The 2nd Anniversary Episode: Introducing The Letters & Layers Podcast
This episode marks two years since the first episode of what is now known as The Letters & Layers Podcast. In this episode I discuss why I changed the name and what the new title means for me personally. I also talk about having a "come to Jesus" moment with myself last week, and needing to make changes when it comes to my level of comfort. I also talk about not giving up on your day just because it feels like it started off on the wrong foot. It can very well turn around for the better.
This episode is particularly special to me, and I hope you listen to the end. I recorded the bulk of it while sick! But it came out so much better than expected. Happy Anniversary to The Letters & Layers Podcast!
TRANSCRIPT
Speaker 1 (00:00:00) - Hey everyone, welcome back to the podcast. Before we get into the episode, I just wanted to say, in case you sense me feeling less than excited about this new relaunch for the podcast, please know that I was actually coming under the weather. You might hear it in my voice now. I am still stuffy, still achy. I am recording this clip in my bed because it is Wednesday evening when I'm recording this clip, and I recorded the main portion of the episode on Monday when I was not feeling my best. I'm feeling better now, but just in case you feel like, hey girl, what's going on, I would think you would be more excited about what's about to happen, what's going on with the podcast, these new, exciting changes I am. I promise you. I have been waiting and anticipating the relaunch of this podcast in honor of the second year anniversary all summer and even before that. But you know, you can't control everything. I came down with a cold. It hit me pretty bad the last couple of days.
Speaker 1 (00:01:13) - I'm on the mend. So I'm working, but I'm working in a comfortable space, and I just wanted to add this clip because I was feeling a little bad while listening to the playback. And I just want to make sure you guys know that I really appreciate your support, even though it may not sound like that in the episode, but I just want to say thank you guys so much. I can't wait to put out and record and produce these new episodes as the new Letters and Layers podcasts. Thank you so much for your support. And now on to the episode. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the podcast. The podcast, previously known as the Biblio Therapy for Black Women podcast. Is now the Letters and Layers podcast. I had talked for a few months up to this point about knowing that I would change the name of the podcast, because the Biblio Therapy for Black Woman podcast was the name that I wanted to start this journey with. I didn't want to become a victim of analysis paralysis, which is where you are thinking and overthinking about decisions so much to the point where you don't make any progress.
Speaker 1 (00:02:58) - So I decided on that name. Starting this podcast journey. Because I wanted a name that conveyed the intent of this podcast, you know, a podcast by someone who loves books and wanted an outlet to talk about the books and then talk about mental health, talk about life, talk about lessons, talk about day to day random things. I wanted to convey the point of. The kind of people the the group of folks who I have in mind not saying anyone can't listen to it. Everyone can listen to this podcast, but it was more so expressing gratitude to. The folks who I believe played a role to get me to this point, which have been predominantly black women. And that's who I am. And. That's who I have a passion for in terms of healing and progress and betterment. But I knew it would come a time where I started to feel strongly that it was time for a change. And coming up on the two year anniversary of this podcast, which this episode celebrates. I was starting to feel like it was time.
Speaker 1 (00:04:47) - And I was like, okay, God, we're going to make this change. And I need you to tell me what the new name will be. So I started to just put some thoughts down, some words on paper, and eventually I was able to distill it to what is now the new name. And I believe that it still conveys what the essence of this show is. The letters portion of the title. Has to do with the books and talking about, you know, book content that I love. Because what are books ultimately distilled down to their their a book is just a collection of words, which is ultimately a collection of letters. So the letters portion of the title is kind of like highlighting the single unit of measurement that builds up. These things that I love. The letters that form words, that form sentences, that form chapters, that form books. The layers part describes how we are so much more than what you see on the outside, and that can encompass the mental health. Aspect of ourselves, the physical health aspect of ourselves.
