Shea for a chat. Nerissa is a Sport & Exercise Psychology Consultant, Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor, EIQ Certified Nutritionist and a Professional Irish Dancer. After a successful competitive career in Irish Dance, claiming seven All-Ireland & International Champion Titles, she then went on to work as a Professional Irish Dancer traveling around the world with an array of prestigious dance shows. Dance has played a huge part in her life and heavily influences the approach she takes to health & fitness, 'there needs to be some sort of element you enjoy'. Combining her love of training with the intricacies of the mind is a passion of hers. Coming from a Sport Psychology background she truly believes that mindset is key and her goal is through her content and guidance, people can gain inspiration, motivation and knowledge which enables them to make positive changes in their daily lives. Since launching her business in 2021, she has successfully coached over 150 women on their fat loss journey and has amassed over 200 yoga students, both online and in-person. She feels in order to be the best coach possible for her clients, it is so important to encompass all areas of health – physical, mental, emotional & spiritual. I have been following Nerisaa for a couple of years and was always taken with her enthusiasm, humour and just her passion for what she does and the clients she trains. This was such a great conversation which I am sure you will all benefit so much from. If you like it, please share, tag, rate etc. and let’s get this to as many people as possible. Thanks Michael

*** NEW Podcast episode **** Welcome to episode 51 of the “Lean into Life” Podcast, I was delighted to welcome on comedian Bernard Casey for a chat, Bernard is also an actor, personalised video creator, he goes into schools and runs drama workshops as well as speaking at corporate events. Bernard is from the beautiful fishing village of Portmagee in the wonderful South Kerry. We will talk a bit about growing up here and the influence that had on him. Bernard has grown a huge online following with his videos getting over 15 million views and has also performed his live shows all around the country including the famous Vicar street as well as the INEC in Killarney and the Everyman theatre in Cork, he has also performed in London,, Boston and New York. Bernard is performing in the INEC again this Christmas on the 23rd December with his new Christmas show “Around for Christmas” so we talked a bit about that on this episode too and what you can expect to see. I have seen Bernard there a couple of times and it’s truly amazing show so you should definitely see him live if you haven’t already. I have been really excited for this conversation and I am sure you the listeners will get a lot from it as well. The theme running through this series of the podcast is one of connection and it will be interesting to hear how important this is for Bernard in his live shows and workshops. As Tommy Tiernan quoted about Bernard “A wonderfully well-crafted comedian with a great old school style of storytelling” I couldn’t agree more, and he is a fabulous storyteller, I hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please share, tag, rate etc. I think a lot of people will get so much from this episode. Thanks to Bernard for giving up his time as we went over time but it just flowed so well that it didn’t seem like it was that long, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks Michael

*** NEW PODCAST EPISODE *** Welcome to episode no. 50 of the Lean into Life podcast and to mark the half century I was delighted to welcome on Nicole Lonergan for a chat. Nicole is a professional musician and her main instrument is the fiddle. Nicole’s professional career began at the age of 16, her vast experience on stage provides her a unique skill set, making her one of the most sought after performers of her kind. Nicole achieved and honours degree in music and Irish from University College Cork. She has performed as a resident musician and Irish dancer in Disney world and has appeared on various TV broadcast including RTE here in Ireland and the Fox Network in America. Nicole joined Michael Flatelys “Lord of the Dance” in 2016 and in 2020 went on to become the solo violinist in the Grammy award winning sow “Riverdance”. Nicole has performed in the most prestigious theatres and arenas all over the world visiting 45 countries across 5 continents and has performed for Presidents and members of the royal family. We delve into her musical influences as a child including her amazing Granny Biddy and how she overcame the severe lows of Covid, from losing her passion and income and having to start again to reaching the heights she has since then and as she said herself, she is getting her spark back again for playing. I have seen her play numerous times and she is truly a remarkable musician and performer. If you are in Killarney at any stage, head to Café du Parc in the Plaza hotel at the weekends and you can see her perform for yourself. I really enjoyed this conversation and was great to learn more about how music can transport you to a different place and connect people and audiences together. I am sure you will get so much from this episode. Enjoy :) Please share, rate and comment if you can, think this will inspire a lot of people. Thanks Michael

