Here’s how it’s going
It’s no secret that podcasting has been skyrocketing in popularity. Regardless of the current oversaturation of the industry, my close friend Elaina and I decided to start our own podcast; and I couldn’t be more thrilled that we did. Elaina was the one to reach out to me about starting one and I was honored. She said she chose me because I am “well spoken”, a strong advocate for mental health, and she feels comfortable having informative and controversial conversations with me. I feel the same about her, so I said yes.
I was reluctant about my decision at first because, prior to starting up our podcast, I had only listened to a total of three podcast episodes in my life. However, Elaina had listened to plenty and was proven to be highly competent when it comes to uploading episodes, creating graphics, and more. We both bring different skill sets to the table. Needless to say, I felt that this experience could be a success.
While there are a multitude of podcasts to choose from for your listening pleasure, what makes a podcast stand out is its content focus areas. Elaina and I decided to mainly center our Fresh Validation podcast around mental health and diet culture. Specifically, we expand on our personal experiences including but not limited to: eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and stigmas surrounding these topics as well as others. Since these are all incredibly heavy topics, Elaina and I make sure to record light-hearted episodes as well. For example, our third episode was a fun recap/storytime about our chaotic weekend spent partying with friends. For an upcoming episode, we assess our good and bad traits while considering each others’ opinions. Episodes like these help our audience connect with us and get to know us on a deeper level.
While it has been a joy to record with Elaina, not everything has been sunshine and rainbows. My frustration from trying to navigate the “podcasting process” largely stems from my lack of familiarity with podcasts. As a perfectionist, it’s been especially difficult for me to watch Elaina take the reins in many aspects — uploading our podcast to several platforms, creating and organizing our social media accounts, editing the first few episodes by herself, and so on. I became increasingly stressed and anxious because I saw things that I wanted to be more involved in or change, but I simply couldn’t. Overall, it was most discouraging that I seemed to know so much less than Elaina in regards to podcasting. It took me many tries before I understood the ins and outs of the whole process, forcing me to challenge some much-needed patience. Nonetheless, here I am — six weeks into this journey — becoming well-versed in how to run things! I’m so glad I stuck with it.
Overall, starting and maintaining this podcast has been a major accomplishment for me. It is something to show who I am and what I am passionate about. Furthermore, it’s encouraged me to focus on enhancing my speaking skills. I’ve also acquainted myself with graphic design and digital audio platforms like Canva and Soundtrap. Now I can create artistic samples for our social media accounts and edit episodes with ease.
I am ridiculously proud of Elaina and I for navigating this experience and navigating it well. We could have left this podcast as a mere idea that we’d never seriously pursue. Instead, we talked it over extensively, we bought the necessary equipment, we created a theme, we brainstormed content ideas, we planned times to record around our busy schedules, and we ultimately brought our wonderful idea to life. Our podcast brings me fulfillment for many reasons, but also because I get to do it with one of my best friends. Here’s to doing something you never thought you would do!
If you’re interested in listening to our podcast, click here: Fresh Validation Podcast Links
After listening, feel free to message us on Instagram @freshvalidationpodcast and share your thoughts! We love hearing from you.