Not never, just not now
I want to share a bit about the adventure of creating my podcast, Innkeeper of Your Soul, as well as what I learned in the process.
I once told my friend Marna that I would never do a podcast. (Doing a podcast was only one circle of hell removed from doing video.) When I told her of my plan to do a podcast, she said I needed to warn her and give her a chance to sit down before making such proclamations!
It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, and a manifestor will undoubtedly do so when the urge strikes.
So why a podcast now?
Although I am a lifelong writer both by nature and vocation and express myself best in writing, I knew I needed to start using my voice. I know that my expansion, both personal and professional, depends on me using my voice.
Getting this podcast off the ground was quite the journey. Everything took longer than anticipated, and there were a lot of obstacles along the way. (Thank you, Mercury Rx.)
The experience was a great lesson in honoring how I work, which is in fits and starts, or “chicken scratch,” as my mentor Michelle Wolff describes my process.
Creating the podcast was also a terrific reminder of one of my foundational mantras …
Be patient. Be curious. Go slow.
And, as with the card deck, I knew that I would need to enlist help for the pieces of the podcast I wasn’t interested in doing myself, like audio editing.
During the creation process, I remembered another message I received a couple of years ago:
Not never, just not now.
Although this is really just another way of saying “never say never,” I like the space this message creates for future possibilities.
So, if you’re feeling pulled toward something you said you’d never do, here are a few lessons I’ve learned that I hope will help you.
Take your time. You don’t need to rush into anything. Give yourself and your nervous system time to acclimate and discern whether this is really something you want to pursue. Your mind probably comes up with “great ideas” all the time it thinks you should pursue. You don’t need to act on all of them.
Be gentle with yourself. Trying something new, while exciting, can also be frustrating. And the older you are, the less comfortable you may have become with being a beginner. Don’t let being a beginner stop you from pursuing your idea. Know that you will encounter obstacles and probably stumble along the way. That’s OK. In fact, it’s great! You’re learning and expanding. Rather than blame or shame yourself for not knowing more or doing better, show yourself some compassion instead.
Work how you work. Everyone works at a different pace and in a different manner. Dashing or dawdling. Singly focused or split focused. In absolute quiet or with heavy metal pounding in the background. Honor the way in which you like to work and that works best for you. It’s the best way to enjoy the process and avoid burnout along the way.
Follow your own wisdom. There are any number of people IRL and online who will tell you how your creation should look. Don’t listen to them. Your creation is just that … yours. There is no one right way. There is only your way. So, pay attention to the intuitive nudges guiding you along the way. They won’t lead you astray.
Ask for help. Along with being a beginner, asking for help is the second hardest hurdle when starting something new. You can’t do it all and you shouldn’t feel like you have to do it all. If there’s something you don’t know, for the love of all that’s holy, reach out and ask for help. This kind of collaboration and connection can be inspiring and motivating, giving you the extra oomph you need to get started and keep going.
Delegate, if you can. If there are tasks related to your project that you know you don’t want to do yourself, hire or barter with someone to do it for you. Delegating creates more space and energy to devote to the parts of the project that light you up.
Acknowledge your fear. This may be the most important tip of all. Whenever you step out of your comfort zone, fear is sure to make an appearance—and probably not just once. I’ve learned that resisting fear, pushing it aside, and pretending it doesn’t exist don’t work. Oftentimes, that strategy will only keep you stuck. Instead, say hello to your fear and let it know you see it. You can even have a conversation with your fear to hear what it has to say. Once fear feels heard, assure it that you have got this handled. I’ve found that’s usually enough to help you move forward.
What helps you when you’re trying or creating something new?