In episode 49 of the "Lean into Life" Podcast and episode 1 of the new series, i wanted to record a short solo episode on the theme running through this series and that theme being connection and the importance of it especially post pandemic. I talk about the importance of connection not just with others but ourselves as well as discussing he different between loneliness and being alone. I have lots of amazing guests lined up for this series and am really looking forward to having more deep and powerful conversations with people which is something i just have a great passion for. I cant wait for you to hear them. Thanks guys, I hope you enjoy this solo episode and please, share, comment, like and rate. I really appreciate the support. Thanks so much, Michael

Welcome to episode no. 48 of the “Lean into Life” Podcast. I was delighted to welcome for his 4th appearance on the podcast, Mr. Alan Devane from Alan Devane Fitness. Alan is a face to face and online PT, a team and athlete Strength & Conditioning coach and a general all round lovely human being and the most positive person I know  and most importantly a very close friend. A lot has happened in Alan’s life since he was on the podcast last. He has become fully self-employed, he has become a 1st time dad with the birth of his baby Grace and unfortunately he suffered a very bad knee injury only fairly recently so we delve deep into all of those things and how his recovery is going and how the recovery is fueled and sped up by his winning mentality. It was a hugely inspiring conversation of hope amidst challenge and joy from despair. I know you are really going to enjoy it . Thanks a million Michael

New Podcast On Episode no. 47 of the “Lean into Life” Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming on Kevin Leahy to the podcast. Kevin is firstly a very inspiring individual which you will see and hear in the next hour or so, he is also a business owner and an Ultra Marathon runner having conquered some amazing physical and mental feats over the last few years which we delves into on the episode. I was hugely inspired after talking to Kevin and his drive and zest to achieve his goals is so powerful and we can all learn from his outlook on life. From being a civil engineer in Australia to thinking there must be more to life and headed off on his travels around South America and finding his purpose which turned into opening up his eco-friendly adventure “Black Sheep” hostel in his home town of Killarney in County Kerry. These adventures whilst travelling started him on the running path and ultimately to the ultra-marathons testing his physical capabilities but much more his mental strength which was tested on many occasions during his Yukon 500km Ultra race in Canada and his 500km race in Sweden which we unpack too. A quote that Kevin stated on the podcast from Henry ford sums him up. And it goes “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right”. Read that gain for a second, if you think you can’t do something, its more than likely not going to happen but like Kevin does in every area of his life, business wise and in his running, he thinks he can 100% achieve what he sets out to do and when you are in that mind-set, there’s no stopping you. A Documentary which is currently being edited by Adrian from Grand View Media will show Kevins journey to reach the challenge he set for himself of 1000km in total racing completed in a short period of time. The documentary will be called 1000km of chaos and you can see a teaser trailer for it on www.1000kmofchaos.com . It is going to be amazing and plenty of highs but also lows of cancelled races during Covid which affected Kevin mentally plus the added stress of his business closing but again showed his resilience and creative mind-set when he opened the coffee Shack at his hostel which has grown and grown in the last couple of years during the lock downs and beyond. You have to listen to this episode guys and please share it everywhere, we all can learn from Kevins outlook in life and I was hugely inspired myself just listening to him speak. Enjoy and thanks to Kevin again for coming in to share his story. Thanks Michael

I was absolutely delighted to welcome John Lenihan to the podcast. John's story from growing up in rural Kerry which has been quoted as being Munsters "Sherwood Forest" to years later standing on top of the winners podium in 1991 in Switzerland winning the gold medal for Ireland in the Wold Mountain running championships is a story that needs to be made into a film. John had an amazing athletic career where he ran on the track getting on the panel for the 1984 Irish Olympic Team, then onto road racing and then onto the mountains. His achievements have been nothing short of outstanding. John won races all over Europe and also at home, winning the coveted annual Carauntoohill Mountain race on 19 separate occasions which is just mind blowing. In his career John ran over 140,000 miles (equivalent to 6 x around the world) , he ran 170 million footsteps and burned through 280 pairs of running shoes :) A feat of athleticism which is so underrated. Decorated Kerry Journalist Con Dennehy wrote a book about john which is published in 2015 called "Tough as Leather" The Story of Sporting Legend John Lenihan, and that is exactly what he is, a legend and please please listen to this story. It will change your life literally. We go though his many highs but also some deep lows especially when he was forced to retire due to a hip injury and wasn't able to compete at that level again and do what he loved. It is a raw and honest portrayal of an athlete who was so gifted and driven to succeed, it will give change your outlook not just on running but on life in general. Thanks John for coming on and sharing your story with my listeners. You have inspired me from our conversation and I am sure it will inspire many others. Enjoy guys Thanks Michael

