Seven Months In: A progress Report!

Hi everyone!! I wanted to give an update on how the podcast is progressing, and a little insight into how things have been for me. I came up with the idea for this podcast almost a year ago, at the time it was a big idea that I didn’t know how to execute. I actually had a partner at the time, another adoptee, and we walked this journey together, he had production experience and I relyed on him in this area, an area which I had no expertise in.  When I started, the whole thing felt overwhelming, it felt like something I could not do alone, and a huge undertaking that would be difficult to execute in the right way. Three months before releasing the first episode, my partner backed out, I wanted to give up, I wanted to throw in the towel. How would I do this podcast alone? How would I carry this thing on my shoulders alone? But, I couldn’t give up, I had promised the community this is something that I would deliver, and once I promise something, I have to follow through. So on I went, and I started recording, editing and releasing episodes every other Tuesday.

I would really like everyone know that this is a completely voluntary service I provide to the community. I use my own money and time away from work and family to create this podcast, I do not use any outside funding (and believe me, its not cheap). When doing this podcast, I did not want it to be a copycat, I wanted to fill a gap I saw in the adoption community. So many times I see people only following and listening to things that confirm their own views and biases. I see people shut down and attack people that have a different point of view rather than listen and understand. I knew deciding to not just have one aspect of the community wouldn’t be easy, I knew I would get pushback. It would have been so much easier to face this with a partner, but here I am.

It’s not always easy for guests to come on this podcast. It sometimes takes a lot of reassurance on my end to have people feel comfortable enough to come on, this usually takes a lot of time and effort for me. I want plenty of variety in my podcast so every other episode goes adoptee, first family member, adoptee, adoptive family member, adoptee, first family member……. so I have to find all these members to come on an adoptee led podcast, and believe me, its not easy. Sometimes I get people excited, who volunteer to come on the podcast, but usually I find someone with a perspective I think is important to share and reach out to them. I can’t tell you how many times I have reached out to someone on social media, and I see they’ve read my message and just don’t even respond (ouch!), but I have to try- I have to at least try to get this going and deliver this to the community, I have to at least try to get people whose perspective I feel would be valuable to come on the podcast and share their stories

So, I want to get my thoughts out there. I am trying my hardest, this isn’t easy. Emotionally its been very difficult to keep up. I’ve wanted to give up, but i persist and still bring you an episode every other tuesday. I’ve been attacked for what I do, I’ve been told from every perspective that I am whats wrong with adoption- and 90% of the time the person has never listened to a single episode. Its absolutely exhausting, and I do it alone. So I’d like to ask for a little bit of your help! If you are enjoying the podcast, would you mind leaving a 5 star review on your favorite podcast platform? Would you write a recommendation on my facebook page? would you share it with those close to you who might enjoy listening to the episodes?

Also, if you don’t like an episode, its fine to tell me why… but please, please, be willing to hear why this episode was chosen to air, and why it is important to the community!!!!