Speaker 1 (00:06:18) - You know, our history, our childhood. Good and bad. Like everything. And being able to peel back those layers and get to know ourselves and have aha moments and deeper insights. That's where the layer piece comes from. So. Ultimately, the new name is the Letters and Layers Podcast and. I love it. I love the name and I hope that my listeners will. Over time. This being new. Have it be something that feels good and feels like, yeah, this is this, this makes sense. This makes sense. And it makes sense for me because of where I am in this podcasting journey. So I want to thank you guys so much for being with me, regardless of whenever you started listening. I know there are folks who have been listening since the first episode. I know there are folks who just found this podcast, and I want to express love and gratitude to all of you. To everyone this podcast is. The first and only thing so far that I have started and stuck with.
Speaker 1 (00:07:54) - On my own accord. With no external accountability. And even in saying that like I do. I have in mind certain people who. Like if I weren't. If I didn't post an episode, they would wonder, you know, oh, what happened? What's going on? So like. There are folks who I think about that keep me going, but at the end of the day, I could have just been like, you know, I'm not really into this anymore, especially since growing a podcast community is a slow burn. Like this is not what you get into. If you are trying to make money right away, unless you already have like a large platform of sorts. But if you are really starting from zero. It is a journey. It is a marathon. And that's something I've learned. And. What keeps me going. And I've talked about this on previous episodes. What keeps me going with this endeavor is actively fighting internally against. The thoughts that my opinion doesn't matter or no one cares or why why I say this.
Speaker 1 (00:09:19) - It's not important because I grew up feeling that way. I grew up feeling like it didn't matter what I said. My opinion didn't matter. Nobody cared. And. I feel like. Firing up this mic and recording my voice. And what I have to say is the ultimate like. Middle finger up to that. It's the ultimate middle finger up to that. To those thoughts. To those limiting beliefs. Because what I have to say matters. You know, if it matters to me, it matters. And that's it. Full stop. There's no other explanation. If it matters to me. If it matters to me. If it matters to me enough to say out loud than it matters. Even if no one ever. Here is what I have to say. And that has to be enough for me. And that is the reason why I keep going with this. So. You know, you have to have your whys for doing certain things. And that is my why. That's my why. I don't think this episode will be too long, but I just wanted to.
Speaker 1 (00:10:50) - Talk about a few things that have been front of mind as of late. First, I had a come to Jesus moment or conversation with myself over the weekend because. I have a list of things that I need to get done that are kind of inconvenient, you know? I'm a creature of comfort. My partner knows me as a creature of comfort. I don't like to. If I'm in a space where I'm comfortable. I don't like to agitate that. I tend to avoid tasks or things that I need to do that are inconvenient. And I just got fed up with my shit. I got fed up with myself. This past weekend. Because a lot of the inconvenient things that are on my list are things that I have to get done. But I'm avoiding it because I have to go out of my way to do it, or it doesn't neatly fit into my regular schedule. And. These are things that also would put me in a better place if I just get them done. You know, some things are logistical things, and some things are like things I need to do for myself on a regular basis, like workout.
Speaker 1 (00:12:21) - My relationship to exercise and working out has been one. I don't even know how to, like, start describing it, but. What I had to kind of get myself to realize is that for me, exercise is inherently inconvenient. It's never going to be something that you can fit into your schedule and need. It's never going to be something that's going to not interrupt the flow of my day, but it is important enough for me. To get it done, you know. And I'm trying to do I'm trying to have a couple of days during the week where I work out twice. Now, if it was already inconvenient to get one workout in a day, imagine how it is to try and get to. But I. In kind of thinking about this and realizing this and being like, you know, how you get like sick of your own shit sometimes. Like I'm just annoyed at myself. You know, I was annoyed at myself and I, I was talking to myself in a voice like, girl, like, you need to get yourself together because I don't like to think about it too much, but.
Speaker 1 (00:13:48) - As even with everything that I've accomplished up to this point, I probably would be further along if I would just. Do certain things that need to be done that are inconvenient. You know, if I were to just accept the inconvenience of physical activity in my life, I'd probably be further along in my health journey. Health and fitness journey. If I accepted the inconvenience of like some logistical tasks and. Things I need to do when it comes to professional goals. I might be further along. And in kind of realizing this, how much. So avoiding inconvenience and discomfort and kind of like thinking about that, realizing that I was just there was a degree of disappointment there. I was trying not to get too hard on myself, but I was like, girl. The degree to which you avoid inconvenient moments or things you have to do is hindering your progress. It's hindering. Your progress and being able to move forward to a degree. And it just got me wondering, like. If I were to lean into the things that are uncomfortable and inconvenient in my day to day.