*** NEW PODCAST EPISODE *** Hey guys, welcome to episode no.44 of the “Lean into Life” Podcast and on this episode I was delighted to welcome Life and Executive Mindset Coach Stephanie Doherty on for a conversation. It turned into 1hr 20 minutes of amazing nuggets and takeaways on various topics including what life coaching really is and what it isn’t, how Steph overcame her own fears to start her own business and Instagram page and how important it is to bet on yourself. We delved into how people live other people’s dreams are not their own sometimes. We go into the topic of confidence and Steph gave some good tips on how we can improve this and how even just making the decision to change can have massive repercussions and stepping outside your comfort zone is the key to self-improvement. Steph is also very passionate about people learning self-compassion and self-love as so many of us talk negatively to ourselves far too much, we wouldn’t speak to anyone else like that so why do we do that to ourselves? It was such a powerful conversation and I really hope you get as much from it as I did. Please share with people in your own circle who you think would benefit. Thanks guys, Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year  Michael

*** NEW PODCAST EPISODE*** IN episode no.45 of the podcast, I was delighted to welcome Gavin Leane to the podcast. I had worked with Gavin a few years ago in a Life Coaching capacity and was intrigued to see how he was. I had heard about his love for Jujitsu and grappling and being part of the SBG Killarney gym. I did not realize however how being part of this “tribe” has had a huge influence on Gavin’s Physical & Mental Health. We talked about how this has saved him really and given him focus and confidence to step outside of his comfort zone in his life away from the gym which is truly amazing to see. It was an immensely powerful conversation which I think everyone could benefit from listening and how finding your own “tribe” who have your back and want you to succeed is massive in life, not just talking about a gym but your inner circle of friends who are your tribe and how important it is to have a positive and helpful tribe which can literally save you. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did listening to it first hand, some very powerful moments in there too. Please share this episode with people you think may have gone through similar trials in their own lives. It is a reminder how you can turn your life around if you find the correct group to surround yourself with  Thanks Michael

Hi guys Welcome to Episode 42 of the Podcast and I was delighted to have chat with Ultimate Frisbee player Dylan Ryan. Dylan has represented Ireland and participated in European and World Championships in the sport. It is a sport that may not be familiar with a lot of people but you should check it out, it’s a very interesting and athletic sport which also looks like a lot of fun too. Dylan is one of the top 64 mixed players in the country and gave me an insight into the popularity of the sport especially at college level and also the type of training that goes into competing at the top level and how that differs from your more common played sports in Ireland such as your GAA, Soccer, Basketball etc. We touched on the benefits of Sport Psychology at the top level and the fact it can be played as a mix between men and women which is fairly unique and the players themselves govern the rules and fouls etc I learnt a lot about Ultimate Frisbee and the passion people like Dylan have about the sport and about promoting Ultimate Frisbee around the country with some secondary schools trying it out and hopefully it will increase participation and gives those kids who are not into your usual or common sports an outlet to make friends, play in a friendly and fun atmosphere whilst gaining the benefits of being part of a team which I think has many positive attributes which we also discussed during the podcast. It made me want to pick up a Frisbee and create a Killarney Team called the “Killarney Flyers” I am currently the only player but I welcome some more  I hope you enjoy this episode and you learn something new as I did. Type it into YouTube and you will see how athletic and skilful the sport is and you will be hooked. Thanks Michael

On the 40th episode of the podcast, I was delighted to welcome back on for her 3rd appearance, Psychotherapist Sheila Ryan. Sheila had previously talked about Confidence and Resilience and was one of the most listened to podcasts out of all the ones recorded so far so I was delighted she agreed to come back on. The topic of conversation this time was one of Gratitude, Kindfullness & self-compassion. It was such a powerful discussion explained only as Sheila can in beautifully broken down ways with very manageable tasks and tips which can help all of us including myself ways in which we can practice more gratitude in our lives as well as Kindfulness and self-compassion for ourselves firstly which then allows us to have compassion for others :) Please please give this one a listen and forward it onto people you know who would benefit from hearing Sheila's words of wisdom and also the science behind some of these concepts. Thanks guys Chat soon Michael

