Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hey, hey, my friend.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Welcome back to another episode of the Soul Podcasting Podcast.
This is the place where passion, purpose, and grounded strategy
come together to help you amplify your voice without burning
yourself out. I'm Dimitria, founder of the Soul Podcasting Collective,
where I support podcasters with editing, production and coaching, and
where I help silopanneurs and coaches grow their podcasts with clarity,
(00:39):
confidence and sustainability. Now, if you ever want to reach
out to me directly, I just want to give you
a plug for how you can find me, and that
is soul Podcasting dot com and a link will be
found in the show notes for this. If you're on
a desktop, you'll see a little pink tab on the
right side of your screen and that's where you can
(00:59):
leave me voice note, and you should be able to
see that on your phone. Also, if you can't see
the pink tab, you can also just reach out to
me through my contact page and I'll be sure to
respond to you personally. But today's episode is going to
be just a little bit different. It's not about weekly
goals or metrics or even editing tips. So this time
we're just going to slow down a little bit. We're
going to step into the holiday season together. So I
(01:23):
am recording this right before the Christmas holidays in twenty
twenty five, and so I just thought that this would
be a great way to reset. We could reflect and celebrate.
And if you're listening before Christmas, I just want to
wish you a truly happy holiday season, filled with warmth
and laughter and just the kind of magic that only
this time of year can bring. And I hope your
(01:45):
holiday is a good one. And if you're listening after
the holidays, well, I just hope you still carry a
little of that seasonal joy into your new year. And
so I'm also going to give you a heads up here.
I'll be back in just a few more days with
more podcasting support and strategies and encouragement. So I want
you to stay tuned for all the things that I'm
about to drop in the next couple of weeks. In
(02:05):
the meantime, be sure to check out my YouTube channel
because I've been adding more tutorials and tips and behind
the scenes and sights to help you grow your podcast.
So in between episodes, I'll be over on YouTube, all right,
So that's enough of housekeeping and for now let's just
go ahead and dive into our topic. And today is
podcasting through the holidays. So the holidays have a way
(02:28):
of slowing us down and feeding us up all at once.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Right, there's this excitement, the warmth, there's joy sometimes, there
are lots of lights, there's smells, there's music, there's those
sensory things that remind us of the season that we're in.
And then there's also the rush and the pressure and
all of these to do lists, a little bit or
even a lot of stress. And when you're a podcaster,
(02:53):
especially if you are a creative, a driven, purpose focused podcaster,
all of that, all those sensory things during the holidays
can be magnified. You want to show up for your audience,
you want to be there for your brand, for your
own sense of accomplishment, but your energy just doesn't always
match what you hope to do or what you intend
(03:15):
to do. So this is the perfect time, I think,
to just pause and acknowledge where you are. Whether your
season feels joyful or chaotic, maybe you're a bit reflective,
maybe you're all three of those things. Those feelings are valid.
The holidays are a natural pause button for us, and
it's a good reminder that we can step back and
appreciate those moments that made the whole year feel rich
(03:39):
and full, even if your podcast isn't churning out episodes
every single week. And so while we're on that, let
me just say that stepping back doesn't mean stepping away
from your impact. It's actually quite the opposite, because the
holidays are a great reminder that your presence and your
voice and your stories matter much more than any scale
(04:00):
or metric or chart. So you don't need to push
yourself into exhaustion just to make a difference. Sometimes the
most meaningful connection that you can offer your listener is
just showing up in a human way, a grounded way.
So today I invite you to kind of lean into
the season with me, and let's make this a moment
to slow down and soak in all of the sights
(04:21):
and sounds and feelings of this time of the year
and just celebrate the podcasting journey that you've been on
so far. Even if you've only recorded just a few episodes,
or even if some weeks didn't go as you planned,
that's still progress and it's still growth and it's absolutely
worth celebrating. So I invite you to do that. Now,
let's talk about why podcasting feels so different during the
(04:43):
holidays season, and for me at least, and many podcasters,
I think December can feel like a strange mix of
reflection and anticipation. You're looking back, you're reflecting on the
year that you've already had, all the episodes you've created,
and all the lessons you've learned, and all the listeners
that you've hopefully impacted. And at the same time, you're
also peeking ahead to the new year, and you're thinking
(05:05):
about all the ideas that you want to bring to life,
all the goals you want to crush, and maybe even
all the content you have to schedule out. And there's
that tension between the two, wanting to celebrate what you've done,
but knowing that there's so much more ahead. It's completely
normal to feel that tension, and I'd argue that it's
something that you should actually embrace. It's the season that
(05:26):
reminds you that you're alive and you're growing, and your
creativity is not a machine. This is who you are
and this is what you bring. And some days you
might feel inspired to really just create a lot of stuff.
Right you just want to create. Some days you just
want to rest and reflect and recharge. Both of these
types of days are necessary and both are valuable, And
(05:49):
the important part is that the holidays can show us
what truly matters in our podcasting journey. It's not always
about frequency or downloads, and it's not about fancy editing.
It's about connection. It's about authenticity. It's about using your
voice to create a space where your listeners can feel seen,
heard and supported. Even if it's just one episode with
(06:12):
a short story that's from your heart, that's enough and
it's meaningful, it's impactful. And I want you to really
hear me when I say you don't have to be perfect.
