August 1, 2025 • 13 mins
Leave me a note-I'd love to hear from you!
🎉Chris's book: "Walking Away from the Ledge" is now available for preorder!
⭐️Grab your copy here!⭐️
https://books.by/w-brand-publishing/walking-away-from-the-ledge
🎉Season 1 Finale: The Why, the Lessons, and What’s Next
In this Season 1 recap of Hidden Chapters, I’m taking you behind the mic to share what I’ve learned, what surprised me, and what’s next for Season 2!
Stick around 'til the end, theres one more hidden moment you won't want to miss. (And who knows? This may become a regular occurrence)
Genevieve's takeaways: 🎙️
- Being a new podcaster takes a lot of behind the scenes effort.
- Season breaks give us both the chance to recharge creatively.
- Hidden Chapters came from the tension between perception and reality.
- We all have hidden layers that shape our experiences.
- Sharing our stories helps us connect and heal.
- Podcasting allows for deeper conversations than social media.
- Every brave choice moves us toward healing.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Hidden Chapters
02:39 The Journey of Podcasting
06:01 The Essence of Hidden Chapters
09:34 Lessons from Guests
11:07 Reflections and Future Plans
12:14 Behind the Scenes Blooper Moments
Thank you for listening to Hidden Chapters!
If today's episode moved you, please consider
✅ Sharing this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
Let's stay connected: 🔗
📷 Instagram: @hiddenchapterspodcast
📘 Facebook: Hidden Chapters
💌 Newsletter "The Next Chapter Notes" : Subscribe here
📫 Join me on Substack for deeper connection or to continue the conversation on each episode
Got a story to share or want to be a guest?
💬 Email me: chapters@hiddenchapterspodcast.com
🎙️ Be a guest? Apply here
Background Music: "In Time" by Folk_acoustic from Pixabay
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
I'm glad you pressed play today.
I'm Genevieve, and welcome tothe season one finale of Hidden
Chapters.
Real quick, if you've everlistened to an episode and
wished you could just sit downand continue that conversation
with me or my guest, would youjoin my list?
I send out heartfelt notes eachweek, and it's the best way to
keep in touch while I'm off themic.
(00:22):
The link's in the show notes.
Now, you know those moments whensomeone you know says, but you
look like you have it alltogether.
That sentence, it didn't tellthe whole story, but it did
spark something in me becausethe truth is we all carry
chapters no one else can see.
(00:43):
And sometimes those are theparts that shape us the most.
Being a new podcaster takes alot of behind the scenes effort.
It's not as simple as grabbing amic, pressing record and sharing
it everywhere, hoping it sticks.
I've learned that it takesresearch, logistics, a little
tech savvy, creative planning,editing, some self-doubt, and a
(01:06):
whole lot of heart and soulpoured into this kind of work.
And even though I've lovedproducing weekly episodes, I'm
taking the advice of seasonedpodcasters and building in a
break between seasons, not justfor me, but for you too.
Season breaks give us both thechance to recharge creatively
and come back with fresh eyes,ears, and open hearts.
(01:29):
Looking back at the last fewmonths, I'm proud of this work,
really proud.
From an idea that came in theshower almost two years ago, to
a reflective journal entry Iwrote about the layers others
don't see, to actually launchingwith a real mic in my hand, this
podcast came to life with a lotof prayers and deep desire to
(01:50):
use the gifts God gave me oforganizing, planning, and
creating to walk this path as areal podcaster.
Like I always do when I want tolearn something new, I dove into
Google, YouTube, and evenChatGPT.
I followed advice from fellowpodcasters like Pat Flynn, Jenna
Kutcher, and others.
(02:12):
I listened, learned, and jumpedin, terrified but determined to
do this.
There's never a perfect time tostart something new, and if
we're vulnerable enough to admitit, the older we get, the
scarier it feels to putourselves truly out there, to
jump into something unfamiliarand take the next brave step
(02:32):
forward, despite any criticismor severe self-doubt we might
feel.
The title Hidden Chapters camefrom that tension, the gap
between how people saw me andwhat I was actually carrying.
People would say, But you seemlike you're doing just fine.
But inside, I was struggling.
(02:53):
I was tired.
Honestly, I still am.
Tired of being the strong one.
Tired of showing up for everyoneelse and wondering if anyone
really saw me.
Tired of hustling to meetexpectations just to feel like I
was enough.
And the hardest part?
I couldn't even answer thequestion.
What do I truly want?
(03:15):
But it wasn't about me.
It was also about all the peopleI knew, friends, family, even
strangers who were carryingpowerful stories they didn't
always share.