Speaker 1 (00:15:27) - Where could I be in the next 12 months? Would I even be able to recognize myself? So I have made. An inconvenient list. Like the things that I need to do that don't neatly fit into my schedule but need to get done. I've made a list and I'm leaning into it. And for the month of September, I'm going to get those things done. Because. I'm just like, girl, if you just do what you have to do. You. Even with. Everything you've accomplished to this point, you could actually be much further along, much further along. So that's one two. I just wanted to encourage folks to. Not count your days out. If they start off the wrong foot, start off on the wrong foot. One thing that I've experienced recently, in the past and in the past is like, I'll wake up, I'll get into the flow of my day. Maybe things, maybe I'm feeling weird, or I'm just not happy or things are off. Maybe I'm in an emotional place.
Speaker 1 (00:16:49) - Maybe just things feel like they're not going right. It's crazy how quickly your day. Can switch. I've had days where, like, it started really shitty. Like it just started. Not good. And then by the end of the day, I was like, wow. Things really ended on a high note to the point where I'm just like, wow, is this the same 24 hours? Or is this the same 16 hours from when I woke up to the evening time? It can be hard. It can be hard because sometimes when you start your day and it's not going right, you kind of just want to throw the whole day away. I've had days where like, especially if it's a Monday, I've had days where like if things are not going right, I'm just like, you know what? We are starting brand new tomorrow. Today is canceled. Nothing that happened today matters. I've had those days, but I've been trying more so to be open to the possibility of things turning around.
Speaker 1 (00:17:55) - Because sometimes, if things. Feel like they're not going right. We'll think that it will continue that way. If I had a bad morning or, you know, got bad news or whatever. We'll tend to kind of carry that through the day. And just kind of decide that the day is not a good day or the day is not worth. Trying in or putting more effort because it already started out bad. But. What I've seen for myself is if I stay open despite how my day started, if I stay open, it could turn around. And it very much does. And I'm just like, I'll end my day on such a high note. And I'll be wondering, is this the same day that I started 16 hours ago? That seemed so like blah or just not good. Is this the same day that I started where my mood was down and low? Is this the same day that I started where I got this not so good news. And it can be quite astonishing. You know what change and what switch can take place in a matter of hours, in a matter of minutes.
Speaker 1 (00:19:34) - So I try to be open more often. Now, if something that I don't like happens at the beginning of my day, I'll be like, okay, this happened, this happened, but it doesn't mean the whole day is a wash. It doesn't mean that I stopped trying for the rest of the day. Things can turn around. And another thing too, is that I have been more cognizant of my power and ability to turn things around if I decide to. You can be in a mental space of. Just defeat and just not wanting to try. And the day is going and you're kind of just like, whatever, you know? But I've had days too, where the morning was just very whatever, or I was just not in a good headspace. And something just kind of like, reminds me, you know, you can turn your day around. It does not have to continue like this. And I will choose despite how I feel. I will choose to perform an action that will turn my day around.
Speaker 1 (00:20:51) - Because sometimes you have to do the thing before you start feeling the difference. Sometimes you have to do the workout or whatever it is. You have to do that thing before how you feel changes. A lot of times people think they have to feel that before they do it. But if you depended always on feeling the thing before performing the action, you would struggle so much with inconsistency and. They would just not be an ability to make steady progress. And I think that's where discipline comes into. Regardless of how you feel. You do what you have to do. So you might have days that are just not great and you don't feel great, and you carry that mood or that sense of or that emotional state through the day. But. I just want to encourage folks to always remember that. You can always choose to turn your day around. You may not feel like doing it, but you know what to do that could help. So that has been helpful for me and I wanted to share. And I hope it helps anyone who is listening as well.
