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Michelle O'Connor - Coach

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Michelle O'Connor - Coach

28/10/2026

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We often speak to others with a level of kindness, patience & understanding that we struggle to extend to ourselves 🤍

Yet, psychologically, the way we speak to ourselves matters.

Our internal dialogue influences how we interpret setbacks, regulate emotions, respond to pressure and recover from difficult experiences.

Self-compassion isn’t about lowering your standards or losing your ambition. It’s about learning to support yourself through the very things you’re working so hard to overcome.

You can be ambitious & still need rest. You can be resilient & still have difficult days. You can care deeply for others without neglecting yourself.

And perhaps most importantly, your worth as a person was never supposed to be measured by your productivity or achievements.

A little question to sit with today:
If someone you loved spoke to themselves the way you speak to yourself, what would you want them to hear instead? ❤️

27/10/2026

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The season ends. But sometimes, the mind takes a little longer to follow 🧠

For months, your life may have revolved around training schedules, preparation, selection, performances, results & the constant pursuit of improvement.

And then, almost overnight, it stops.

No fixtures. No immediate targets. No dressing-room routines. No next game to prepare for.

For some athletes, that brings relief. For others, it brings an unexpected sense of emptiness, restlessness, guilt or even a loss of direction.

And psychologically, there’s a reason for that.
In sport psychology, we recognise the importance of psychological detachment - the ability to mentally disengage from the demands of performance.

Because taking a break from training doesn’t automatically mean you’ve taken a break from the pressure you’ve been carrying.

You might still be replaying that missed opportunity. Questioning what you could have done differently. Thinking about the next season before you’ve processed the one that’s just finished.

But recovery isn’t simply about repairing muscles or restoring physical energy.
It’s also about allowing yourself space to mentally disengage, reconnect with your identity beyond sport and process the experiences of the season.
Research examining professional athletes’ off-season experiences highlights the importance of decompression, mental detachment and gradual preparation for returning to competition.

And perhaps one of the most important reminders for athletes at this time of year is this:
You are allowed to rest without feeling guilty.
You are allowed to enjoy life without measuring your productivity.
You are allowed to be proud of your season, even if it didn’t end the way you hoped.
And you are allowed to be more than the sport you play. yeah.

Because sustainable high performance isn’t about being switched on 365 days a year.

It’s about knowing when to engage, when to recover and how to return with the psychological resources to perform again.

23/10/2026

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Progress isn’t always about achieving more. Sometimes it’s about understanding yourself better 🌟

Not every breakthrough comes with applause 🧠

Some happen quietly, in rooms like this.
No crowds. No scoreboards. No medals. No recognition.

Just two chairs, a conversation, and sometimes the courage to say something out loud for the very first time.

We live in a world that often measures progress by what can be seen - Results, achievements, milestones & success.

But some of the most meaningful changes happen beneath the surface 💭

Psychological research consistently highlights the importance of trust, empathy & connection in creating the conditions for meaningful change… to build that all important space of psychological safety which allows others to grow & be true.

Neuroscience also reminds us that our brains are capable of adapting through experience & learning. Through awareness, reflection & practice, we can begin to challenge established patterns of thinking, responding & relating to ourselves.

(Because progress isn’t always about achieving more. Sometimes it’s about understanding yourself better)

Sometimes it’s learning to regulate an emotion rather than being consumed by it.

Sometimes it’s challenging a belief you’ve carried for years, finding your voice, setting a boundary, or recognising that your worth extends far beyond your performance.

And sometimes, it’s simply giving yourself permission to ask for support.

So much of my work takes place on pitches, training grounds, in dressing rooms and alongside teams.

But some of the most meaningful work happens right here ⬇️

Away from the noise. Away from the expectations. Away from the pressure to perform, in life & other areas.

Because behind every athlete, professional, performer or individual is a human being with their own experiences, pressures, challenges & story.

And sometimes, the greatest progress isn’t about becoming someone better. It’s about developing a better understanding of who you already are

Not every victory is visible or physically seen 👀

And not every breakthrough needs an audience…

21/10/2026

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There’s a reason why the rearview mirror is smaller than the front windscreen 🤔🧠

Not because the past doesn’t matter. But because it was never meant to occupy your entire field of vision.

Psychologically, there’s an important difference between reflection and rumination:

Reflection allows us to learn, develop awareness and move forward ⏯️⏩

Rumination keeps us mentally revisiting the same mistakes, setbacks, disappointments & “what ifs”, often without bringing us any closer to a solution
🤷‍♀️

And here’s what matters…

Your brain can revisit an experience without you having to relive it in the same way 💭

Through cognitive reappraisal, we can learn to reconsider how we interpret experiences. Through attentional control, we can practise redirecting our focus towards what matters in the present.

This is particularly important in performance environments.

One mistake doesn’t have to determine your next decision.
One setback doesn’t have to define your ability.
And one difficult chapter doesn’t have to become your entire story.

We cannot always control what has happened to us. But we can work on how we relate to those experiences, what we learn from them and where we direct our attention next.

The goal isn’t to forget the past. It’s to stop allowing it to take up more space than the future.

Look back for perspective.
Look back for learning.
But remember to look forward.

Because growth isn’t about changing yesterday.

It’s about what you choose to do with tomorrow 🧠

19/10/2026

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A little bit of life lately 🌎

The last few weeks have been a mixture of everything.

