My friend and I finally started a podcast this week. Now, I fully realize with 700,000 active podcasters in US, we’re falling in rank with almost everyone’s YouTubing cousin or college basement-dweller with a “special message” to share. However, it’s something I’ve been dreaming about for years now, and after nearly boring myself to death couch dreaming about it, I finally called my friend and was like, dude. Let’s do this. Come over Sunday.
We met for sushi to strategize our method of captivating the masses (Rosé was involved), bought a cheap podcasting kit on Amazon, and pressed record four days later.
It was kinda awkward and oh so ripe for editing, but I gotta say, it felt SO good to finally get off my butt and do the thing I’ve been procrastinating about for like, ever.
Even when teaming up with a dear friend as equally unhinged and quasi delusional as me, it took a little dissociative power to overcome some fear and self-doubt, especially because our theme is talking about the non-kosher topics that rarely get airtime outside of our best friends’ text threads.
So I had to ward of thoughts like…
What if this is another thing I start that doesn’t succeed and completely wastes my time?
What if our kids discover our podcast and and realize we’re bat shizzle crazy? Same thing with co-workers and the men folk?
What if we just completely suck?
What if this is another one of our ADHD rabbit holes…shouldn’t we spend more time on things that matter?
It’s scary. No one wants to feel stupid or look a fool. And starting something foreign with no experience or help to draw from can feel intimidating. I literally had to plug Amazon podcast kit descripting into Chat GPT just to understand what I was buying. What the heck is cardiod pickup technology?
Perhaps the most legit source of hindrance is the fact that no single mom on the planet has time to waste. I have two kids still in school, work full time with a side hustle and still drag myself to the gym daily because divorce may have taken my sanity for a while, but it was most def not gonna make me fat. I recently went commando for a two-day work trip recently after being too busy to pack underwear and only the single mammies relate.
But everybody’s got their sob story and flavor of excuse. I don’t ever want unideal or “tough” circumstances to hinder me. Sometimes I get filled with righteous anger thinking about all the divorced moms out there busting a nut and often doing more of the co-parenting work while her health, creative ventures and personal dreams get take a perpetual hit. Sometimes it’s necessary to put ourselves on the backburner for a season…but not a decade.
I carry many a weakness and have seen oh so many failures, but I always want to be the person who goes for it. Even if it means falling flat on her face on Spotify. I’d rather start the LLC, or join that ministry, or finally go back to get a Masters, surrounded by 21-year-olds in their jammy pants instead of perpetually wondering “what if?”
And small “go for its” matter, too. Getting an above ground pool for your kids, because come hell or high water you WILL master aquatic chlorination with or without a husband. Finally getting your passport and visiting Morocco with the girls after dreaming about it for three decades. Squelching your internal terror and saying yes to a blind date when you’ve finally healed post-divorce.
The only factors worth pausing for it (in my opinion) is what God says. If you’ve been on the fence about a venture, here are a few questions I find helpful:
-Will this bring me joy?
-Will it have the potential to bless or glorify God?
How does my body feel when thinking about this decision? Do I feel peace and excitement or anxiety and stress?
-What’s my motivation?
-How can I begin and continue praying about this venture if I go for it? (often it’s difficult to pray for something out of God’s will)
After getting a green light from God about whatever you’ve been on the fence about…just go for it. Remember little steps count.
I believe every one of us has something unique to offer, and Jesus came to bring life in abundance. To me, this never meant riches, or worldly success. It means experiencing health, and joy, and fullness of life, using our gifts to engage with the world in just way He created us to.
Hopefully in a year or two, I’ll blog about how fruitful my little venture has become, instead of sharing a survivor’s tale after getting canceled for…well…you’ll have to tune in to see. : ) It’d still feel better than regret.
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For more on going after your dreams check out my post, Moms: Why Today Is The Day To Dream Again
