Sometimes I ask myself the question: am I happy to live an ordinary, normal life? To be an ordinary person? Happiness, defined as “an emotional state characterised by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment and fulfilment”, is something I think we’re all after.

January is without doubt the time of renewal and fresh starts. When we think of January we think of resolutions and plans, objective and goals. Most of us have an idea of the things we want to do, or the ways in which we want to better ourselves. Whether it’s a change in diet, a new fitness regime, or a new skill we want to acquire.

Grace Hoffman is a Fellow at the American Council on Women, Peace, and Security. In this episode, we talk about how her studies in Trinity College, Dublin influenced her professional and personal journey to the current position at the Defense Security Cooperation University.

Christmas is a time when everyone takes a break from work, study and routine to be with family and friends. There's no other time when everyone does this in unison, and that's why it really is ‘the most wonderful time of year’. This special time, however, can be hard-earned!

Winter can be a struggle for some of us as the dark evenings and cold weather can bring our mood down. The hazy summer days seem like a lifetime ago but instead of pushing against the winter vibes why not embrace them?

Advent can be a bit of a blur for most people. And yet, if you can give it a moment it can really make an impact on these last few weeks before Christmas. It is a time of opportunity - or grace as we would say in the Catholic tradition.

Sometime back in the summer I noticed a photograph on the front of a newspaper. It had been a very warm day and the picture showed the Henry Moore marble sculpture in the front Square of Trinity college, Dublin. Reflected in the marble was the figure of a young woman lying out in the sun reading.

When we think of the word or virtue of diligence we automatically think of someone who is hard-working and gets things done. But the etymology of the word suggests that it means a lot more.

Technology has helped in the invention of so many wonderful things that make life easier and more efficient. However, it’s fair to say that we are now learning that some of these ingenious inventions have left a negative mark on the environment.

Hands up if you’ve started your Christmas shopping? Even if you’re the last-minute type, I can almost guarantee you’ve got a list somewhere - even if it’s only in your head! You may even have managed to add a bottle of Shloer or a jar of cranberry sauce to the weekly shop.

Hans Christian Andersen once said, "Where words fail music speaks". It is not surprising that music has been called the universal language of mankind.

Career fulfilment is when you find a career that balances your interests and your skills and combines your passions and your strengths. Having a sense of fulfilment with your career can lead to overall satisfaction and happiness with your job.

We’re now facing those months of winter when all we want to do is curl up in front of a cosy fire with a hot drink and a good book.

Pope Francis has reminded us that our faith is a revolution. It always asks for something new, something radical. Do we inspire others in the way we practise and show up in our religious faith?

I will say that when I have been mindful of the following strategies, they’ve had a positive impact. Every couple can benefit from these, whether you’ve been married two years or twenty.

“Do you want to be a saint? Do what you have to do and put yourself into what you are doing.” - Saint Josemaría.

In this podcast episode, we talk about the secret of a good marriage and the importance of couples being willing to work at their marriage.

The week I began to write this piece on mental toughness, one of my children became very ill. I hardly had time to finish the first paragraph when things escalated and within days, five of my tiny people were on antibiotics. I might not have felt tough but the situation certainly was.

How often do we say to ourselves and others “I couldn’t do it because I didn’t have time?” It’s the oldest and dare I say, laziest excuse for not organising our time properly. It’s never true that I don’t have time - I have tons of it.

In today's podcast we discuss how making a commitment to something, whether in your personal life or your professional life, is one of the most fundamental activities of success.