Weddings, celebrations, family time, sporting occasions, plenty of miles on the road, some lovely professional opportunities and a few unexpected moments along the way.

From the sidelines to seeing NBC’s TODAY broadcasting from Kenmare, some really meaningful messages reminding me why I love what I do, and exciting conversations about a significant project for 2027 👏

Somewhere in between, a dose of sickness decided to slow me down too! 🙃

A reminder that life doesn’t always move at the pace we plan, and sometimes the moments away from work are just as important as the work itself.

A lot happening behind the scenes, plenty to be grateful for, and some exciting chapters ahead.

A little bit of everything, and that’s life 🤍

13/10/2026

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A little reminder that you don’t have to have it all figured out; and life lately with a little bit of everything 🤍

Different rooms, different conversations, different challenges. Some moments filled with purpose, others filled with laughter, family and the people who remind you what really matters.

And somewhere in between it all, a reminder that confidence isn’t always something we feel before we act. Sometimes it grows because we choose to show up, take the opportunity, embrace the uncertainty and trust ourselves along the way.

We spend so much of our lives looking towards the next goal, the next achievement, the next milestone that we can forget to appreciate the moments happening right in front of us.

The work matters. The ambition matters. But so do the little moments, the laughter, the people and the life we’re building along the way.

A reminder to give yourself credit for how far you’ve come… cause what’s to come feels special, stay tuned 👀💪

But perhaps most importantly, not to forget to enjoy the journey and the people along the way 🤍

06/10/2026

Full Testimonial Below ⬇️ (Slide to See):

“I’ve worked with a number of professionals in this field over the past 10+ years, and I can genuinely say Michelle is one of the very best I’ve ever worked with.

What sets her apart is that she has never just helped me become a better athlete, she has helped me understand myself better as a person. She has supported me through performances, setbacks, career decisions, education and different stages of life, always managing to make even the most complex things feel simple, practical and manageable.

There is also an incredible sense of trust in working with Michelle. I’ve always felt I could be completely myself whether I was at my best, struggling, uncertain or simply trying to figure something out. There is never judgement and never a sense that she is trying to give you all the answers. Instead, she has an incredible ability to ask the right questions, challenge you when you need it and ultimately help you find those answers within yourself.”

“At times throughout my career I’ve spoken with her once or twice a week, while at other stages months have passed between conversations. But regardless of how much time has gone by, I have always known I could pick up the phone and she would be there with exactly the same warmth, understanding and genuine care. There is something very reassuring about knowing that kind of support is there when you need it.

There is an aura and a way about her that is difficult to put into words. She has an incredible ability to meet you exactly where you are, humanise what you are experiencing and help you understand not only what you do and how you perform, but who you are underneath it all.

She has played a huge part in helping me perform at the highest level, from some of the biggest achievements and individual honours of my career to now playing in the AFLW.”

“But perhaps the greatest testament to Michelle’s work is that so much of what she has taught me now lives outside of our sessions. The tools, conversations and perspectives she has given me are things I carry into sport, my relationships, my career and everyday life.

When I look back on our work together, the greatest impact isn

06/10/2026

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Some teams you work with.
Some teams leave a little piece of themselves with you 🤍

One of the greatest privileges of this work is being invited into a group and trusted with a small part of their journey.

You never quite know how long that journey will last, where it will take you, or how the final chapter will be written.

This weekend didn’t bring some of the endings we had hoped for. And while that hurts, it doesn’t take away from everything that came before it.

The empty rooms before sessions.
The conversations nobody else hears.
The wet evenings on training pitches.
The dressing rooms, the laughter, the nerves, the belief, the setbacks and all the little moments in between 💫

Because somewhere along the way, it stops just being about the work.

You get to know the people behind the jerseys. You find yourself genuinely caring about what happens to them. And you realise what a privilege it is that, for however long, they allowed you to walk alongside them.

And not every special journey ends with a medal.

Sometimes what a group builds in pursuit of it matters just as much… the connection, the growth, the belief, the memories and the people they become along the way.

Some very special groups. Some truly wonderful people. And chapters of this year that I’ll be incredibly grateful for 🤍

Not every journey gets the ending it deserves, but that doesn’t make what happened along the way any less special.

The result might end the season.
It doesn’t erase the journey 🤍💚/ 💜🖤

02/10/2026

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Your brain is always collecting evidence 🧠

The question is… what are you asking it to prove?

Confirmation bias can reinforce the stories athletes tell themselves:
“I don’t perform under pressure,”
“I always make mistakes,”
“I’m not confident.”

Challenge the story.

Collect all the evidence.

Build your stack of undeniable proof 🧠📚

What you repeatedly look for, you’ll start to find 👀

30/09/2026

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The way you speak to yourself matters 🧠

Self-talk isn’t just background noise. Repeated thoughts and phrases can influence where we direct our attention, how we interpret pressure, how we regulate emotion and ultimately how we behave.

In performance, we often spend hours training the body and developing the skill, but the inner voice needs training too.

The goal isn’t unrealistic positivity. It’s learning to speak to yourself in a way that is useful, believable and performance focused, particularly when things aren’t going your way.

Because under pressure, we tend to fall back on what we’ve practised.

Train the skill. Train the response. Train the voice you want to hear when it matters most 🧠💭

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