Those hidden chapters, thosewere the ones I wanted to hear.
Not the highlight reels, not thepolished success stories wrapped
in a bow, but the gritty,tender, raw, real ones.
(03:39):
The ones that shape us, breakus, rebuild us.
The ones people don't alwaystalk about.
but they really should.
Because those are the chaptersthat change us.
Those are the ones that connectus.
And I knew deep down that if wejust gave those stories a place,
they could help us all feel alittle more human.
(04:02):
Hidden Chapters was the perfectname because we all have those
buried layers, the pain thatisn't always visible, the parts
we don't post online or say outloud in conversation.
But when we do share them,That's when the truth hits the
deepest.
That's when someone else says, Ihad no idea you went through
(04:22):
that.
And then quietly adds, me too.
That's when hearts connect.
That's when healing begins.
And that's the kind of space Iwanted to create.
That's why this platformmattered to me.
That's why your stories matteredto me.
Podcasting felt different thananything else.
(04:43):
Not just another post peoplescroll past, not just another
caption competing for attention.
It felt quieter, but deeper.
It let me speak from the heart,and more importantly, listen
from the heart too.
I recently read something froman email from podcaster Jenna
Kutcher that really resonated.
(05:04):
She said,"...the internet feelslike a noisy bar, so I'm
stepping outside." Being onlinelately feels like standing in a
crowded bar full of halfconversations and noise.
Social media is full of quickcontent and surface-level
moments.
But I want the depth.
I want the space to thinkdeeply, feel grounded, and be
(05:27):
fully present where I am.
I related deeply with that.
Because that's exactly whatHidden Chapters became.
A step outside the noise.
At first, I thought this podcastwas about giving others a
platform to share their stories.
And it is.
But the more I listened, themore I started to recognize
(05:48):
pieces of my own story too.
Things I hadn't really lookedat.
Things I hadn't put into wordsbefore.
Things I was finally ready tosee.
So before I close out seasonone, I want to share a few of
the things I've learned.
The moments from each guest thatmade me stop and think.
Yep.
I needed to hear that too.
(06:12):
My mom.
She's the reason I'm here,literally.
Her story reminds me thathealing begins with choice.
Even in the darkest chapters,you can still choose love.
She chose to have me, eventhough I came from something
traumatic.
And in doing that, she showed methat my life has purpose.
(06:33):
Her story reminds us that everybrave choice moves us toward
healing.
She's always said to me over theyears, the choices you make
dictate the life you lead.
Jillian, she taught me thatgrowth doesn't come from
comfort.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjarowasn't just about the summit.
(06:54):
It was about the slow, steadyclimb.
Pole, pole, slowly, slowly.
Her story reminded me not torush the process, not to quit.
Even if it's hard, even if it'sslow, Keep going.
Justin.
His story of faith, mentorship,and rising from hard beginnings
(07:17):
taught me the power of presence.
He challenged me to ask, whatcan I do with what I have right
now?
That kind of grounded thinking,that's where real change begins.
Stephanie and Jay.
Two very different stories, twopowerful reminders.
Stephanie showed me that we'renever stuck.
(07:39):
There's always a way forward.
Always help.
Always hope.
Rebuilding after abuse takescourage most people never see.
Jay reminded me to hunt the goodstuff.
To lead with intention, evenwhen life is hard.
But what made it even moremeaningful?
Jay was once my student.
(07:59):
And now, all these years later,he's the one teaching me.
Jessica.
Jessica helped me name patternsI've been living in for years.
People-pleasing, performing,hyper-achieving.
She gave me language for thingsI hadn't been able to
articulate.
And her story?
It taught me that our paindoesn't disqualify us.
(08:22):
It equips us.
Especially when we use it toserve others.
Meg.
Meg reminded me that purpose israrely polished.
Her story was full of pivots,birth trauma, PTSD, career
shifts, and starting a businessfrom pain.
But it was all connected.
(08:43):
She taught me that healing isn'tlinear, that we can hold both
pain and passion.
And that starting over doesn'tmean we failed.
It means we're finally startingin the right direction.
Liz, we shared a quiet, unspokenunderstanding.
As a fellow retired militaryspouse, I didn't even need to
(09:04):
explain everything.
She just got it.
Because of that connection, Ishared more of my own story than
I ever had before, even thoughthere are still parts I'm not
quite ready to say out loud.
What stayed with me most is whenshe said, I'm good on my own.
Not in bitterness or defense,but in peace.
(09:26):
She reminded me that rebuildinga life after heartbreak with
strength and softness ispossible.
