Dare to believe!

Jan 10, 2024

Dare to believe!

Jan 10, 2024

When the cards are thrown into the cosmos, you’re never quite sure how they’re going to land. We play the game within the tried and trusted patterns that have served us well rarely widening the lens to view life from the other side. In one shuddering moment, all that was is no more. We stare into oblivion as coordinates of old dissolve into the night. It often takes adversity to shake us to our core. A faint flicker shimmers in the darkness to light the way. We must rise again and dare to believe as if for the very first time.

This time of year, we hear a lot about resolutions. Diets, treadmills, nutrition… it’s frenzied. The gyms are shaking to excess with the new recruits each January brings. If you’re not on the ‘health bang’, somehow you feel left behind. I use the gym, place a value on personal fitness but veer towards the impromptu sauna chats than the rigours of pounding in rhythm with the cross trainer. It’s all about balance. Resolutions are good but prioritising what is of real value is more important.

It is good to take stock on occasion, to learn from what has gone before and map out internally what really matters to you. The greatest resource we have lies within – the power to shape the course of our own lives and become architects of our own destiny. All that is meant for us is not predetermined. It will only happen if you dare to take that leap into the unknown. This takes courage. Be guided by your inner compass. Your own innate creative spark will always point you in the right direction. Your first move – choosing a goal for the coming year and taking the clear, decisive steps needed to reach it – can change your life.

We in Celtic Ways Ireland have been charting our course and anticipating how best to safely navigate the way ahead. Our journey to date has been an adventure to say the least. We’ve shared the path with many great people, chosen a team we know we can work with and identified core strategies that will keep us tracking in the right direction. It’s not always easy. But the hard lessons often point us towards where we’re meant to be. The start of a new year is an ideal time to dial in on our inner radar, narrow life down to the core essentials and place our trust in all that has carried us this far.

We’ve come to realise that what matters most in an ever-changing world is staying true to yourself. The tourism landscape is constantly evolving. It is possible to read the signs, adapt where necessary, yet remain true to your own guiding principles. You do not have to sell out to the world or compromise what really matters to you to succeed. People can pull you where you do not need to be. The inner voice is the one worth listening to. Trust your deepest instincts and then build your plans around people you know you can rely on. Doors will open in ways you least expect. The breaks will come. You’ve got to believe!

Align your path in life with all that matters to you. Invest your energies wisely. We get one shot at it, we may as well get it right. Do not force the pace. Take a moment to soak in the panoramic beauty that opens up before you. That walk by the river’s edge, that stroll along the headland, that road few have travelled… unearth something in us we may not otherwise have known. Almost unknowingly, the universe will step in and nudge you in the right direction. God works in mysterious ways. We are creatures of depth, so too our world. Stardust floating through the vastness of time has found its way to you. It takes just one spark to light the way.

There are times in life when you face into a storm you never saw coming. Out of nowhere, a deluge descends leaving you exposed to the ravages of the elements. It can we a scary place to be. The turbulence can throw you off course. We can lose our bearings, we make mistakes, we overrule our better judgement… we fall. When we doubt ourselves, we stumble. Believe in you especially when others may ridicule your demise. You are defined by who you are not other people’s versions of you. The storm will pass.

(Image from Charlie Mackesy)

Over the past few months, Elaine and I have been spending time with the High Hopes Homeless Choir in Dublin hosting music workshops and preparing them for a series of concerts that we are performing over the coming months. They teach us more than we could ever teach them. No matter what life has thrown at them, they have found something inside to help them rise again. When tested, they have discovered a courage they never knew they had, a spark to light the way beyond the glare of the passing world.

You see each member of the High Hopes Choir is unique. No two stories are the same, yet, together, they become a tidal wave of honesty that can catch you by surprise. We laugh together possibly more than we sing. They make me smile every time I meet them. They inspire me too! From somewhere deep within, they have found their song – a prophetic song. Listen to those quiet voices in the shadows for they will connect you to the truest version of who you are. They are the wise ones to guide you home.

Your life is not mapped out for you in advance. Reach out for your destiny but with a light hold on the reins. Allow space for the universe to intervene. God speaks to us through the bits and pieces of our lives. We cannot do it on our own. We are stronger when we are part of something greater than ourselves. We need space to listen, to come to the well, to tune into the deeper melodic strains that make life worth living. We soon discover each note matters, we matter.

Phil and Elaine are looking forward to welcoming our first visitors of 2024 along our Celtic Ways. We start out with a group of 21 from Los Angeles who will walk St Declan’s Way with us and stay on to enjoy our bespoke itinerary for the remainder of their time in Ireland. Momentum is gathering for 2024 as we begin to roll out our new and exciting tour offerings over the coming months. For more information on our Celtic Ways Ireland tour offerings for 2024, check out our website www.celticwaysireland.com or email us directly on info@celticwaysireland.com

Thank you to Charlie Mackesy for allowing Celtic Ways Ireland to use one of his iconic images in this month’s blog.