The Written Word – Karen McCarthy

THE COLOUR(S) OF COURAGE

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:October 15, 2020
Post category:Courage / Strong

It takes courage to accept the common wisdom that what other people think of you is none of your business. Accepting what other people think of themselves and adapting your…

Cultivating the courage to be a disappointment

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:September 2, 2020
Post category:Strong / Writings

Today is the twentieth anniversary of my wedding that wasn’t. I also consider it to be the 20th birthday of the painting I refer to simply as “The Girl”, which I…

The Opposite of Courage

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:July 25, 2020
Post category:Strong / Writings

“The opposite of courage is not cowardice; it is conformity.” Jim Hightower “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” John F. Kennedy When did you…

How to cope with losing part of yourself

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:June 22, 2020
Post category:Strong / Writings

When my father was a young man, he lost all four fingers on his right hand in an industrial accident. He has gone on to do a remarkable amount of…

A Burden Shared

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:May 31, 2020
Post category:Calm / Connected / Writings

While I’ve been off air here for a few weeks now, I’ve been busy in a whole different space talking about how to overcome adversity and move courageously towards a…

A gift for you on Mothers’ Day

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:May 9, 2020
Post category:Connected / Writings

Today, I dedicate this post to my Mum, because, without her, I would not have had the courage to overcome the adversity I have encountered in my life. When I…

Standing the Stillness

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:May 6, 2020
Post category:Calm / Writings

I am well-versed in persevering through pain and discomfort, but I struggle to stand stillness. Inertia and inaction quickly rob me of energy and joyfulness. There is a book by…

Coming Back to the beginning

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:April 19, 2020
Post category:Connected / Writings

I want to go to mass. This is what I said on my first weekend release from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in September 2016. We…

The Importance of Anniversaries

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:April 13, 2020
Post category:Capable / Strong / Writings

This week marks four years since I lost my sight. That phrase always makes me think I should be patting down my pockets to find it or berating myself for…

Standing out

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:April 10, 2020
Post category:Calm / Writings

Open any news site these days and you can guarantee that it will be dominated by stories about COVID-19, the rising death toll worldwide, and the measures being adopted locally to…

There’s nothing brave about blame and shame

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:April 2, 2020
Post category:Calm / Connected / Writings

In a display of incredibly bad timing, the exercise bike I have used nearly every morning for the past two years packed it in last Wednesday. Given how important my…

Coming Through The Discomfort

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:March 22, 2020
Post category:Connected / Writings

I am a touchy person. I don’t mean that I am easily offended, just that I communicate through touch and gain strength from being in close proximity to other people. …

Defining the Courageous Journey

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:March 15, 2020
Post category:Calm / Writings

I am a word nerd. Loud and proud. If I had grown up in another part of the world, I would have been the spelling bee champion or the Spelling…

Artistic Imperfection

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:March 8, 2020
Post category:Calm / Writings

I have written before about the value of taking small, practical steps towards a goal and about being prepared to feel disconcerted, if not downright frightened, when you begin to…

Going and Letting go

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:February 23, 2020
Post category:Capable / Connected / Writings

School always goes back on the day after the Australia Day long weekend, so I can tell you with confidence that the day in question was Tuesday 29 January 2013. …

FLYING over the edge of your comfort zone

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:February 16, 2020
Post category:Capable / Writings

Last week, I wrote about growth midset and how important it is to be tolerant of the discomfort involved in moving from the place that signifies our current knowledge and…

Going on a Bear Hunt*

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:February 9, 2020
Post category:Calm / Writings

One idea that has shaped my approach to cultivating courage is Carol Dweck’s concept of “growth mindset”. In her book, “Mindset”, Dr Dweck introduced the findings of her research into the…

Responding to a crisis with rational optimism

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:February 2, 2020
Post category:Calm / Writings

Catherine leaned back, enjoying the cool silkiness of the cushions at her back and the warmth of the sun on her face. Her thoughts turned to her friend who had…

The Smile Contagion

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:January 27, 2020
Post category:Connected / Writings

From time to time, I use the Calm app to help me get grounded and work on being aware of my own reaction to the world and all that is…

Cultivating courage

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:January 19, 2020
Post category:Strong / Writings

After I lost my sight, many people praised me for having the courage to carry on with my life. I would thank them for saying so but ask, somewhat rhetorically,…

Gearing up

Post author:Karen McCarthy
Post published:January 12, 2020
Post category:Writings

It feels like it's been a long time coming but it finally looks like this site will be launched with the new year. I am really excited for the possibilities…