Melissa.
Melissa taught me about joy.
Real joy after deep loss.
Losing her twin brother Grantbroke her heart, but her
perspective gently pieced itback together.
(09:47):
She didn't sugarcoat the pain.
She carried it.
She chose to smile through it,to talk about it, and to help
others heal by showing up withher full, faithful heart.
And truthfully, she lives withpure joy every day.
That stayed with me.
Molly.
Molly's known me since highschool.
(10:08):
Soccer fields, teenage angst,all of it.
But what she taught me is thatwe don't bury old chapters.
We build with them.
Her story across two episodesneeded space.
Because love, loss, healing, andrebuilding deserve room to
breathe.
She showed me that loving againdoesn't erase what you've lost.
(10:31):
It honors it.
And starting over doesn't meanstarting from scratch.
It means starting fromexperience.
Each one of my guests gave mepieces of myself I didn't even
know I needed.
I'd hear them talk and think,yep, me too.
And I loved that.
Every conversation gave mesomething to think about.
(10:52):
I reconnected with old friends,made new ones, and soaked in
their wisdom.
But more than that, I starteduncovering things in my own
story.
from my own hidden chapters, theones I'm still slowly turning
the pages to.
So what's next?
I'm going to take some time tobreathe, reflect, and soak in
(11:14):
what I've learned so far, andthen keep building Season 2.
Because the stories are stillcoming, and I know there's
plenty more to say.
Season 2 is already shaping upto be just as powerful and
meaningful.
I'm connecting with a fewauthors who've done the brave
thing, shared their stories withthe world.
Because putting your words onpaper or in a mic, that's scary,
(11:36):
but it's also freeing.
I want to keep sharing thosebrave voices and open up more of
my own hidden chapters too.
To each of you who listened,shared, messaged me, or just
quietly carried these stories inyour heart, thank you.
Want to stay connected with mewhile I prep season two?
Join what I newly titled TheNext Chapter Notes.
(11:59):
It's my weekly email full ofreflections, stories, and
encouragement.
I'll link those in the shownotes.
You encouraged me through seasonone, and I'm not done yet.
So I'll see you back here soonwith more hidden chapters to
uncover.
Okay, if you stayed till thevery end, you're officially my
favorite.
(12:20):
Want to hear a littlebehind-the-scenes blooper moment
from recording this finale?
Let's just say my stomach triedto join the conversation.
And then I wrapped it all upwith a full-on talk to myself.
So here you go.
Enjoy the real, unfiltered,slightly ridiculous versions of
me.
So what's next?
I'm going to take some time tobreathe, reflect, and soak in
(12:41):
what I've learned so far, andthen keep building Season 2.
Because the stories are stillcoming, and I know there's
plenty more to say.
Like my stomach.
I guess I should have had morethan cereal this morning.
(13:04):
I really don't know if it caughtthat or not, but that's funny.
Okay.
Okay.
Really, I'm going to laugh.
So you all can have my bloopersthere if you heard my stomach
growling.
That's a real thing.
In my closet and my stomach'sgrowling.
(13:25):
Okay, well, you know what?
Genevieve signing off.
I need some more tea, caffeine,and food.
Peace out.
I'm glad you pressed play today.
I'm Genevieve, and welcome tothe season one finale of Hidden
Chapters.
Real quick, if you've everlistened to an episode and
wished you could just sit downand continue that conversation
with me or my guest, would youjoin my list?
I send out heartfelt notes eachweek, and it's the best way to
keep in touch while I'm off themic.
(00:22):
The link's in the show notes.
Now, you know those moments whensomeone you know says, but you
look like you have it alltogether.
That sentence, it didn't tellthe whole story, but it did
spark something in me becausethe truth is we all carry
chapters no one else can see.
(00:43):
And sometimes those are theparts that shape us the most.
Being a new podcaster takes alot of behind the scenes effort.
It's not as simple as grabbing amic, pressing record and sharing
it everywhere, hoping it sticks.
I've learned that it takesresearch, logistics, a little
tech savvy, creative planning,editing, some self-doubt, and a
(01:06):
whole lot of heart and soulpoured into this kind of work.
And even though I've lovedproducing weekly episodes, I'm
taking the advice of seasonedpodcasters and building in a
break between seasons, not justfor me, but for you too.
Season breaks give us both thechance to recharge creatively
and come back with fresh eyes,ears, and open hearts.
(01:29):
Looking back at the last fewmonths, I'm proud of this work,
really proud.
