Resilire founder Joyce McCarthy, FCA, is helping scaling organisations embed a sustainable growth culture that supports people and boosts resilience “Recalibrate. Resolve. Rise.” When Joyce McCarthy launched her HR advisory and coaching firm Resilire in September 2024, she knew exactly where her focus needed to be. Inspired by her own experience re-evaluating her career and life priorities in response to events beyond her control, McCarthy resolved to use this very personal insight to help others prepare for, overcome and learn from professional challenges and setbacks. “Resilire comes from the Latin word for ‘resilient’. When I decided I wanted to set up my own business and work for myself, there was never any doubt about what my focus would be; I knew it had to be about helping people to embrace change and build resilience to achieve their goals.” McCarthy had begun her own career training in Dublin as a Chartered Accountant before moving into banking, first in Australia and then the UK, where her career focus shifted first to sales and then to people and performance management, and organisational culture. “When I moved to London, I started a new job at a large organisation managing a big team and leading innovation in people management,” McCarthy says. “We were overseeing all aspects of performance management from metrics to bonuses, rewards and recognition schemes, and really focusing on how to innovate and improve this whole area. “That was when I started to think seriously about what the culture of an organisation really means, and the level of stress individuals can experience when they are under pressure to perform.” McCarthy “absolutely loved” her work and was delighted when she was promoted to director level and selected for fast-track progression through the organisation’s senior ranks. “Then, I got pregnant. I had just started my new role and I didn’t want to have to go on maternity leave, but I remember the doctor saying to me, ‘You need to prioritise your health and your pregnancy now,’ and that was a shock to me at the time.” McCarthy endured a difficult birth and serious complications with the arrival of her first child. “I was recovering when I was told my employer was carrying out a cost-cutting exercise and essentially downsizing,” she says. “I felt I needed to rush back to work early from maternity leave to try to claim a chair, but, essentially, the music stopped and I had nowhere to sit.” Losing her job in this way was a shock for McCarthy. “My whole world was completely rocked,” she says. “I had gone back to work before I had physically or emotionally recovered. I already felt vulnerable and then I was told my job was at risk of being made redundant. “At the time, I felt really let down by my employer and that’s when I started to think, ‘I need to be my own boss and never again depend on an employer’. The experience also opened McCarthy’s eyes to the very human cost of high-pressure work environments built solely to service the bottom line. “It gave me a lot of empathy for other people and their circumstances. I went from being really focused on performance, productivity, output and just working really, really hard, to questioning everything and asking myself, ‘am I going too fast here?’ “I was a first-time parent and really unwell for the first time in my life. I had to stop and think, ‘There’s more to life than work; your health and the health of your family is so much more important’.” McCarthy subsequently decided to complete a diploma course in resilience coaching and left London in 2021 to return to Dublin with her husband and young family. She established Resilire six months ago, specialising in talent and performance management strategy alongside executive coaching. “My focus is on supporting scaling businesses to reach their potential by helping them with people and culture goals,” McCarthy says. “This is especially important to me because Ireland is just such an entrepreneurial, relationship-focused country.  “When I came back home, I started building a network of wonderful, supportive entrepreneurial people almost straight away.  “These entrepreneurs and others like them build amazing businesses, but when these businesses reach a certain size, they are going to need to define their own identity from a people perspective, and that’s where I come in.” Culture is key to resilience in any organisation, McCarthy says, and embedding a culture of   psychological safety and trust is paramount in a growing company. “Blame culture really doesn’t support business performance,” she says. “The focus should always be the end goal. As long as you’re focused on that bigger goal, you can absorb and withstand the little mistakes that happen along the way, the things that go wrong and the unexpected events and setbacks. “Ultimately, people need to know that they can be open and honest; that it is safe to raise issues; and that the people around them have their back. “Embedding a ‘test and learn’ environment that encourages people to fail fast with no repercussions actually encourages innovation and boosts performance.” In tandem, it is important for employers to understand that their people are multi-faceted humans with full lives outside work, who are often contending with a whole plethora of competing and shifting demands. “People are not bots; they’re not widgets. They don’t just show up to work to perform a task. Typically, people have a lot more going on in their lives than work, and their resilience can be depleted over time by a whole range of factors, be they family-, health- or money-related. “That is why, I think rightly, we are seeing the people management focus shift towards wellbeing as a holistic concept. “At the end of the day, people want to be seen and supported at work; to feel that they can share their challenges in a safe environment; and to be recognised for their contribution and all the ‘small wins’ along the way. “This is what performance management is really about, I think, and helping companies build a culture that genuinely supports it is my core focus with Resilire.”  