Welcome to Episode 39 of the Podcast. On this episode I was delighted to welcome Physical Therapist and Strength Coach, Andy Fitzgerald or Andy Fitz Move PT as he is know online. It was a great conversation on various topics including how after suffering a lot of injuries himself when he was younger, Andy decided he wanted to understand more about the body and how he could try to make himself more resilient to injuries happening in the 1st place. This led him to study Physical Therapy and Strength & Conditioning but also he tells the story of a chance meeting with some street performers opened his mind to the bodies capabilities given the right training. We discuss the current coaching styles and the pressure on the body is being put under, especially in young athletes and how we should be coaching more sport and also more position specific drills instead of generic training with no real set plan or model. It was a fascinating conversation with a very knowledgeable coach who thinks more laterally which I love. I have had a good few sessions with Andy myself and his approach is really impressive and backs that up with science and research which is great to see. I hope you enjoy the chat as much as I did, there are plenty of take aways in there. Thanks guys Michael

Hey guys, Welcome to episode no. 3 of the revamped podcast and no.38 overall. In this weeks episode I was more than delighted to welcome on Life Coach Thomas McCormack on for a chat. We delved deep into various topics which I am sure you are going to love listening too. And as Thomas stated at the start, the art of conversation is the "Fuel for Life" itself :) love that We discussed the Journey he has been on since he felt stuck and lost in the job he was doing and was wandering if this is all life was?? he talks a lot about looking "inwards" in order to find sustainable change rather than looking externally. We delve into what Life coaching is and how he works with his clients to unearth their connection to the themselves. Thomas goes deep into talking about our Spiritual beings being far more powerful than we realise which was really interesting conversation to have. He breaks down one of his mantra's - the 3 C's - Clarity, Confidence and Connection and how important they are for growth and learning to be more as Thomas said "Inside/Out" rather than Outside/in. You will have to take a listen to hear the rest :) I really enjoyed digging deep with Thomas on this one and I learnt a lot as I am sure you will too. Click the link below to take a listen. Thanks Michael

on Episode 2 of the "Lean into Life" Podcast and 37 overall, I was delighted to welcome back on for his hattrick appearance on the podcast, Personal Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach, Alan Devane. He is the epitome of leaning into life and that's something we talk about during this very interesting 40 mins chat. We went deep on this one and talked about what Alan believes is his greatest gift that he brings to his clients and the world. If you follow Alan on his social media he is full of energy and his optimism and drive is infectious, however we can't be up all the time and Alan discusses his struggles but also his "toolbox" of go to habits that help him daily to be more mindful and flip his mindset. We discuss how as we grow older that we are more aware of ourselves, our bodies and our direction and I suppose our life's mission statement compared to when we were in our 20's. We also talked about his passion and empathy for his clients and how his clients invest in him because they can feel that he genuinely cares for them and their progress which can be rare these days to find a trainer like him. Alan recently started working with the Kerry GAA minor hurlers which has pushed him outside of his comfort zone after mostly working with footballers but he is loving it and enjoying working within a new sport and is having amazing results with the team already. Alan also discussed his tips and golden nuggets of information for people wanting to make changes in their lives whether that be diet wise or exercise wise and how people can succeed in their lives. It was an amazing chat with an amazing trainer but more importantly a fantastic human being who I am delighted to call a very good friend and glad that he is in my own inner circle because I know that anytime spent is his company raises my own mood and positivity. Please share and rate the podcast on apple podcast, tag it on your Instagram story and tag myself, I think a lot of people need to hear this conversation Enjoy guys Thanks Michael

