I recently recorded the first couple of episodes for the Dittos in the Back podcast I’m co-hosting with a friend. I left the recording session feeling so fulfilled. How awesome to go through this learning experience with a friend. To have the opportunity to connect on a deeper level than just meeting for the occasional coffee or happy hour. We are having stimulating and inspiring conversations. We have big goals for the potential of this endeavor, but really, it’s just exciting to be a part of something that could plant a seed of belief in another person. A person who might just decide to try something new—even if it’s scary.

Through the course of this—if we inspire one woman to make a career move she’s been dreaming of, take better care of herself, make lasting friendships, or just know she isn’t alone in some of her thoughts and feelings—then we have succeeded. If that’s as far as it goes, I’ll be okay. I will have gained experience where I had none. I will have stepped a little closer to that future self I want to make proud. And that doesn’t come with staying comfortable. That comes from going against the grain. You may love it, you may make fun of it—maybe you’ll hate it, but regardless, at least I tried.

Here's the deal, I don’t know what I’m doing. But do any of us really know what we are doing when we first start something? I’m in the business of taking chances. I’m taking chances on myself. Is it possible that it flops, and we “fail”? Well, as the quote by Alfred Tennyson goes, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” In my opinion, it’s better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. I don’t want to look back and regret not trying something. The “what ifs” in life are the true failures. What if I would have recorded a podcast? What if I would have written a book? What if I would have started a blog? Thankfully, I won’t have to ask myself those questions. I’m taking a chance on myself and fail or not, I like my odds. What thing are you going to try? Don’t be a “what if-er,” be an “I did it.” Take the chance, I believe in you.

If you’d like to listen for yourself, we’d love for you to tune into episode 1 on Monday, September 11th.

Rate, review, subscribe, and share when you get a chance. You can follow along on social @dittospodcast and www.dittospodcast.com.

Have a great weekend and as always, happy reading.

Interested in starting your own podcast?

Here are my top 5 tips to get started:

1. Come up with a topic you can talk about consistently week after week.

2. Plan out our first 5-10 episodes so you are ready once you start recording.

3. Find a quiet place to record (could even be a closet or your car).

4. Start recording!

5. Figure out what platform you’d like to post it to and GO FOR IT!