Chartered Accountants Worldwide has launched its inaugural global report into the resilience of the Chartered Accountancy profession— a groundbreaking study conducted by Chartered Accountants Worldwide Wellbeing Taskforce in collaboration with the Resilience Institute. View the Global Wellbeing Report here.  This report examines the state of resilience and well-being within the Chartered Accountancy profession, drawing on insights from a global survey of 697 Chartered Accountants. While Chartered Accountants play a critical role in safeguarding financial integrity, their work often entails significant stress and complexity. Dive deeper into the Global wellbeing report with the experts behind the research. In this must-watch companion episode of Difference Makers Discuss, the report’s authors and the Dee France, Chair of the Chartered Accountants Worldwide global wellbeing taskforce break down key insights and share immediately actionable tips to help you thrive—both professionally and personally. Watch now and start making positive changes today: Building Resilience and Well-Being in the Accountancy Profession The survey highlights key strengths—curiosity, altruism, and creativity—that drive success within the profession. However, it also uncovers challenges such as multitasking, avoidance, and worry, which can erode resilience and mental health. Addressing these issues through targeted skill development and resilience training presents an opportunity to foster a thriving and sustainable profession. As trusted advisors and business leaders, Chartered Accountants have a unique chance to lead by example, cultivating workplace cultures where well-being is not an afterthought but an integral part of daily practice. By prioritising resilience, the profession can set a powerful precedent, showing that success and well-being can—and must—go hand in hand. Dee France, Wellbeing and Support Lead at Chartered Accountants Ireland and Chair of the Chartered Accountants Worldwide Wellbeing Taskforce commenting on the findings said "It's important to look at the challenges within the profession and the one that came up in the study itself; multi-tasking, hyper vigilance and poor sleep quality were defined".  View the Global Wellbeing Report

In this article, the Thrive Wellbeing Hub looks at an epidemic that Ireland is facing and that is high levels of loneliness.  Many of us feel lonely from time to time. However, everyone’s experience of loneliness is different and personal. It is widely believed those who experience loneliness are those who may live alone or don’t have many friends or family around. Conversely, you can have lots of social connections, support and contact but still feel like you are alone. Loneliness can be compounded by stigma, but it is an epidemic and levels are prevalent, especially here in Ireland. A survey carried out by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) reported Ireland has the highest levels of loneliness in Europe with over 20% of respondents reporting feeling lonely. Another research report by Irish Life found that more than one in three adults in Ireland would describe themselves as lonely or isolated. Other studies and research have linked loneliness and isolation with serious health and wellbeing impacts. It has been suggested isolation; Increases the risk for all causes of premature death – rivalling smoking, obesity and inactivity. Increases the risk of dementia by 50%. Increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by 29% and 32% respectively.  Associated with higher rates of depression anxiety and suicide. Quality over Quantity Loneliness is a state of distress where there is a gap in desire for social connection and actual experiences of it. Humans are inherently social creatures that benefit greatly from quality relationships that make us feel safe, valued and feed our sense of purpose. Depending on your personality, the amount of social interaction needed varies from person to person. Loneliness is linked to the quality of relationships as opposed to the number of relationships. A lack of authenticity in our relationships can feed feelings of loneliness and even those in relationships, those with large friend groups or those surrounded by people daily can experience deep loneliness. Certain times or life events can also affect our levels of loneliness and isolation. For example, feeling lonely around Christmas or Valentine’s Day, or missing someone after a bereavement. A common measure for loneliness is the UCLA loneliness scale which asks individuals how often they feel the following; Feel they lack companionship Feel left out Feel in tune with the people around them Feel outgoing and friendly Feel that there are people they can turn to Dealing with it While an easy fix may seem elusive, there are lots of ways to deal with loneliness and isolation. A major hindrance in treating loneliness is many may feel reluctant to even acknowledge it or how it affects them. Feel the feelings It is important to know loneliness is a totally normal characteristic of life and it doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you. Everyone goes through lonely periods and feelings of isolation often come and go. Accept that you feel lonely presently and that is okay, and that there will be times when you won’t feel this way. It’s also important to remember you’re not the only person to feel this way. Sometimes, there is a comfort in knowing you’re not alone in your loneliness. Talk it out It is a difficult situation to open up about but there is no shame in feeling lonely. Finding someone to speak and open up to can really help in so many ways. It could be that you need or