Welcome guys to Episode no. 36 overall but no.1 of my new rebranded Podcast “Lean into Life” I was delighted to be able to welcome on a buddy of mine and former professional Soccer player and Irish Youth International Ryan Casey to the podcast. Galway native Ryan was scouted by Swansea City FC at the age of 13 and never looked back. He player for the Swans from 1996-2002 and his time there was cut short by a couple of bad injuries. Ryan returned to Ireland to play for a number of League of Ireland Clubs such as St. Pats, Cork City, Galway United, Longford and Athlone as well as a stint playing in Australia. Since retiring, Ryan is has been heavily involved in coaching especially at Academy and youth level and has also worked for the FAI as a Development Officer. He currently is coaching at Sligo Rovers as the U17 coach. We had a brilliant conversation about Ryan’s childhood as his passion for Soccer coming heavily from his hero, his own Dad who as Case said is still his hero today. We discussed his journey in youth football locally in Galway to playing for Belvedere FC in Dublin and was then noticed by a Swansea scout. It was a very different environment to the academies of today and he had to work hard and be driven to make it through which he succeeded in doing. Ryan went on to play in the winning Irish European U18 Championships under Brian Kerr in 1998 where they beat Germany on penalties to win the cup. A massive achievement with what was deemed by the press to be the “Golden Generation” of Irish youth football with some of his teammates including the likes of Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Stephen McPhail and Richard Dunne to name a few. We discussed the pitfalls of a career in soccer as well as some great stories on some fanatical fan bases and rivalries he came across in is playing days over the water. We also talked about the interesting topic of talent selection and development of young players which is a bit of minefield and how he sculpted his own coaching habits and skills from his years of playing and from some of the top coaches he played under. A quote that stood out for me from the podcast was “It’s good to be open to advice but to be really good at anything, you have to believe in what you are doing and believe in your own style and keep refining it” I loved that quote from Case, believe in you and your own style and then refine as you go on your journey. I thoroughly enjoyed the chat and I am sure you will too. Please share, tag and rate. I think you will get a lot from it and what it takes to become a high performance professional player. Enjoy guys Thanks Michael

Welcome to Episode 35 of the podcast. I was delighted to welcome Jack Kavanagh on for a chat. Jack is a Pharmacist, A Speaker, A Coach and first and foremost an amazing human being. He strives to help people, teams and groups to appreciate their potential to grow and help them reframe adversities for possibilities which is truly inspiring. Jack has had to overcome a huge adversity in his own life when in 2012 at the age of just 20, he broke his neck while on holiday witch left him paralysed from the armpits down with only minimal movement left in his shoulders, biceps and wrists and only 15% muscle function altogether. We discussed the moments of despair and isolation but more powerfully his mindset shift from asking himself “Why me?” to “Why not me?” Within 13 months of the accident, Jack was back at Trinity and completed his undergraduate in Pharmacy and is now studying for his Masters. He went on to make an award winning documentary called “Breaking Boundaries” about his story and his adventure to America. He has got stronger and more independent as the years have gone by and is now inspiring others to reach their own potential which is amazing. Jack is a truly inspiring individual who I am sure will have a great impact on you the listener as it did on me. I was so happy we were able to connect and can’t wait for you to hear his message of overcoming limitations. Jack was keen to state that everyone has their own crap to deal with and that your problems are relevant to you and they are no less important than his. He said “My story is just your story written in different words” .. Wow :) I hope you enjoy the episode as much as I did recording it. Please share it and let’s get it heard by as many people as possible. It is a message of hope and overcoming adversity, a story of new beginnings and new possibilities. Thanks Michael

Hi guys, Welcome to episode no. 34 of the podcast. I was delighted to welcome back Psychotherapist Sheila Ryan back onto the podcast. Myself and Sheila got an amazing response to the 1st conversation we had on Resilience, in fact it was 2nd in the all time listened to pod :) So we decided to have another chat and this time I picked Sheila's brains on the subject of "Confidence" which in one way shape or form, we have all struggled with in some area of our lives. In the discussion, we talk about what Confidence is, how we can develop it, the Confidence Toolkit, the relationship between self-esteem and confidence and the role the Therapist or Life Coach can have with helping people improve their own confidence levels. It is a must listen too guys, make sure you share it with people you know who you think may benefit and please please please rate the podcast on Apple podcast and post a review. Tag the gym on your story on Instagram and I will share it. Let's get this one trending as we all could benefit greatly :) Thanks guys, enjoy!! Michael x