Eileen Forrestal: The Courage to Shine

Welcome to Conversations with Authors, where I – Alison Thompson, AKA The Proof Fairy – meet amazing authors and find out what inspires them to write and what advice they would offer other aspiring authors.   In this episode I meet Eileen Forrestal, a retired anaesthetist who worked as a doctor for 32 years, took over a publishing company, began publishing a series of award-winning diaries and journals and has now written her memoir, “The Courage to Shine”. As you’ll hear during our interview, as a child Eileen had a stammer that made her afraid to speak for years, but she now works as a speaker, mentor and coach, as well as writing and publishing.  During our conversation, we discuss the power of saying yes, overcoming fear, being open to opportunities and using coaches and mentors to help you write your memoir. Eileen’s positivity is infectious and it was a joy to chat with her. I hope you enjoy listening too! More About Eileen Forrestal Eileen Forrestal (MB BCh BaO FFARCSI), a retired doctor after 32 years, now engages full time in the business she co-founded in 2006, Get Up and Go Publications Ltd, creating and distributing her award-winning inspirational Get Up and Go diaries and journals, with almost 500,000 copies sold worldwide to date.  Having spent 20 years as an anaesthetist ‘putting people to sleep’, Eileen is now in the business of ‘waking people up’, committed to making a greater impact on personal health and wellbeing with inspiring and encouraging words, rather than with drugs and one pair of hands!!!  In her memoir “The Courage to Shine: Find Your Voice and Discover the Healing Power of Your Words”, Eileen shares her personal story of ‘waking up’ to the discovery of the source of her own wellbeing and vitality – her own authentic self-expression – her voice! Plagued by a childhood stammer, and afraid to speak for too many years, Eileen is now fully enjoying life as an author, speaker, mentor, coach, publishing entrepreneur and accredited thought leader  and encourages others to overcome their fears, find their true expression and shine their light in the world.  An avid traveller, she has explored much of this beautiful earth. She describes summiting Kilimanjaro, trekking to Everest Base Camp, flying a microlite over Victoria Falls, riding an ostrich and hypnotising a chicken as special highlights in a very colourful life.  A native of Dublin, she has lived the best years of her life in Sligo, in the beautiful northwest of Ireland. Links:  The Courage to Shine on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IijwRB  www.eileenforrestal.com www.getupandgodiary.com