would prefer to talk to a professional – there are plenty of support services out there including the mental health support from Thrive which includes counselling and coaching. Company of 1 There is a huge difference between being alone and being lonely. Improving your relationship with yourself can help tremendously in combating feelings of loneliness. Use alone time to get in touch with yourself and to feel more comfortable with just yourself for company. Spending time alone can be liberating and can be a great way to wind down. You have the power to be your own best friend and liking your own company is a step towards better confidence. Distract Keeping yourself busy is a great way to improve your feelings of loneliness. Starting a hobby or delving into your interests can help you to feel less alone and a way to pass the time. It also allows room for connection if in a group setting and volunteering can help strengthen your sense of purpose and meaning. Always wanted to learn a new language? This could be the perfect time to commit. The Thrive Wellbeing Hub has many supports in place to help you tackle difficult feelings whether it loneliness or other emotional distress. Take a look at the supports we provide. You can contact the thrive wellbeing team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294

Typically, the festive season is a joyous occasion and a time for celebration, but it can equally be an extremely busy and demanding time that often puts extra pressure on us whether socially, financially or emotionally.  For some, it is a time where they acutely feel the loss of loved ones and feelings of loneliness. The festive period can affect your mental health in many ways and can bring up feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, stressed. Our Thrive wellbeing team has compiled a list of tips to help you look after your mental health this Christmas. Realistic expectations It is easy to get carried away with the expectations of a perfect Christmas and everything that goes with it. However, this can cause disappointment and impact our self-esteem if it doesn’t turn out how we hoped. Be realistic about what you can expect from the festive season and avoid unhealthy comparisons with others. Create your own Christmas agenda for how you want to spend your time, focusing on a couple of things that are most important to you. Take a break The Christmas period can be the one time of year where we can truly take a break from the demands of day-to-day life. It is essential for our mental wellbeing to have some time-out to help prevent stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. Take this time to rest and restore your energy especially if you are feeling particularly drained. Make sure you set time aside to be by yourself if you need it and engage in activities that help you relax and unwind. Christmas is a time of compassion and giving, so why not indulge in some self-compassion and treat yourself. Reflect As the year draws to a close, you can quickly fall into the trap of thinking about everything you didn’t achieve and all those forgotten resolutions and goals. Try not to be too hard on yourself as you begin to reflect on the year that has passed. Accept the year for what it was and acknowledge the (big and small) things you have achieved and where you are now.   Say no Leading up to and during Christmas you can find yourself inundated with social engagements, invites, and being surrounded by people. If you are feeling uncomfortable or unsettled with the incoming invitations, the key is to give yourself permission to say no. You may want to limit your social interactions and while it is important to maintain some social connection it is imperative that you set clear boundaries with yourself on how much interaction you want to have. Balance your sense of social obligation against your need for self-care and time by yourself.   Healthy habits The temptation to overindulge is ever present at Christmas - the few extra tipples, lounging on the couch watching Christmas movies or over-doing it on the mince pies and rich food. Overindulging can cause your motivation levels to diminish and make you feel sluggish and not ‘yourself’. Alcohol may make you feel relaxed at first, but it is a depressant which can cause low mood and irritability. Strive to maintain some balance across the festive period if you can. Maintaining a relatively healthy diet and getting some exercise will give your mental health a much-needed boost. Get outdoors, wonder at the Christmas lights and decorations in your area or head out on a nature walk, it will do you a world of good. It can be quite difficult to maintain your usual routine over the holidays too. The best way to retain some semblance of routine and structure is keeping a healthy sleep pattern. Sleep is an essential component to not only positive mental health but also our physical health. Talk to someone The expectations of the festive season can take its toll and the pressure to have a good time can be overwhelming. How we feel can become all-consuming. If you are struggling it is important to talk to someone about how you are feeling. Your family and friends are your best support system, reach out to someone you feel comfortable disclosing your feelings to. If Christmas is a hard time for you, it's important to remember that you are not alone. Help is here if you need it. The Institute’s wellbeing hub, Thrive, provides an array of mental health supports to members and students. Whether you need a listening ear, wellbeing advice or professional counselling, we are here for you. You can contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294 Merry Christmas!

