The Delusional Optimist

What do you do when the career you’ve spent 17 years building suddenly disappears? When bestselling author Andrea Mara was made redundant from her job in financial services, she had a choice: find another “sensible” job or take a chance to build something new.
In this episode, Andrea shares the story behind that life-changing decision and how an unexpected redundancy gave her the time to discover whether writing could become a career.
Today, she’s one of Ireland’s bestselling crime authors, with multiple hit novels and All Her Fault adapted into a major TV series.
We talk about the reality of changing careers in your 40s, forging a new career while raising three children, overcoming self-doubt, and why the biggest risks are often the ones worth taking.
We also chat about:
why redundancy became the turning point she never saw coming
the career coach who helped her stop searching for another “safe” job
the realities of life as a full-time author
where the ideas for her bestselling psychological thrillers come from
the long journey from All Her Fault becoming a bestselling novel to a Sky TV adaptation
why success is often far less glamorous - and far more hard work - than people imagine
Whether you’re dreaming of changing careers, writing a book, or simply wondering if it’s too late to start again, Andrea’s story is a reminder that sometimes the biggest setbacks become the beginning of something even better.
Support the show
If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support
Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!

She’s one of Ireland’s best-loved broadcasters, but Lucy Kennedy is proving it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.
In the first episode of Season 2, Lucy joins me for a warm, funny and honest conversation about taking risks, embracing change and finding more confidence with age.
We chat about writing her bestselling novel The Mini Breakers on her phone while on holiday, the leap from broadcasting to fiction, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply back yourself.
We also talk about perimenopause, female friendships, raising teenagers, the reality of working in television, and what Lucy has learned after spending years interviewing and living with some of the world’s most famous faces.
I hope you'll love this conversation as much as I did recording it!
Support the show
If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support
Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!

Fashion might look glamorous on Instagram but behind every red carpet moment is a LOT of chaos, spreadsheets, sourcing, fittings, returns, early mornings, and problem-solving that nobody talks about.
For the season one finale of the podcast, I’m joined by celebrity stylist and fashion journalist Corina Gaffey for a really honest conversation about building a career in Irish fashion, freelancing, backing yourself, and figuring things out as you go.
Corina shares how she went from magazine life at KISS and Stellar to styling major names like Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, and what fashion styling actually looks like behind the scenes.
We also talk about:
• “faking it till you make it” and learning on the job
• the reality of freelance life when the inbox goes quiet
• the pressure behind red carpet styling
• confidence, personal style, and social media trends
• why copying someone else’s style never really works
• rejection, resilience, and building relationships in the industry
It’s an insightful and honest chat about creativity, career pivots, self-belief, and finding your place in a competitive industry. I hope you enjoy!
Support the show
If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support
Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!

Winning a Paralympic gold medal is supposed to be the happy ending… but for Ellen Keane, it was only part of the story.
From becoming Ireland’s youngest Paralympian at 13 to winning gold in Tokyo, Ellen shares what we don’t see - the pressure of being “the good girl”, the mental crash after big highs, and the loneliness that can follow even your proudest moments.
We talk identity, self-worth, and the voice in your head that can be your biggest critic. Ellen opens up about growing up with a limb difference, learning to stop hiding, and building a mindset rooted in self-belief... even when it feels “delusional”.
We also get into the reality of what comes next: retiring, losing a sense of identity, and having the courage to start again - stepping into media and using her voice for disability advocacy and representation.
This is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and being kinder to yourself along the way.
Support the show
If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support
Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!

In this episode of The Delusional Optimist, I sit down with broadcaster and former Late Late show host Ryan Tubridy for a thoughtful and deeply human conversation about navigating a very public storm, finding contentment in its aftermath, and what it means to start over. 
From career highs and intense scrutiny to love, reinvention, and the quiet power of perspective, Ryan reflects on the chapters that shaped him - and the ones still unfolding.
This is a conversation about resilience, identity and life beyond the headlines, with a refreshing honesty about what it takes to build and move forward.
Want to spend an evening in Ryan's company? Keep up with The Bookshelf Podcast LIVE tour dates and tickets here.
Support the show
If you’ve been enjoying the podcast and would like to show your support, you can buy me a coffee at the link below. Every contribution helps me keep creating honest, uplifting conversations about reinvention, self-belief and the messy middle. Thank you for being here 🤍
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2545407/support
Stay up to date with The Delusional Optimist Podcast on Instagram, here. You can follow host Diana Bunici on Instagram here - expect lots of cute pics of her dogs Benny & Charlie!