I am not sure where to start, but here goes.
Last year in November 2023, I announced that I was going to start a podcast. Truth be told, I gave this no thought. I just woke up and said, “I am starting a PODCAST.”
Boldly and without hesitation, I announced it to my very few followers on Instagram. Then, after receiving a few pieces of feedback from others expressing interest in hearing what I had to say, I froze! Actually, to put it correctly, I wanted to hide and wish I had never acted on a whim like that. I wanted to crawl into the nearest corner and hope for it to all die down.
Of course, I could have just deleted the post and pretended it was a mistake. After all, who am I to start a podcast with only 100 followers, especially since I hate social media?
But the nudge to start a podcast was still there.
You see, I love to read books and talk about them, but there is only so much time my sister has on the phone to hear me rant about the latest book I read. There was also a desire to share the books I have read with others, not just talk about them myself. I wanted to learn more and get different perspectives.
The trouble was, I didn’t know anyone who would want to come onto the podcast. Bummer, I thought…
Until I finally said enough was enough, and I was going to get this podcast going.
Look, let me be upfront with you right now: I sat on my ass, nursing my fear of starting this podcast. I stalled for over nine months trying to get the courage to start, and I made up every excuse in the book why I couldn’t start something that was clearly in my heart for a reason.
After asking a gym buddy of mine to co-host, and he flaked, I sat with disappointment.
I had two options here: be truthful about why I was disappointed or own my shit.
The truth was, I was hoping a co-host would somehow bolster my confidence and keep my nerves at bay. I wanted him to help me take the first step into something that was my idea, my assignment. Basically, I was cheating my way into starting this podcast with a co-host.
He flaked, and God had other plans.
I prayed day and night for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Instead of telling God I was lost, I prayed for direction.
Going to the gym and having other people ask me what was going on with the podcast was not helping my nerves one bit, but it kept reminding me that I was once again on another project that I did not finish.
GET TO WORK
It turns out that starting a podcast is not as easy as one might think. Clearly, I had a vision in mind, and I knew that now I had to put the marketing books I read to good use. I had to start an email list, and most of all, I had to press record without fussing over whether I had the right equipment.
As a woman on a budget, the Good Lord knows that spending money was not an option, and excuses were definitely not an option either.
I have spent days with emails, trying to find ways to edit, do my own graphics, etc.
I haven’t pressed publish yet, and somehow I am tired in a great way. It feels good to know that I am still following through without trying to make everything look perfect.
You know what else? With every 10 emails I send out, I am getting at least one reply that they will be a guest on my show.
I knew rejection was going to come up with starting this. I am proud that I have taken this step into a new chapter of my life. I am here to serve, and part of that service is also navigating when I am told “NO.”
I want to share this journey with you.
Turning Pages with Mel 
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