Ahead of Thrive's upcoming Movember lunchtime webinar, Maximising Your Potential, taking place on Wednesday 27th November, speaker John Slattery shares his journey to self-acceptance, the stages he encountered to finding his authentic self along with reflected questions to help you maximise your potential.  I was sitting in a bar with five teammates. We had won the tournament that we compete in for only the second time in 36 years. I was captain of the team that year. The five of us were talking about the best captains we had ever played with on a team. I mentioned a current teammate of ours, previously our captain. He was a ‘fire and brimstones’ man. Physically very strong, the first to ‘put his body on the line’ for the team. It was an absolute shock when one of the five said, ‘I think you’re the best captain I’ve played with’. I struggled to accept the compliment. I was not physically imposing to opposition. I was not ‘fire and brimstones’. How could I be spoken about in this way? It is often our own self-limiting beliefs that stop us from being all that we are capable of. It is frequently our use of an inauthentic definition of ‘strong’ that downplays or denies our own wonderful strength. There were four stages to the journey on the road to self-acceptance, authenticity and maximising my potential that I want to share with you: It’s OK to Seek Shelter in ‘Safe Havens’: For a long time, sport was my safe haven. It gave me an identity that felt easy to hold in the world. It gave me a foothold in my community. It became a major reference point for me. I often viewed what was acceptable in the world from what I learned through the world of sport. All the energy given to one interest meant that I pigeon-holed a lot of the development of myself into one singular interest. In that respect, it was as limiting as it was helpful. In saying all that, I loved it. It was a safe place for me at a time in life where that felt good and helpful to have. Questions that might be helpful to ask ourselves at this stage include: How is the time in the safe haven serving me well? What other aspects of my personality/interests could serve me well to give more energy to? Appreciating the Challenge of What Happens When You Leave the Safe Haven Behind: After 15 years of giving most of the year up to sport, I finished playing at a high-level of commitment. The fall-off was real. In some ways, I felt like a child does when their hiding place has been discovered. The reference is a little harsh. I wasn’t hiding, as such. I just didn’t know how entwined my life was with sport. I now felt somewhat bare without it. I had to find my place in the world outside of work and sport. If you close your hand into a fist and clench it for a while, it will have a locked-in feeling. It takes time for it to loosen. I had to gently unfold my personality into the broader world. I had to find safe new spaces, with the help of trusted people. I had to not forget sport, I loved it. I had to gently find new interests outside the world of sport. And new ways to connect with sport in a more novel way. Each step a gentle move forward towards the authentic self. Questions that might be helpful to ask ourselves at this stage include: Who is a good person to chat to for advice to help me find my feet? What can I do in the time approaching leaving the safe haven to ready myself? Starting to Own Your Own Space: Through the suggestions of others and answering the inner call of bravery and curiosity (like going travelling on my own in South America), interests emerge (such as, for me, music, dance, yoga, meditation). It becomes a journey of branching out in the world. Depending on how aligned or not this journey is with your own comfort zone, societal norms etc. internal and external barriers will emerge. This will lead to powerful steps forward, as well as sometimes necessary, sometimes unwanted, steps back. In all this, you start to own the evolving nature of your identity. You accept that these new interests are as much part of you as anything that has gone before. You embrace that the steps here are further steps in service of authenticity. You can also now relook at how you define words like ‘strong’ and ‘happiness’, amongst others. You notice how people recognise the evolution of you as a person. In their eyes, you see a next-level respect. In others, you might see a new-found discomfort. In your heart, you feel a sense of inner-connectedness. It’s like you are reading the second, third, fourth chapters of your own story. One that you are becoming more in flow with now. Questions that might be helpful to ask ourselves at this stage include: Are these new interests serving me well? What am I learning about myself? Whose feedback is helpful to take on board and whose feedback is not helpful? Embracing the Importance of Being Kind to Yourself: The journey to being authentic and self-accepting is unlikely to be in a straight line and likely to have its challenges. Showing kindness to one-self is at the heart of a successful journey. You are you. With every extension of your personality into the world, you get closer to your true self. Kindness toward yourself allows you to continue along the path. There are times when I draw a reaction to me being me, in myself or from others, that makes my heart feel sore. I come back to kindness. I meet my own inner-judgement with kindness. I meet the reaction of the other person/people with kindness. Kindness helps you to accept that normal is you being you, normal is the next person being them. For sure, respect the world we live in and the people we co-habit the world with. In the same breath, embrace, with kindness, that the only person you can be true to is yourself. Questions that might be helpful to ask ourselves at this stage include: Am I enjoying what I am doing? Am I putting too much pressure on myself? What are simple ways that I can be kind to myself today? What motivates me to carry on this journey? I feel quite authentic these days. I am learning to accept who I am now and who I am not. The primary source of my work is coaching. I feel that the exploration of my interests and development of myself as a person supports me to be the most effective coach that I can be. Being comfortable in my own skin allows me to show up authentically for the coachee. It places them at ease. It allows them to be vulnerable because they can see that vulnerability in me too. This all creates a very healthy environment for effective coaching to take place. Maximising my potential at work is intrinsically linked to my journey towards authenticity and self-acceptance. I am motivated to stay with the journey. Written by John Slattery on behalf of Thrive. John Slattery is a chartered accountant and transformational coach, specialising in helping people to maximise their potential in work and life. You can find more information on his website https://www.prosperwithjohn.ie/.   You can hear more from John at Thrive's upcoming webinar, Maximising your Potential this Movember, taking place on Wednesday 27 November at 12.30. John will detail his personal journey, how embracing authenticity benefits our professional and personal lives, along with tips on how to shift from a ‘what you think you should say and do’ approach to ‘what you know you should say and do’.  Book Here

