My Journey To Creating Grounded Living

SEPTEMBER 1995

Leaving For An Adventure of a Lifetime

Fresh from University at the age of 21, I embarked on an unplanned adventure to teach English in Sicily at the foot of Mount Etna for 7 months.

I didn't speak a word of the language when I arrived, but before I knew it, 7 months turned into 7 incredible years of magic, mystery, and marvelous discovery of the world's most intense and vibrant culture.

SEPTEMBER 1996

Starting An Intense Freelance Journey

I set up my own freelance business teaching English at companies, state schools, the university, and privately. 

Before long I started to feel stressed, anxious, and exhausted from working very long hours.

To top it all, I was also in a relationship that had run its course, but I couldn’t face ending it. 

I was only in my late twenties but I was afraid of the future and felt unable to face the reality of any of it or take action.

The stress and the need to keep going led to a secret roller coaster of sugar addiction; chocolate, ice cream, cakes, and cookies. 

My body was the battleground for other problems I should have faced up to and dealt with. Only my thoughts and emotions were out of control, and I felt so ashamed that I didn’t know what to do.

APRIL 2009

A Wakeup Call From My Body

The years of stress, addiction, and intense living eventually took their toll. 

5-months pregnant with my eldest daughter and preparing for my wedding, I got the wake-up call.

A routine blood test led to a shocking diagnosis of gestational diabetes.

It was the last thing I expected and the news hit home hard. I was in shock and extremely worried about what the diagnosis would mean for me and my baby.

I soon discovered it meant a very stressful pregnancy with numerous check-ups, continual blood tests, a strict diet, and a daily blood sugar level diary. 

MAY 2009

Taking Control Of My Body, Health, & Mind 

Determined to not let the diagnosis of my medical condition control my life and happiness, I started studying everything that could help me. 

I studied nutrition science, stress management, the mind-body connection, neuroscience, neurobiology, and habit formation.

I created numerous changes to my diet, lifestyle, habits, coping mechanisms, and underlying beliefs.

The doctors all told me I would get the same diagnosis for the second pregnancy of my youngest daughter, I proved them wrong.

SEPTEMBER 2016

My Own Personal Search for Meaning

Years later, as my marriage started to deteriorate, I began an intense inner journey of working on myself.

As I started to do my own personal work, I realized my partner and I had already grown apart. I had two young children to look after.

In addition to that, the company I was working for had lost their big contract to a rival firm, leaving my job as one of the positions almost certain to be axed.

By the end of 2016, we mutually decided to end our marriage and chart our own paths in life, while co-parenting and cooperating fully in raising our children together.

FEBRUARY 2017

Neuroscience, Mindfulness & Professional Coaching

In the midst of re-creating my life, I finally worked up the courage to pursue my long-held desire to retrain and start my career as a professional coach and mindfulness instructor, to serve others with the life lessons I learned through working on myself.

During this time, I landed an opportunity to teach at a well-known Business School in Italy. In this position, I was asked to write an internal training manual about Coaching & Neuroscience.

Researching and writing this manual launched me into the most enriching and satisfying coaching journey of helping others to thrive.

MARCH 2018

Launching Grounded Living Coaching 

Based on my research for the Training Manual on NeuroScience & Coaching, I decided to launch my own coaching business,

I focused on helping service-based entrepreneurs and leaders fulfill their highest potential by helping them become more grounded, present, energized, and confident.

The method I developed turned into the Grounded Living to T.H.R.I.V.E. program and the Grounded Living community on Facebook.

FEBRUARY 2020

From COVID Crisis To Opportunity

The COVID Epidemic first struck outside of China in Italy, launching the country into a full-blown economic and existential crisis, which then spread across Europe and the world.

During this period, I decided to turn the crisis into an opportunity to build and support many in the Grounded Living Community with mindfulness & coaching.

Tracy O'Leary

• Professional coach, Professional Coach Training Certificate, CIMBA Italy
• Abraham Hicks Universe Approved Coach
• LIFE Leadership training, CIMBA Italy
• Coach Trainer, ICF Coach Training Program, CIMBA Italy
• Writing the coaching manual for the ICF professional Coach Training program, CIMBA Italy
• Mindfulness Practitioner, Mindfulness Educators, Milan, Italy
• Presence, Integration, and the Cultivation of Wellbeing, The Mindsight Institute
• Team Coaching, The Neuroscience School of Coaching, Milan, Italy
• Mindfulness Life Coach, Transformation Services
• Accredited NLP Practitioner and NLP Master Practitioner, The Priory Academy
• Accredited Law of Attraction coach; The Priory Academy; 
• EFT & TFT Tapping Practitioner Certification; The Priory Academy
• TEFL, RSA Cambridge
• Masters in Translating and Interpreting, University of Portsmouth
• BA (Hons) in English Literature, Royal Holloway, University of London

Worked and collaborated with training and coaching for:

• CIMBA Italy
• Forema and Punto Confindustria, Veneto, Italy
• Allnex Italy Ltd.
• The NEP group
• Fami Plc
• Baxi Plc.
• Vimar Plc.
• Pedon Plc.
• Manfrotto, Vitec Group
• Miriade Ltd.
• Ancora Collanti Ltd.
• Social Vision Ltd.