Mary McDonald Coaching

52 Conversations | Begin

Tonight I’m pressing the start button.

I’ve been thinking about 52 Conversations for quite a while.

Thinking about who I might invite.
Thinking about what the conversations might become.
Thinking about where the idea might lead.

And then this afternoon, I did something very productive ……….

I snoozed. 😄

I was absolutely wrecked, so I gave myself permission to do very little. And after a good sleep, I’ve woken up feeling refreshed, wide awake and rather excited about what might be possible.

And it got me thinking.

At some point, you simply have to begin.

We can spend so much time waiting for the right moment.

When we have more time.
When the idea is clearer.
When we feel more confident.
When everything is perfectly in place.

But perhaps clarity doesn’t always come before we begin.

Perhaps it comes because we begin.

So I’m starting.

Over the coming year, I’m hoping to have 52 conversations with 52 people from different walks of life.

I’m curious about people’s stories.

The experiences that have shaped them.
The lessons they’ve learned.
The unexpected twists and turns.
The things that bring them joy.
The things they might do differently.
And perhaps the wisdom that only comes with living a life.

There won’t be an interview.

No script.

No expectation of having an extraordinary story to tell.

Just two people, a little time, a cup of tea perhaps, and a genuine conversation.

And I don’t know where these 52 conversations will lead.

Perhaps they’ll become stories.
Perhaps they’ll become reflections.
Perhaps they’ll become something I haven’t even imagined yet.

And I’m beginning to realise that I don’t need to know.

I just need to begin.

Would you be one of my 52?

Or perhaps there’s someone you know whose story you think I should hear.

I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a DM. 🌿

52 Conversations | The Longfield Way

Pause • Reconnect • Grow

A Walk Around Longfield…… with company 🌿

Today I had some very special company on my Walk Around Longfield.

Aoibh and I took a gentle stroll down the lane …. or perhaps it’s the avenue …. or maybe just the driveway. There are so many options for naming it!

But really, whatever we call it, the magic happens once we leave the road behind and step onto the lane. Somehow the noise of the outside world disappears, and we’re simply here - together, surrounded by trees, sky, birdsong and the little things that catch our attention. ☁️

Today, it wasn’t about getting anywhere.

It was about going at the pace of little legs.

A gentle hold of the hand. 💚

Stopping to notice the fluffy clouds in the sky.

Watching the wind move through the trees.

And, most importantly, stopping for the blackberries growing along the ditches.

Every time I picked another one, there was a little voice saying, “More!” ❤️

And of course, there was always time for more.

It struck me how easily we can forget to slow down.

I might have walked that same stretch many times, but today I saw it differently because I was seeing it through the eyes of a little girl who had no interest in hurrying.

There was nowhere else she needed to be.

No list to get through!

Just another blackberry. Another cloud. Another tree moving in the breeze.

It was a wonderful reminder that sometimes the best moments are the ones we don’t plan for. And I’m glad I made time for this.

There will be plenty of dark winter days when we will be indoors. So for now, I’m going to make the most of these beautiful summer days, the fresh air, the Longfield evenings ……. and little walks that take longer than usual.

Because slowing down is where the magic is. 🌿💚

Life at Longfield | Fading Light

Yesterday didn’t quite go to plan.

I’d hoped to share ‘A Moment to Begin the Week’, but instead I found myself resting, heavy with a cough and listening to what my body needed.

Today was different. 🌱

After dinner, I wandered out into the garden. There were jobs waiting, and before I knew it, a few hours had slipped by.

Eventually the light began to fade.

There was still more I could have done. There always is!

Running out of daylight and running low on energy, I stood for a moment and looked back at what I had achieved. 🌿

Sometimes we measure our days by what remains unfinished.

Perhaps we’d be kinder to ourselves if we paused to notice what we did do. 💚

The next project will still be there tomorrow.

For today, there was enough light to make a difference, enough energy to make some progress, and enough gratitude to end the day with a smile. 🙏

Sometimes that’s enough.

As your day comes to a close, what are you grateful you managed to do today?

In nature

Mary x 💚🌿

Life at Longfield

A beautiful pair of Tough Touch gardening gloves was one of the gifts I received for my birthday last month.

They’ve quickly become my favourite gloves.

As I was wearing them today, it struck me that their name holds a lesson.

Sometimes life asks us to have a tough touch.

Not a hard heart or a harsh approach - but enough strength to tackle the jobs we’d rather avoid.

Pruning back what no longer serves us.

Pulling out the weeds that keep returning. 🌿

Digging in when progress feels slow.

Protecting our hands while still doing the work that matters.

In the garden, a tough touch helps things flourish. 🌱

Perhaps it’s the same in life.

Sometimes kindness isn’t always gentle. Sometimes kindness is setting a boundary. Having a difficult conversation. Taking the first step. Saying no. Letting go.

A tough touch isn’t about becoming tougher as a person.

It’s about finding the courage to do what needs to be done, while keeping your heart soft. 💚

That’s something I’m reminded of every time I pull on those gardening gloves.

I’d love to hear what “a tough touch” means to you.

Mary x

Life at Longfield 🌿💚