Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been a ride to get here. Not only have I been talking about Living Brave for years, but I actually recorded the first five episodes of the podcast, and lost them. I meticulously edited them, was slated to launch in a few days, and realized I needed more room on my computer. I’m not a big tech wiz, so I called Apple to help make space on my Mac, and at the end of the call, the woman recommended an OS update. I was giddy! I left my computer, made some oatmeal, and when I came back, It had crashed! It wasn’t long after another Apple rep answered that I started crying, driving on the way to the Apple store in Cherry Creek.
While at first, there was a four-hour wait… I think they couldn’t manage having someone in that state of mind sobbing away at the back of the store, so they saw me right away. Like all setbacks, there was a lesson and a silver lining. I decided that I would move production from my house in Cap Hill to the recording studio and community House of Pod in Five Points. I took it as a sign from the universe saying “invest in your damn passion project, you have the bandwidth and you deserve it!”
“You can do better. You can be braver. Were you really going to put out something that wasn’t your best, when the work is so important? Never go with the first draft!”
Life is a master at throwing us curveballs. So you just have to get in the game and have fun with it.
My amazing guests agreed to meet again, at my new fancy and a legit spot in Five Points, and re-record with me. There have been countless other moments along the journey where I’ve wanted to crawl into my shell, to redirect and just break down. Anything from hearing crickets after a launch, experiencing criticism from anyone from strangers on social media to close friends, making the decision to invest in my projects before they started generating any profit, and the countless personal ups and downs and “rock bottoms” we all experience.
Reconnecting with my strong and clear why has always picked me back up. Remembering that, as Brene Brown likes to say: if you’re not in the arena, I’m less concerned with your feedback. There are a lot of people yelling from the cheap seats. If you dare to put yourself out there, you’re already doing an incredible job.