From an idea that came in theshower almost two years ago, to
a reflective journal entry Iwrote about the layers others
don't see, to actually launchingwith a real mic in my hand, this
podcast came to life with a lotof prayers and deep desire to
(01:50):
use the gifts God gave me oforganizing, planning, and
creating to walk this path as areal podcaster.
Like I always do when I want tolearn something new, I dove into
Google, YouTube, and evenChatGPT.
I followed advice from fellowpodcasters like Pat Flynn, Jenna
Kutcher, and others.
(02:12):
I listened, learned, and jumpedin, terrified but determined to
do this.
There's never a perfect time tostart something new, and if
we're vulnerable enough to admitit, the older we get, the
scarier it feels to putourselves truly out there, to
jump into something unfamiliarand take the next brave step
(02:32):
forward, despite any criticismor severe self-doubt we might
feel.
The title Hidden Chapters camefrom that tension, the gap
between how people saw me andwhat I was actually carrying.
People would say, But you seemlike you're doing just fine.
But inside, I was struggling.
(02:53):
I was tired.
Honestly, I still am.
Tired of being the strong one.
Tired of showing up for everyoneelse and wondering if anyone
really saw me.
Tired of hustling to meetexpectations just to feel like I
was enough.
And the hardest part?
I couldn't even answer thequestion.
What do I truly want?
(03:15):
But it wasn't about me.
It was also about all the peopleI knew, friends, family, even
strangers who were carryingpowerful stories they didn't
always share.
Those hidden chapters, thosewere the ones I wanted to hear.
Not the highlight reels, not thepolished success stories wrapped
in a bow, but the gritty,tender, raw, real ones.
(03:39):
The ones that shape us, breakus, rebuild us.
The ones people don't alwaystalk about.
but they really should.
Because those are the chaptersthat change us.
Those are the ones that connectus.
And I knew deep down that if wejust gave those stories a place,
they could help us all feel alittle more human.
(04:02):
Hidden Chapters was the perfectname because we all have those
buried layers, the pain thatisn't always visible, the parts
we don't post online or say outloud in conversation.
But when we do share them,That's when the truth hits the
deepest.
That's when someone else says, Ihad no idea you went through
(04:22):
that.
And then quietly adds, me too.
That's when hearts connect.
That's when healing begins.
And that's the kind of space Iwanted to create.
That's why this platformmattered to me.
That's why your stories matteredto me.
Podcasting felt different thananything else.
(04:43):
Not just another post peoplescroll past, not just another
caption competing for attention.
It felt quieter, but deeper.
It let me speak from the heart,and more importantly, listen
from the heart too.
I recently read something froman email from podcaster Jenna
Kutcher that really resonated.
(05:04):
She said,"...the internet feelslike a noisy bar, so I'm
stepping outside." Being onlinelately feels like standing in a
crowded bar full of halfconversations and noise.
Social media is full of quickcontent and surface-level
moments.
But I want the depth.
I want the space to thinkdeeply, feel grounded, and be
(05:27):
fully present where I am.
I related deeply with that.
Because that's exactly whatHidden Chapters became.
A step outside the noise.
At first, I thought this podcastwas about giving others a
platform to share their stories.
And it is.
But the more I listened, themore I started to recognize
(05:48):
pieces of my own story too.
Things I hadn't really lookedat.
Things I hadn't put into wordsbefore.
Things I was finally ready tosee.
So before I close out seasonone, I want to share a few of
the things I've learned.
The moments from each guest thatmade me stop and think.
Yep.
I needed to hear that too.
(06:12):
My mom.
She's the reason I'm here,literally.
Her story reminds me thathealing begins with choice.
Even in the darkest chapters,you can still choose love.
She chose to have me, eventhough I came from something
traumatic.
And in doing that, she showed methat my life has purpose.
(06:33):
Her story reminds us that everybrave choice moves us toward
healing.
She's always said to me over theyears, the choices you make
dictate the life you lead.
Jillian, she taught me thatgrowth doesn't come from
comfort.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjarowasn't just about the summit.
(06:54):
It was about the slow, steadyclimb.
Pole, pole, slowly, slowly.
Her story reminded me not torush the process, not to quit.
Even if it's hard, even if it'sslow, Keep going.
Justin.
His story of faith, mentorship,and rising from hard beginnings
(07:17):
taught me the power of presence.
He challenged me to ask, whatcan I do with what I have right
now?
That kind of grounded thinking,that's where real change begins.
Stephanie and Jay.
Two very different stories, twopowerful reminders.
Stephanie showed me that we'renever stuck.
(07:39):
There's always a way forward.
Always help.