You don't have to have a holiday themed episode just
for the sake of it. You don't even have to
post every single week if that's not what your energy
allows you to do. The holidays are an invite. Look
(06:34):
at this as an invitation to podcast with intention to
give yourself permission to slow all the way down and
to remind yourself why you started this podcast in the
first place. So let's take a moment to celebrate podcasting itself,
because sometimes in the rush of creating all that you create,
and then going back and doing your edits, and then promoting,
(06:56):
then tracking your numbers. We forget why we been doing
all of this. Podcasting I think is a gift. At
least for me, it has been one of the biggest
gifts that I've allowed myself to receive, and stepping into
podcasting was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
I think it's a gift not just for your listeners,
(07:17):
but for yourself because every time you hit record, you're
giving your ideas, your wisdom, and your voice to the
entire world. Every episode is like a moment of courage,
just a tiny ripple that might touch someone in ways
that you can even measure. And we're not going to
forget about community building because that is a huge part
(07:40):
of podcasting. Your listeners, every single guest that you have
on your show, the other podcasters who inspire you. Being
part of that space, of this podcasting space in general,
it's a blessing. And likely you've had moments where someone
may have thanked you or messaged you or shared how
that your episode incourage them. Hold on to those comments
(08:03):
and to those moments, because those moments are the heartbeat
of why we do what we do. They remind us
that every single step, every recording, every edit is worth it.
And even if you've only managed a handful of episodes
this year, once again, that's still progress. So even if
some weeks feel like struggle, hey you showed up right.
You brought out your microphone and you took the time
(08:26):
to record an episode, publish it, release it to your listeners.
And then you kept doing it, even if you've only
done it two or three times. And I think again
that that is worthy of celebration. And for many of you,
the holidays are the perfect time to just reflect on
all of those wins, both big and small, without judgment,
without comparison, and just with gratitude. And if you've been
(08:49):
wondering whether anyone notices the work that you're putting in,
let me assure you that they do. Someone out there
is noticing, someone is listening, and your audience feels your care,
your authenticity, and your commitment. So today we're going to
celebrate you, your journey and everything that you've accomplished in
this creative, wonderful and messy space that we call podcasting.
(09:14):
So I'm gonna share just a few reminders for you
for the holidays the kind I wish someone had shared
with me when I first started. And I want you
to take these as gentle and loving guidance rather than rules. Okay,
there's no hard set rules in podcasting, but I'm always
going to be encouraging you along the journey. So first
of all, remember that your podcast doesn't need to perform
(09:37):
during the holidays. You're allowed to post less. You're allowed
to take a pause or even simply record a short
episode with a heartfelt message. It could even just be
a five minute episode. The value of your show isn't
measured in the numbers, but it's measured in your connecting
with your audience. You're being authentic and your presence. Secondly,
(09:59):
stay connected doesn't require perfection. A simple reflection on your life,
a story from this past year, or even a holiday
greeting can mean the world to someone listening. Your voice
can be a source of comfort for someone who really
needs to hear you. It could be a source of
joy and just a reminder that someone out there cares
(10:19):
enough to reach their microphone every single week. And Thirdly,
remember that consistency is not about volume. It's about the
trust that you're creating with your audience. Trust is built
when your audience knows that they can count on your
voice to show up in a way that's real and meaningful.
That might mean weekly episodes, but again it might mean
monthly or seasonal, whatever fits your energy and your life
(10:42):
for them. And finally, I want you to give yourself
permission to rest. As I have mentioned earlier, you can
take a pause. You don't have to bulldoze your way
through the holidays with extra episodes if that is not
what's making you happy right now. And also remember that
the holiday is a time to slow down and rest
and recharge. So if taking podcasting off of your plate
(11:05):
throughout the rest of the holiday season is what's going
to give you the mental capacity you need to come
back in the new year and really come in strong,
I highly recommend that you take that break. Podcasting is
a journey and it's not a sprint. The most sustainable
creators are the ones who honor their rhythms and their
limits and their voices. Holidays are a natural time to
(11:27):
embrace that and to remind yourself that doing less sometimes
allows you to do more. And that's true not just
in podcasting but in your life. So as we wrap
up this episode, I want to take a long, heartfelt
moment to just thank you, thank you so much, thank
you for listening to Soul Podcasting this year. I plan
to have another episode or two before the new year,
(11:48):
but I might not because again I'm taking my own
advice and taking my own medicine as well, so I
may actually go on break. But if I don't, and
if I do come back, one of the plans that
I have in coming back with a new episode before
the new year is to go through a little list
of the guests that we've had on this show this
(12:10):
year and to thank each and every one of them
for being part of Sole Podcasting in twenty twenty five.
And so I usually like to do that every year,
just to sort of end my year with gratitude by
extending that to all of my guests. And so I
may do that, and I might actually have one more
interview as well, so we'll see how all that pans out.
(12:31):
But meanwhile, I'm just so grateful for you, and I
just want to thank you for being here and for
trusting me with your time and for being part of
this community, for listening and not just to one episode,
but multiple episodes. You guys have been so faithful with
listening to this show this year, and I'm I'm just
(12:52):
blown away when I look at the numbers and I
see how many people are tuning in to SOL podcasting
and where they're too, from all over the world. It's
amazing to me. And I don't know what happened, but
sometime after April this podcast started to really gain some
more traction and I'm just really happy about that. So
(13:13):
I know that your presence matters, so I don't take
that lightly that you're listening to me weekly. So again,
thank you. If you are listening before Christmas, I just
want to wish you a truly merry, joyful and cozy
holiday season. Merry Christmas, and may you be surrounded by
warmth and love and laughter and all the little joys
that make this time of year so special. If you're
(13:35):
listening after Christmas, I hope you still carry some of
that holiday magic with you even as we head into
a freshman year. And remember I will be back in
just a few days with more podcasting support and insights
and encouragement to help you grow your show with intention.
And in the meantime, don't forget to check my YouTube
channel because I'm adding more tutorials, tips, and behind the
scenes content to help you continue building out your podcast,
(13:57):
even in the gaps between episodes. From the bottom of
my heart, thank you so much for showing up and
from being a part of this journey, and for allowing
your voice to be heard. Stay soulful, my friends, enjoy
the holiday season, and as always, happy podcasting.