I got into podcasts way late compared to most people. As my research shows, podcasts have entered the market and onto people's computers and media players in 2004. Today, it is very common to hear someone start a conversation as: "I was listening to this podcast and..." or "Oh my god! You have to listen to this podcast...!" I have heard the liked a lot but for some reason, I only very recently downloaded my very first podcast app on my phone and subscribed to as many interesting things as possible. Actually, it started like this:
I received a newsletter email from muse.com listing the 15 most listened-to podcasts among Muse employees on their commutes. I downloaded the podcast application or the "Cast Box" right away and started subscribing. I subscribed to one in particular that was listed on the Muse list called "Magic Lessons". One of my most favorite reads recently was Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic", which I reviewed here on my blog back in August. This podcast, led by Elizabeth Gilbert herself, is a continuation of that book! She interviews different artists or creative people really about how they live courageously and creatively. I listened to one episode so far and I'm already hooked!
Although each episode is about 1 hour long, I don't get tired of it, and I'm very easily bored. In fact, when I listened to another podcast, seeing that it was an hour-long episode, I started to get tired pretty much after 20 minutes. In the episode I listened to at Magic Lessons, Gilbert interviewed Glennon Doyle Melton, a writer, activist, and blogger who recently published her newest book, "Love Warrior". Her story is truly an inspiring one. She was an addict until she was 25 years old, when she found out she was pregnant. Seeing this invitation and chance to become a better person, she decided then and there to give up all of it--drugs, alcohol, unhealthy relationships, etc--and she became a mother. She married the father of her child and did something else that was monumental--she started to write. She began with a blog, perhaps one similar to mine, and started writing the truth. Every time she wrote, she felt like her soul was freed a bit more. Soon, the world started knowing her and started reading her story. Inspired by her readers, Glennon wrote and published her first book: "Carry On Warrior".
I was very inspired by her talk as I have also started blogging recently. Many times, I feel like I have nothing to say or no "good" topic to write about, but I sit down and write anyway. Another thing I struggle with, is that a lot of times even though I know I probably don't have many readers now, I sometimes find that I censor myself. I don't mean to do it but it is due to years of being told to censor myself. I remember when I was first "honest" in the social media world. I was "ordered" to take off the status (I had posted that I am "broke"). Let me remind you that facebook at that time was exclusive to college students, who could only become a member by signing on with their college emails--those were the good old days. I connected with my friends from college mostly there. However, when I made that fatal post, I was urgently requested (by family members mostly) to remove the post. How did my family who were not college students find out about my innocent post you ask? Well, I had my own protective "warrior", my sister, who watched over me in my social networking endeavors and she, seeing this status change, horrified by my stupidity, sprinted towards my parents and told them the ugly truth. They, too, horrified, immediately called me and --for lack of a better word--demanded I take off this ridiculous post. Ever since then, I have been very wary of what I do post, though according to them, I speak the truth too often and "too much". Boy are they in for a surprise with this blog.
Glennon Doyle Melton, and many others like her, all aspiring writers have broken these barriers all on their own and written away their fears. It feels so definitive--writing away your fear. But it's true. I've always viewed writing as an escape...a way to explore my emotions and to truly feel them. I don't "get rid" of my fears necessarily so much as I truly feel the fear, the pain, the anger, the joy, and by feeling it truly and wonderfully as I write, I slowly see them fade and become less and less vibrant. It is so inspiring to write and I'm so thankful that I have this space to write as much as I want and as much as I dare. My family members as of yet, do not have access to my blog. Well, they just need the link and surely, if they are interested enough they can easily find my link, but they never do. For them, it's like this: out of sight, out of mind. I don't mind that my family does not show an interest in my writing. While many may seek that approval, I have never needed it when it came to writing. It was always satisfying enough just to write for myself, for my invisible audience. My friends read my work often and always complimented me but even if they didn't, it was okay. In this case, perhaps my fears are still blinding me, but I embrace the fact that my family still hasn't read my work. I always like to romanticize it and think, perhaps, when I die, they will come and read my words and think, wow we had such an amazing writer and we didn't even know it! My husband thinks I'm too morbid, but it seems like in our culture and society, it is only when you are dead that your writing could be just writing, no matter the content. However, if you are alive and well, then those writings have too much meaning and it can be destructive so it should be hidden...until perhaps you are dead!
