Why I think it is so Important to have Continual Reflection that is Shared
I was sitting reflecting on some teachable moments for the 100th episode of the podcast and I realized just how much benefit can come from personal reflection that is shared with others.
As I started to write out my top ten teachable moments I was able to reflect on where I have felt challenged or where I felt as though I was struggling. I realized that by doing this I was able to gain a little more perspective. And I was able to feel lighter in my current state. When I choose to share it and make it public I realized it made it more serious for me. It was no longer just something that was swirling in my head.
For me there is a big difference.
I don’t know about you but I often find myself placing intense pressure on myself for what I feel like I can’t do or didn’t do right. The quest to be perfect or to get it right seems to woven in to so many different parts of my life. And if I don’t share it out loud with others it tends to ruminate and I find myself getting caught up in my own stories. I continue to rerun the tape.
If I allow for reflection and intentional observation I am able to ease up on this desire to be perfect. When I share I realize just how ridiculous some of my thoughts are.
If you haven’t listened to the podcast yet, I hope you do but in the interim I will include my list of top ten teachable moments.
Sharing openly with you!
#1. Don’t shut it down because you can’t see how it works. My first mentor shared this with me as I embarked on this process and had no idea where it would go. I wanted to see the final product and the results and I wanted it all to look perfect. If I allowed myself to get stuck in this I would have never kept going.
#2. It’s okay to take breaks and put it on pause. I was so afraid that if I stopped I wouldn’t start again or that if I took too long of a break people would not come back. I have learned to move at a pace that supports me and to take breaks when I needed to. The right people will always be there to listen and to show up.
#3. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Before I first started I wanted everything to be perfect. The sound the edits and I spent a lot of time in this space. What I have learned is to do the best I can. My environment has changed over the years and I have had to adapt. And sometimes there is background noise and I have learned to be okay with that.
#4. Trust your intuition when a guest doesn’t feel like a good fit. From the beginning I connect with my guests prior to scheduling an interview to make sure it is a good fit. In the beginning I felt desperate to get guests taking anyone that come through. There were a few times were I knew it just didn’t feel right but I went forward anyway with the interview because I was afraid I might not find someone else. I have learned to trust myself. And if I go through a period where I am unable to find the right guests that is okay. As long as I continue to trust my intuition, the right people continue to show up.
#5. Be process driven over outcome driven. I have learned to trust my own process and to have patience in what I am doing. To not attach what I do solely to outcomes or results. Allowing myself not to be defined or attached to what happens. The number of downloads of this podcast is not an indicator of if I continue to create.
#6. Ask for help. So simple yet so effective. When I have been stuck figuring out an editing technique I have saved so much time by asking for help. Finding the right person who can help me or give me a quick solution can be so overlooked and yet can create so much ease.
#7. Welcome Change. When I first started I wanted to only do interviews and then I realized I wanted to do shorter solo episodes. Instead of sticking with what I was doing before I welcomed in change. Who knows what will come next. I try to stay open to change as much as possible.
#8. Stay in your own lane. There are a lot of podcasts out there I don’t know how many. It seems like every day I see or hear about a new one. I used to feel threatened by this and judge other people. I have realized that everyone has a voice that resonates differently. Staying in my own lane requires me to focus on me. To not allow myself to be in the space of comparison. I will not be for everyone and everyone will not be for me. So I am glad there is variety and choice for all.
#9. Make interviews about the guest not about you. As a podcast host it is easy to want to share knowledge that is probably why you got into it. Learning to be mindful about how much information I choose to share when having a conversation with a guest has been essential. The episode is really meant to be about the guest so allowing them to fully share their story without having to voice mine was important to me. A way to integrate this was to weave in solo episodes.
#10. Welcome Guests who see the world differently than you. In the beginning I was not looking for guests who had opposing viewpoints to me or saw the yoga industry differently. I was afraid it might compromise my intgrity or authenticity. What I have realized is that just because I don’t agree doesn’t mean I can’t still make space to hear their voice. I can respectfully make space for both.
I hope you choose moments of shared reflection in the month ahead.