Yes, you read that right. I’m starting a podcast! I sent out the announcement to my newsletter subscribers this past weekend letting them in on the big news. I’m very excited to bring this into the world and I absolutely know that I’m supposed to be doing this right now.

But I know what you’re thinking…Hallie, EVERYONE has a podcast these days, big deal.

Two things here. One, I agree with you. There are A LOT of podcasts out there but that’s where I stop. Not everyone has a podcast. My neighbor doesn’t have one. My high school best friend doesn’t have one. No one in my immediate or extended family has one. I know exactly two friends, both in my writing community group of friends, that have podcasts.

The second thing is that EVERYONE isn’t me. Starting a podcast isn’t to become famous or stand out from the crowd. Okay, I wouldn’t HATE it if my podcast became a huge hit but that’s not my why. The purpose of my podcast is to help others, create a community of like-minded people, and allow me to channel my passion and creativity. Annnnd, I love to talk. ;)

When I pondered starting a podcast, all the doubts came up and the voice inside told me it was a dumb idea because absolutely no one was going to listen. But then my other voice, the higher version of myself voice, said to let go of the outcome. Do it for the fun of it. That’s it, no other outcome is necessary except fun. And fun, it has been.

Honestly, the hard part is going to be all the marketing that goes along with it. It feels so unnatural to constantly talk about something without thinking I’m being a nuisance, annoying, or narcissistic. But this is just how it works. When authors write books and get them published, they don’t sit back with their fingers crossed hoping that people read it.

They share the news with friends and family; they share news and any updates on social media sites consistently, and they reach out to news sources and bookstores about promoting their books. Mind you, these people are writers, not PR professionals. But they are passionate about their books and believe in their work, therefore, they share.

I have to believe that the conversations I’ll share on the podcast will be worth the time and effort if just one person feels more enlightened, entertained, inspired, connected, and/or empowered. Even if that one person is just me! So be it.

When I started the AWEd Life brand, starting a podcast was waaaaay in the back of my mind as being part of the journey but it seemed so far-fetched. Again, who was I to think I could be a podcaster.

But as I showed up more and more on my blog as well as Instagram, talking about AWEd things, the more focused and driven I became (and also because of other (major life changes). I’d been doing IG lives each week for a while then decided to invite others to chat with me. It was these IG chats with women who inspired me that led me to right here.

As intimidating as Instagram Lives were initially, I became very comfortable in front of the camera and having these conversations. I could’ve kept doing that but I knew that everything on social media could come to an end at any time. Algorithms change, formats change, features get taken away, new ones added and my content only lives on if that social media app lives on.

But a podcast? That’s there forever. The content I record will live forever on a server and on my laptop. So why couldn’t I take the same concept and record podcast episodes instead of hosting IG Lives? I had been visualizing myself so many times during my mediation sessions recording episodes, marketing the content, and meeting all kinds of wonderful people along the way. After a while, the idea didn’t seem so big and scary anymore because I’d seen myself in my mind’s eye doing it for a while.

In February of this year, I decided the time was now. I wasn’t getting any younger and this would be one of my biggest regrets if I didn’t do it. So, I spent most of the spring and summer learning all I could and doing the work. I procrastinated plenty but I also spent full days looking for the right music for my intro and the end of each podcast. But, the one thing that told me that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to were my feelings; how I felt before, during, and after each chat I had with a guest. I had the giddy butterfly feeling before, a calmness during, and a big HELL YA afterward.

Enough about the why. Let’s get into the what, when, and how.

The What: The AWEd Life Podcast will feature women who are living AWEd (Awake, Well, and Empowered). who are well on their way, or who can lend their expertise, from entrepreneurs to authors, to wellness experts to the gals next door.

I'll also be sprinkling in solocasts talking about everyday issues, daily practices, vulnerable stories, great books, helpful products, and more that might help us all live more awake, well, and empowered.

The When: It launches Sept. 1 with the first two episodes then weekly episodes dropping every Thursday.

The How: It will be available at all the places you normally listen to podcasts. I will also have a page on my website that hosts all of the episodes as well.

Extras:

I am creating a Patreon page so I can keep the podcast ad-free and give my loyal listeners some exclusive content. I haven’t ironed out exactly what I’ll be offering to members of my page but I’ll be updating it as soon as I nail it down. I’ll also share it on the AWEd Life IG account as well so make sure you follow me over there to stay up-to-date.

It may be early access to podcast episodes, exclusive content, shout-outs to patrons after each episode, discounts on merchandise, etc.

Thank you to all the people who have reached out to me already to congratulate me and to share their excitement with me about this new adventure. I am so blessed to have people like you in my front row. You have no idea how much it means to me and how much it buoys me when Ms. Doubty Pants shows up unexpectedly. I will never forget.

Link to my Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/theAWEdlife