Always hope.
Rebuilding after abuse takescourage most people never see.
Jay reminded me to hunt the goodstuff.
To lead with intention, evenwhen life is hard.
But what made it even moremeaningful?
Jay was once my student.
(07:59):
And now, all these years later,he's the one teaching me.
Jessica.
Jessica helped me name patternsI've been living in for years.
People-pleasing, performing,hyper-achieving.
She gave me language for thingsI hadn't been able to
articulate.
And her story?
It taught me that our paindoesn't disqualify us.
(08:22):
It equips us.
Especially when we use it toserve others.
Meg.
Meg reminded me that purpose israrely polished.
Her story was full of pivots,birth trauma, PTSD, career
shifts, and starting a businessfrom pain.
But it was all connected.
(08:43):
She taught me that healing isn'tlinear, that we can hold both
pain and passion.
And that starting over doesn'tmean we failed.
It means we're finally startingin the right direction.
Liz, we shared a quiet, unspokenunderstanding.
As a fellow retired militaryspouse, I didn't even need to
(09:04):
explain everything.
She just got it.
Because of that connection, Ishared more of my own story than
I ever had before, even thoughthere are still parts I'm not
quite ready to say out loud.
What stayed with me most is whenshe said, I'm good on my own.
Not in bitterness or defense,but in peace.
(09:26):
She reminded me that rebuildinga life after heartbreak with
strength and softness ispossible.
Melissa.
Melissa taught me about joy.
Real joy after deep loss.
Losing her twin brother Grantbroke her heart, but her
perspective gently pieced itback together.
(09:47):
She didn't sugarcoat the pain.
She carried it.
She chose to smile through it,to talk about it, and to help
others heal by showing up withher full, faithful heart.
And truthfully, she lives withpure joy every day.
That stayed with me.
Molly.
Molly's known me since highschool.
(10:08):
Soccer fields, teenage angst,all of it.
But what she taught me is thatwe don't bury old chapters.
We build with them.
Her story across two episodesneeded space.
Because love, loss, healing, andrebuilding deserve room to
breathe.
She showed me that loving againdoesn't erase what you've lost.
(10:31):
It honors it.
And starting over doesn't meanstarting from scratch.
It means starting fromexperience.
Each one of my guests gave mepieces of myself I didn't even
know I needed.
I'd hear them talk and think,yep, me too.
And I loved that.
Every conversation gave mesomething to think about.
(10:52):
I reconnected with old friends,made new ones, and soaked in
their wisdom.
But more than that, I starteduncovering things in my own
story.
from my own hidden chapters, theones I'm still slowly turning
the pages to.
So what's next?
I'm going to take some time tobreathe, reflect, and soak in
(11:14):
what I've learned so far, andthen keep building Season 2.
Because the stories are stillcoming, and I know there's
plenty more to say.
Season 2 is already shaping upto be just as powerful and
meaningful.
I'm connecting with a fewauthors who've done the brave
thing, shared their stories withthe world.
Because putting your words onpaper or in a mic, that's scary,
(11:36):
but it's also freeing.
I want to keep sharing thosebrave voices and open up more of
my own hidden chapters too.
To each of you who listened,shared, messaged me, or just
quietly carried these stories inyour heart, thank you.
Want to stay connected with mewhile I prep season two?
Join what I newly titled TheNext Chapter Notes.
(11:59):
It's my weekly email full ofreflections, stories, and
encouragement.
I'll link those in the shownotes.
You encouraged me through seasonone, and I'm not done yet.
So I'll see you back here soonwith more hidden chapters to
uncover.
Okay, if you stayed till thevery end, you're officially my
favorite.
(12:20):
Want to hear a littlebehind-the-scenes blooper moment
from recording this finale?
Let's just say my stomach triedto join the conversation.
And then I wrapped it all upwith a full-on talk to myself.
So here you go.
Enjoy the real, unfiltered,slightly ridiculous versions of
me.
So what's next?
I'm going to take some time tobreathe, reflect, and soak in
(12:41):
what I've learned so far, andthen keep building Season 2.
Because the stories are stillcoming, and I know there's
plenty more to say.
Like my stomach.
I guess I should have had morethan cereal this morning.
(13:04):
I really don't know if it caughtthat or not, but that's funny.
Okay.
Okay.
Really, I'm going to laugh.
So you all can have my bloopersthere if you heard my stomach
growling.
That's a real thing.
In my closet and my stomach'sgrowling.
(13:25):
Okay, well, you know what?
Genevieve signing off.
I need some more tea, caffeine,and food.
Peace out.
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