Retirement doesn’t mean you have to scale back on how active you are. If anything, you can be busier than ever, thanks to the wealth of opportunities that are out there. Part-time jobs and volunteering are great for helping you stay busy if you’re retired. Not all retirees want to just put their feet up and relax. They don’t necessarily just want to spend their retirement pursuing their hobbies or pastimes either. There are many more activities out there to help keep them busy and give them more of a purpose. What’s more, not everybody who retires can afford to live off their savings and pensions. Part-time jobs are ideal for providing the additional income that’s needed to supplement savings and pensions. Believe it or not, there are numerous opportunities - paid and voluntary - available to retired people these days. In fact, some retirees even go on to start a brand new career! Retirement doesn’t have to be restrictive. Focus on how you want to spend it and what you need to do in order to achieve your goals within the next chapter of your life. Types of part-time work Self-employment If you’re considering working for yourself, but aren’t sure what to do, then start by considering your hobbies. Whether it’s needlework, knitting, furniture restoration, gardening, or DIY, lots of people set up small businesses and start new part-time or self-employed careers when they retire. Given the digital era in which we now live, the internet has opened up so many doors. This means that if you used to be a secretary, you could provide remote typing or bookkeeping services to companies who don’t have the resources to employ a full-time member of staff to carry out this work. Alternatively, you may enjoy car boot sales and have an eye for a bargain that you can easily resell online, making yourself some extra money in the process. The options, and opportunities, are endless! If you quite like the idea of working for yourself, make a list of all of your skills, personal qualities and interests. This will enable you to see if there’s a gap in the market you can tap into. The additional income you make will also help with your financial budgeting and retirement planning. Staff employment By law, older workers, who may have retired or be close to retirement, should not be categorised into doing certain types of work. Anti-discrimination legislation means that retired people, or those nearing retirement, can continue in the jobs they have done for most of their working life way beyond conventional retirement age. Because it’s unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of age, you should have the same chance of gaining employment as everybody else. What about ex-work colleagues? Networking provides you with possibly the best chance of finding work if you want to continue working part-time within your chosen field. Most people are familiar with the likes of B&Q and Tesco, who have long maintained a policy of actively encouraging retired people to work. However, all companies now need to also take a proactive approach to considering older applicants when it comes to their recruitment processes. Voluntary work Sometimes, people who have retired, simply want to give something back and help others, so get involved with voluntary work. They can do this by themselves or with their partner if they’re retired too. There are many benefits to volunteering for all involved. For retirees, it’s a chance to make new friends and learn new skills. It can also be incredibly rewarding, as well as provide you with some purpose and structure to your day. Taking part in voluntary work is both mentally and physically rewarding. It has been recognised for helping combat depression, boosting self-confidence, staying fit and healthy and cultivating happiness, among numerous other things. Many charities and volunteer groups actively encourage retirees to get involved due to their maturity; wealth of experience and enthusiasm for the cause: charity shops are always on the look-out for staff, or perhaps a voluntary organisation can make use of any administration skills you may have if you enjoy physical labour and working outdoors, there are countless voluntary projects related to conservation out there you may want to take on an active role within your local community, so you could become a local councillor if you’re a good communicator and ‘people person’, helping out with disadvantaged young people or providing telephone support via the Samaritans might be just the thing for you if you drive, you may be able to find work collecting the clothes bags that are left out for charities or by taking people to and from hospital Your local council, local newspaper and library are good places to start enquiring about voluntary work. There are also plenty of online resources too. Simply type into a search engine (e.g. Google) 'voluntary work' in your local region. Volunteering is an opportunity for you to be involved in something you really enjoy doing. Whether it’s a hobby or continuing your previous role or existing voluntary work. A final few words about staying busy during retirement… Retirement doesn’t have to mean staying in and having minimal interaction with people. There are numerous different avenues you can explore, from starting a self-employed business based on your hobbies and interests and taking part in voluntary work, to still working for an employer on a part-time or job share basis. The more you search for ways to spend your retirement, the more we guarantee you’ll find…. For advice, wellness coaching or counselling, contact the team by email at: thrive@charteredaccountants.ie or by phone: (+353) 86 0243294. Article reproduced with the kind permission of CABA, the organisation providing lifelong support to ICAEW members, ACA students and their close family around the world.