Influential Introvert: Communication Coaching for Professionals with Performance Anxiety - You’ll Never Have This Day Again. Make it Matter.

Episode Date: July 4, 2019

There’s no time like the present -- we hear that all the time. But do you feel it? Do you make time to enjoy yourself? To try something new that scares you a little? Maybe you’ve got everything in place to start your podcast, but are afraid to hit publish. Or there’s something you’re dying to talk about, but you’re scared about what others might think of you. Newsflash, friend: Our time on this Earth is almost over. You will never have this day again. Make it matter.    I’m your podcast coach, Sarah Mikutel. Did you know that I also host the Postcard Academy travel podcast? Check it out if you’re the ‘experiences not things’ kind of person who believes travel goes deeper than a fantastic meal (though that is pretty great). Every week, I interview people who packed up everything to start a new adventure in another part of the world. You’ll learn how they did it and get their best insider food and culture tips.    Ready to start podcasting? Download my free guide: “8 Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them.”    Looking for a podcast media host? Use my Libsyn affiliate code POSTCARD to get the rest of this month for free and next month free.    Thank you so much for listening to Podcasting Step by Step. I know you’re busy and have many listening options, so it means a lot to me that you’re here. You are the best.  Do you ever go blank or start rambling when someone puts you on the spot? I created a free Conversation Cheat Sheet with simple formulas you can use so you can respond with clarity, whether you’re in a meeting or just talking with friends.Download it at sarahmikutel.com/blanknomore and start feeling more confident in your conversations today.

Have you been wanting to start a podcast for a while now, but something's holding you back? Maybe it's fear of putting yourself out there or confusion about the technology. I'm Sarah Mikital and on podcasting step by step, I'll break down how to podcast with a little loving motivation to give you the skills and the confidence you need to finally launch that show of your dreams. Let's get started. People who knew me when I was a kid probably never would have guessed I would get comfortable running around the world on my own or having a podcast for that better. I was very shy growing up

and like many kids, I imagined I would live next door to my parents and I can't remember if I thought about traveling that much. I remember coloring on St. Patrick's Day and thinking I could live in Ireland because St. Patrick chased out all of the snakes and that sounded pretty good to me. And also England sounded good because I heard that the children were. very civilized over there and drank tea, and that just sounded very calm and relaxing to me. But overall, I was a very sensitive and introverted kid who liked to read, and I enjoyed hanging out by myself as much as with my friends, if not more. So I still like my alone time. Having said that, at a certain point in my life, the thought of doing something like going to the movies by myself

sounded insane. But why? Are we worried strangers might think we don't have any friends? Why do we care what they think? I mean, we do care usually, but why? Do we think they are doubting our self-worth, that they are feeling sorry for us? Some people might feel sorry for a solo traveler eating alone, and they might also feel sorry for that couple that's glued to their phones, not talking to each other, and for the mom who's screaming at her for children who are running around. But most people who we think are worrying about us or judging us, they're not paying any attention to us at all. We are creating all of this drama in our heads. There is a quote that is falsely attributed to Winston Churchill, but I love it, so I'm going to share it with you. When you're 20, you care what everyone

thinks. When you're 40, you stop caring what everyone thinks. And when you're 60, you realize that no one was ever thinking about you in the first place. Our lives are going to be over soon, sooner than you think, maybe even tomorrow. Do we want to spend our final days hiding because someone we don't know might not like the sound of our voice on a podcast? I hear that one a lot. Or what would people say if I left this comfortable job to go work at a cafe in Mexico? They would think I was crazy. Or I really want to date this person, but I am afraid of what people will say because of X, Y, Z. Other people don't have a vote on how we live our lives, and we can't live for them because the adage is true. Our biggest regrets in life are not going after what might have been.

A number of years ago, a woman named Bonnie Ware nursed patients in the final weeks of their lives. In that brief time she had with them, she really connected with them on a very powerful level. I mean, facing death is obviously a very complicated and emotional transition. And Bonnie talked to her patients about their biggest regrets and what they would do over if they could. And she published their responses in an article and then later a book called Regrets of the Dying. Here are the five most common regrets. I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. I wish I hadn't worked so hard. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Bonnie ends her article by saying, life is a choice. It is your life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly, choose happiness. Did this give you chills? Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be brave. Changing how you act changes who you are. Do something this week that scares you a little. Let yourself be happy. Call a friend. Express your feelings. Stop working so hard and none of it is going to matter in the end anyway. Be true to yourself and don't worry about what other people expect. Keep podcasting, keep sharing your message, your voice matters. Thank you for listening to podcasting step by step. You are now one step closer to launching that podcast you've been dreaming about, but I want to get you even closer. I created

a free guidebook for you with actionable worksheets called Eight Mistakes New Podcasters Make and How to Fix Them. To find that, head on over to to sarah micotel.com slash fix. Do you ever go blank or start rambling when someone puts you on the spot? I created a free conversation sheet sheet with simple formulas that you can use so you can respond with clarity, whether you're in a meeting or just talking with friends. Download it at sarahmicatel.com slash blank no more.