I received a newsletter email from muse.com listing the 15 most listened-to podcasts among Muse employees on their commutes. I downloaded the podcast application or the "Cast Box" right away and started subscribing. I subscribed to one in particular that was listed on the Muse list called "Magic Lessons". One of my most favorite reads recently was Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic", which I reviewed here on my blog back in August. This podcast, led by Elizabeth Gilbert herself, is a continuation of that book! She interviews different artists or creative people really about how they live courageously and creatively. I listened to one episode so far and I'm already hooked!
Although each episode is about 1 hour long, I don't get tired of it, and I'm very easily bored. In fact, when I listened to another podcast, seeing that it was an hour-long episode, I started to get tired pretty much after 20 minutes. In the episode I listened to at Magic Lessons, Gilbert interviewed Glennon Doyle Melton, a writer, activist, and blogger who recently published her newest book, "Love Warrior". Her story is truly an inspiring one. She was an addict until she was 25 years old, when she found out she was pregnant. Seeing this invitation and chance to become a better person, she decided then and there to give up all of it--drugs, alcohol, unhealthy relationships, etc--and she became a mother. She married the father of her child and did something else that was monumental--she started to write. She began with a blog, perhaps one similar to mine, and started writing the truth. Every time she wrote, she felt like her soul was freed a bit more. Soon, the world started knowing her and started reading her story. Inspired by her readers, Glennon wrote and published her first book: "Carry On Warrior".
I was very inspired by her talk as I have also started blogging recently. Many times, I feel like I have nothing to say or no "good" topic to write about, but I sit down and write anyway. Another thing I struggle with, is that a lot of times even though I know I probably don't have many readers now, I sometimes find that I censor myself. I don't mean to do it but it is due to years of being told to censor myself. I remember when I was first "honest" in the social media world. I was "ordered" to take off the status (I had posted that I am "broke"). Let me remind you that facebook at that time was exclusive to college students, who could only become a member by signing on with their college emails--those were the good old days. I connected with my friends from college mostly there. However, when I made that fatal post, I was urgently requested (by family members mostly) to remove the post. How did my family who were not college students find out about my innocent post you ask? Well, I had my own protective "warrior", my sister, who watched over me in my social networking endeavors and she, seeing this status change, horrified by my stupidity, sprinted towards my parents and told them the ugly truth. They, too, horrified, immediately called me and --for lack of a better word--demanded I take off this ridiculous post. Ever since then, I have been very wary of what I do post, though according to them, I speak the truth too often and "too much". Boy are they in for a surprise with this blog.
Glennon Doyle Melton, and many others like her, all aspiring writers have broken these barriers all on their own and written away their fears. It feels so definitive--writing away your fear. But it's true. I've always viewed writing as an escape...a way to explore my emotions and to truly feel them. I don't "get rid" of my fears necessarily so much as I truly feel the fear, the pain, the anger, the joy, and by feeling it truly and wonderfully as I write, I slowly see them fade and become less and less vibrant. It is so inspiring to write and I'm so thankful that I have this space to write as much as I want and as much as I dare. My family members as of yet, do not have access to my blog. Well, they just need the link and surely, if they are interested enough they can easily find my link, but they never do. For them, it's like this: out of sight, out of mind. I don't mind that my family does not show an interest in my writing. While many may seek that approval, I have never needed it when it came to writing. It was always satisfying enough just to write for myself, for my invisible audience. My friends read my work often and always complimented me but even if they didn't, it was okay. In this case, perhaps my fears are still blinding me, but I embrace the fact that my family still hasn't read my work. I always like to romanticize it and think, perhaps, when I die, they will come and read my words and think, wow we had such an amazing writer and we didn't even know it! My husband thinks I'm too morbid, but it seems like in our culture and society, it is only when you are dead that your writing could be just writing, no matter the content. However, if you are alive and well, then those writings have too much meaning and it can be destructive so it should be hidden...until perhaps you are dead!
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