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Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Mandy Wichert. I just realized that sitting alone at a mic is a scary thing, and I believe if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, we’re looking at where my journey with Stuff I Learned Yesterday and Golden Spiral Media began.
Friday Forum
I want you to be a part of the Friday Forum! Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU. It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long. It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278.
Here’s What I Learned Yesterday:
About two months ago, my husband, Clint, and I were invited over to ur good friends Darrell and Kari Darnell’s home to discuss podcasting and Golden Sprial Media. The purpose of this meeting was not out of the ordianary for our families. As many of the long-time listeners know, Clint and Darrell started GSM with The Fringe podcast during the show’s time on Fox network. I went to the meeting excited for Darrell and Kari, as their family had recently began pursuing Golden Spiral Media full-time.
I attended the meeting casually, and viewed it as an opportunity to catch up with great friends and to be included in the next round of shows that their family and mine would most likely soon be immersed in – for podcasting purposes. As we sat down to dinner, the conversation drifted from catching up, to business. I listened intently as Darrell began discussing THIS podcast, Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My interest was peaked at this point, because I really enjoy this podcast from a casual listener’s perspective, and feel lie I’m having a conversation with Darrell every time I get a chance to listen to an episode. I believe I told him how much I enjoyed his recount of his engagement story to Kari and told him how I have always admired his natural ease with storytelling and drawing deep insight from seemingly mundane everyday occurrences.
He spoke of how enriching the show has been to him personally , and then segued into how he was searching for a co-host.( I assumed he was thinking of Clint). He said that at first he was contemplating finding an older, more fatherly man with rich life experiences. Then, he decided that although this was interesting, it might not be the best fit for this podcast. Then he considered someone similar to himself that could share a similar perspective to help lighten his load and free him up for more one-on-one engagements and consulting. I buckled into my seat expecting this t be the big reveal – where he asked Clint to help host. Instead, next he mentioned Derek and how he had offered to co-host on occastion. He said this would bring a great new perspective. He didn’t pause to ask Clint, as expected, he continued, stating that then he considered an older woman, someone maternal with familial wisdom. Then, he realized that although this would add more depth to the podcast, it might not really reach out to his current listening demographic. Then he said he just considered someone around his age and female. He thought this would be a good fit for brining more depth and bredth to this show, while still resonating with his current listeners.
He said, that he first considered his wife, Kari. She smiled and shook her head as he mentioned this and I exclaimed, “That’s great!”. Then she made a face that let me know that the story didn’t end with her. They explained that Kari didn’t fel that she was the right fit, and that she wasn’t interested in pursuing a weekly venture at this time. Beyond that, Darrell stated that because so many of their experiences were shared life experiences, many of their stories might be very similar.
I remember the next minute clearly because suddenly all eyes were on me. Darrell then said, “After talking with Kari, I immediately thought of you, Mandy!”. I must have looked as uncertain as I felt. I’m not a natural storyteller and don’t consider myself particulary gifted in the art of drawing meaning from everyday life, but Darrell continued…”I wanted someone who was female and could share that perspective. Someone whose life experiences were different than my own. He recounted how I was an international traveler, with experience living and studying abroad. How I ahd worked in various work environments, spent time as an intern with a record label in Nashville, graduated and worked in government contracting, marketing and sales. Then about the perspective I could offer as a mother and wife. As someone who had pursued graduate school later in life and finished while during three pregnancies and the births of three beautiful children to graduate and work full-time in a completely different field, as a Speech-Language Pathologist. And, about ending that pursuit to spend time at home with my family as a Stay-at-Home-Mom.
As he recounted my life, it sounded somehow more dramatic, intriguing and interesting than I remembered. I felt honored and excited that they all seemed to think that I’d be a good fit for this podcast and extremely humbled that they thought my perspective was so valuable. I accepted the opportunity, still uncertain, but willing and excited to be a party of Stuff I Learned Yesterday and Golden Spiral Media
As I later went home and began reflecting on my own life and personal experiences, attempting to glean nuggets of wisdom from my own life lessons, I realized how far I have come, how much I have learned and how much I still have left to learn. I also thought about all that is unknown to me and will continue to be unknown. Looking back helped me to reaize how special all of my unique eperiences were to shaping who I am. If not hing else, being asked to do this segment has given me new appreciation for who I am and who I have been created to be.
I would like to encourage everyone to take a quick journey through your own memories. Reflect on life lessons you’ve learned. What are some of the life experiences that have shaped you as a person?
Here’s what I learned:
We are each valuable, unique and have lessons to share. Sometimes all we need is a quiet space, pencil and paper, and a moment to reflect to draw these out. I know that just beginning this process, just being asked to think about my life thus far, as helped me to appreciate what I’ve done, where I’ve been and where I’m going. It’s allowed me to draw some meaning from distant memories, and it’s encouraged me to continue to grow – always a student of life. There is value in reflection.
Grab a pencil and paper and try to think about some lessons you’ve already learned. Who knows? Maybe there’s a Friday Forum of knowledge waiting to be unleashed in you! Thanks for letting me join you for a while!
I’m Mandy Wichert, and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday.
Follow Golden Spiral Media on Twitter at GSMPodcasts and Facebook.com/GoldenSpiralMedia. To subscribe to Stuff I Learned yesterday, visit GoldenSpiralMedia.com/subscribe. If you’ve enjoyed this episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, I would be grateful if you’d leave a review in iTunes.
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