Speaker 1 (00:22:20) - And again. The way that I had that conversation with myself about avoiding inconveniences and. Agitating my comfort. If I am dealing with that, I'm sure I'm not the only one. You know, we can be so comfortable in a place or a space to the point where it is hindering our progress. To stay there, and it can definitely be a detriment to us to avoid things that we need to do because they're inconvenient in our lives. So if you have anything that you've been avoiding doing. Um, I'm not sure. Like what? Have you. Anything. If you have anything that you've been avoiding because it's uncomfortable. Or it's inconvenient for you, I encourage you, I challenge you to lean into that and put that thing on the top of your to do list. And get it done. And. What's so funny sometimes is that. What we built up in our mind. As being this. Monumental task that needs to get done. Wasn't even really a big deal once we actually did it.
Speaker 1 (00:23:53) - How many times have we had things on our to do list that we are just like starts to raise our blood pressure once we think about it, but when we finally tackle it, it's like, wow, I've been avoiding this for a week or two weeks, but it only took me ten minutes to take care of. So think about that too, about how we make huge mountains in our head out of molehills. And. At the end of the day, if we decide to get those things done, they might not be nearly as hard or as complicated as we thought. And then that gives us an opportunity to be proud of ourselves. And to build momentum. And to take the sting and the discomfort out of those uncomfortable and inconvenient tasks. And build our muscle to be able to tackle those type of things. As they come versus avoiding them for as long as possible. So that's kind of what's in the forefront of my mind right now. Do the inconvenient things. Do the uncomfortable things. Because that's where growth happens.
Speaker 1 (00:25:16) - That's where you experience growth. In the places of discomfort. Because there's nothing to learn. In the place where you're comfortable. There's nothing new to gain from that space. I hope this helps someone. I hope this offers some insight into maybe what you might be dealing with or or tackling in the moment, going through what have you. I don't know if my. Pensive nature this morning is translating through the episode. I'm just thinking about how. It has been two years with this podcast. And I remember just trying to get to one year. And now. Friday as you're listening. Or any point after will be two years doing this on my own accord. Because I started and I refused to give up. I'm just so proud of myself. I'm really just proud of myself, because there's nothing in life that I have done on my own accord that I have started and kept going with this long, consistently. I think it's the level of consistency and discipline that it takes to do this, and I'm just in awe of.
Speaker 1 (00:27:03) - You know, no matter how I felt, no matter what was going on in my life, I kept. I kept every, every two weeks I put out an episode. It's just wild to me. I'm just so proud of myself. And I hope that seeing this or hearing this. Provides some inspiration and motivation to folks. If there is anything that you have on your heart or in your mind to do, just start it. Just start it. And keep in mind, with your endeavors that you embark on, you're probably going to have to be the only one to believe in it for a long time. For a long time because. The people who you tell. Don't have the same vision as you. They don't see what you see. So firstly, I would say be careful who you share it with. You don't necessarily have to tell anyone. You know. But if you do, keep in mind that. People may not be as excited about. What you are embarking on as you are.
Speaker 1 (00:28:23) - People may not be as enthusiastic and that's okay. That's okay. You will likely have to be your. Biggest and only cheerleader for what you're doing for a while. For a while. And it'll only be after some time, sometimes a long time, before people start believing in it too. But you have to remember that it might be you and only you in the trenches. Doing what you have to do. For some time, and you have to believe in it enough to keep going. And you have to believe in you have to believe in yourself more than anyone else can believe in you, especially in those moments where you want to quit. Please start whatever you have on your heart to do. Please start it. Because now. I blinked in the blink of an eye. It's been two years and. I just can't believe it. So I think I'm going to end the podcast here. I want to thank you guys so much. As always, I want to wish this podcast a happy anniversary.
Speaker 1 (00:29:46) - As always, if this episode or past episodes have positively impacted you, please rate please review on your preferred listening platform. Please share to folks who you believe will. Love this content. If you have any questions or anything that you would want me to chime in on that you don't mind listeners hearing. Via my social media channels or email me at BT bw podcast at gmail.com. And until the next episode. Thank you guys again. I appreciate you all. Thank you so much. Bye.
