Kilkenny author and life coach chronicles his pandemic struggle and learnings in new book

Author and life coach Barry Williams has released his new book, Thank You Covid: Gratitude, Resilience, and Growth in Crisis: Learning from Heartbreak in the Pandemic, chronicling his personal story of overcoming challenges during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Barry, who was born and educated in Kilkenny, has faced and overcome many recent challenges, and has learned a lot from them.

Green light for landmark new building in Kilkenny

"Within three months Barry went through a break-up, had to move out of his house due to his landlord needing the house back, and then lost his job he was at his lowest point," the book's blurb reads.

However, he turned to counselling, as well as self-care techniques such as reiki and acupuncture, to heal his mind, body, and spirit.

"I remember feeling so low at one point, I really questioned if I wanted to continue, my wake-up call was falling asleep behind the wheel of my car. I only woke up because I drove over the cats eyes heading for a wall on the motorway between Dublin and Cork," Barry said.

"I remember crying to myself afterwards realising that had those cats eyes not woken me up, I would have gone straight into the wall and God only knows what would have happened then.

"I decided to go to counselling, I felt embarrassed at the idea of needing it but I knew I needed to get some professional help. I can look back now and say it is probably the best thing I have ever done for myself.

"I had lots of time to read and listen to podcasts and went on a complete personal development binge during my period between jobs in lockdown.

"I started exercising, doing yoga and really watching my diet. I think the combination of diet, reducing my coffee intake, going for holistic treatments and counselling was what allowed me to bounce back.

"I want the book to be a go-to for anyone who is experiencing a difficult time in their life. While obviously not everything I did during that period will apply exactly to someone else, my hope is that it will encourage people to go on and create a meaningful self-care routine.

"Many of us have first aid boxes at home for cuts and bruises but we rarely have a mental first aid kit for ourselves when we face mentally challenging times and it was very much my hope with Thank You Covid that it will help people to create that all-important mental first aid kit to help themselves.

"I remember coming to the end of my counselling and wondering why hadn’t I done it sooner. It really allowed me to clear away so much not only just what had happened over those few months, I also looked back and discussed other things that had bothered me in my life.

"As the name suggests, I am incredibly grateful it all happened. It really allowed me to turn my life around and it was one of the reasons last year I then went on to study life coaching and did a reiki course. I wanted to go on myself and help others."

Barry's book offers practical guidance and inspiration for readers facing their own challenges, showing how even the darkest moments can be opportunities for growth and transformation. 

His journey eventually led him to become a life coach and reiki master, using his newfound wisdom and skills to help others overcome their own obstacles.

Thank You Covid is a brilliant guide for navigating tough times with grace and gratitude.

Whether you're facing a divorce or break up, job loss, sickness, or another life transition, Barry hopes that this book will show you how to find resilience, discover your inner strength, and emerge stronger and more grateful than ever before.

Thank You Covid is available for purchase on amazon.com and amazon.de