Get it Off Your Chest!
I believe we all have a story to tell. Something worth saying. Something which can bring meaning to life or connect you to your tribe (people who get you and don’t judge!). Sadly, lots of children lose their confident voices early on.
I thought I’d do something a little different today and take you behind the scenes of my podcast.
I want to show you how by talking out, you can dissolve some of those icky feelings so they have less power over you. Even better, you might also be making somebody else feel like they are not the only one. I hope that by talking about what happened to me growing up, other children will know that they are not alone. That’s why I started my podcast: so that no matter what, there is somebody there who gets it. Yep. That’s me!
Step into Your Powerful Voice
To find your powerful voice, you need to be connected to your inner Smiley (you can find out how to do that in Episode 1 of the podcast) and understand your feelings (we do that at The Energy Pod every week).
Here is a little doodle of what my voice wants to say. You can have a go at drawing your voice too. You don’t have to shout (but if you or your family are quite shouty, you might want to read this!)
Getting creative is such a great way to express who you really are.
When we don’t speak up and we don’t say what we truly feel (with love and kindness of course), then our feelings get stuck inside of us. This makes us cranky. Our feelings need a home.
What stops you?
Most children tell me they don’t say how they truly feel because they’re scared of getting into trouble, that nobody will believe them or that they will upset the other person. That’s not true: you don’t have the power to make anybody else feel their feelings. They are in charge of those.
RIght, are you ready to go behind the scenes and see how I make my podcast come to life? I’m not high tech at all – in fact it’s so simple I think your cat (or your dog if you have a dog) could do it!
Smiley’s 10 Easy Steps to Creating a Podcast
STEP ONE: Find a Cosy Spot
One that is relaxed and safe, so your brain can work it’s magic. This is my Cosy Corner. Being surrounded by books makes me happy. Find out what’s on my book shelf right now. Get some snacks and water as you are going to be using your creative energy.
STEP TWO: Pick a Talking Point
Maybe there is something on your mind or something you are super obsessed with. Oh I don’t know like Ant and Dec or Minecraft or something you could daydream about forever without getting bored. If you feel a bit confused or aren’t sure what you want to talk about, you could freestyle it out. So skip the next step and go for it. Trust your Inner Smiley to guide you. It knows!
SMILEY TIP: If you often get writer’s block when you are doing your English homework and you can’t think about what to write try this: start a little doodle or mind map on a blank piece of paper. Make sure you start off with a word in the middle of the page which is nothing to do with the subject you are writing or is quite random. Relax your mind, take a few deep breaths, ask your inner Smiley to help you (you need to check out episode 1 so you can meet yours!). Then play The Word Association Game. I say flowers, you say garden, I say sunshine, you say holiday, I say road trip and you keep going until a little story will appear on the page in front of you.
STEP THREE: Create a Script
Unless you’re happy to make it up as you go along. Sometimes when you start talking, it’s surprising what comes out. This is how the magic works in coaching sessions. I type my script out on the laptop, but speaking from the heart or scribbling in a journal is probably more powerful. Have you ever tried to journal out your feelings?
STEP FOUR: Find a Snuggly Blankie
Not only is this great for…well snuggling but it also acts as a great sound proofer which means that your voice will sound better.
STEP FIVE: Make Sure it’s Quiet
How good are you at asking for what you want? It’s good to take time out for yourself and to have a place at home where you can go and shut the door knowing that you won’t be disturbed. If pesky brothers and sisters get in your personal space, maybe it’s time to call a family meeting and talk about boundaries.
STEP SIX: Your Podcast Equipment
Ok this is where I’m not so great because I use the Voice Notes App on my iphone and my little white earbuds which is dead simple. If you have any other ideas, be sure to share them with us here as you may be helping people with Androids or laptops.
STEP SEVEN: Run A Little Test
Ooh this is the good bit. Record yourself saying something silly over and over until you are happy with how your voice sounds. Actually, do any of us like hearing our own voices? They sound very different. I’m trying to learn to love my voice but I find myself thinking: ‘Is that really me?!’ This would be the right time to have a practice. I think as I record more episodes I will get more confident and comfortable with my voice. I don’t expect myself to be an expert straight away.
STEP EIGHT: Record Your Story
Have fun using your voice. If you make a mistake, don’t stress! Simply drag your cursor back to where you started recording and record over it. That’s the joy of recording it, you can get it to be how you want it to be. When I do live videos for Facebook, it’s more nerve wracking because there are no second chances. Instead of making it perfect though, focus on having fun and being yourself. When your podcast is just you being you, I know it will be amazeballs.
STEP NINE: Send it to Memphis
You can skip this step but this is where I send my podcast. Daniel lives there and he is my super friendly and talented Podcast Editor. I send him my recording and he tweaks the sound before adding the intro and the outro. That’s the bit with my cute Niece Mia talking and the funky music. I found some funky music here if you wanted to add some in.
STEP TEN: Share it With Somebody You Love + trust
You don’t have to upload it to itunes like I do, but you might want to share it with your parents, your friends or somebody you trust. Could you use it for a project at school? Make sure you share it with somebody who will really hear what you are saying. People who won’t judge you.
Do you know at the Energy Pod every week, I’m listening to lots of families tell their stories and talk about their feelings. You’re welcome to join us. It’s a fun place to hang out with other Wild Hearts, and you can learn a lot about understanding your feelings. You know like why they are the key to being a happy person.
>>Find out more about the Energy Pod here and if you can’t make the live class it’s recorded, so you can catch up when you’re ready.
Wow imagine how good you will feel when you’re free!
Free of all those feelings. When I write my podcast, not only do I have so much fun, I know that it’s good for me to let go of my worries, my obstacles, my embarrassing little quirks which actually make me who I am! Your mind, body and soul will really thank you for doing the same too. It’s lighter, brighter and a really good habit to cultivate for life.
If you have an idea for an episode or you want to share with me what you have written, you can drop me a message in the chat box (bottom right hand corner of the screen) or drop me an email.
