Partly Cloudy... Podcast?

Yup, the title pretty much says it all. Well... ok, so, it slightly scratches the surface. 

I, Stephanie Charlton, of semi sound mind and generally achy body, am venturing into the world of podcasting. 

Although this is the first mention of the subject on here, it's something I've been ruminating on for a while.

Yes, I have been less than regular with my posting here (I've never been good at keeping up something journal like, whether it be a public blog or a personal diary), but my goal for creating this space was to openly talk about my experience of life after losing my mom to suicide. 

This, not surprisingly, isn't exactly a popular topic. To say the amount of relatable material available was nearly non-existent is practically an understatement. Given how isolating the situation is to begin with, not being able to find someone who can say "yeah, I know how you feel" makes it even more so. 

So, I thought, why not try and create a voice to share honest thoughts and feelings, so others in a similar predicament can feel a little less alone. 

Well, in case you hadn't noticed, there are a lot of blogs out there in the world. Like, a LOT a lot. And I'll be first to admit I'm not that savvy on making it all fancy pants, or anything more advanced than a Xanga entry (yeah, I totally just dated myself something serious with that reference). Being able to reach the "audience" I feel would most benefit, the blogosphere started to feel less like the best option.

That, and my personal love of listening to podcasts (specifically inspired by two of my favs, By the Book, and Terrible, Thanks for Asking), made me start to think about creating my own as a better way to reach those I was hoping.

But just thinking about trying to talk about myself and my life stuff episode after episode after episode made me 1) become really bored with the idea, and 2) realize that in the podcast form, I could do so much more. 

The biggest thing that came with the sudden, tragic loss of my mom was change. Every single aspect of my life was changed by the event. And ya know what? Loss by suicide isn't the only thing that can do that to a person. Losses of all kinds, be it a loved one (pets included!), a job, a home, a major change in health of you or someone you hold dear, leaving an unhealthy relationship, battling an addiction, discovering who you truly are, and many more are things that permanently alter ones life.

At some point in everyone's life, they have to face one or more of these head on. And yet, there remains this weird stigma around these subjects. That stigma leads to less (or zero) open conversations, which in turn can lead to the feeling of isolation. And that; that isolation, that loneliness, that's what I want to help others find an escape from, no matter what their story.

And that brings me to why I decided to start the podcast. Yes, I'll share my own stories and experiences, but there are so many others out there. Stories based in some of the experiences I mentioned before, and many, many more. They are important and deserve to be known. In sharing these, maybe it'll help someone out there listening feel a little less alone in their similar story. 

In this day and age (man, who do I think I am using THAT phrase? oy....), in social media we tend to see only a handful of things in someone's life. We're each able to curate our public image (yes, I'm guilty of it as well... but look at my kitties!), to be more positive, maybe to be a little shinier than it really is. We like to show the sunshine and roses, but ya know what? Those partly cloudy days and fields of dandelions deserve some attention, too. 

Does this mean I'll stop writing here? If anything, it means I'll probably actually start writing more consistently (gasp!). But I do invite you to give it a listen, and share with someone who may need it as well. 

Partly Cloudy and Dandelions Podcast can be found on:

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Stitcher
Amazon Music/Audible

The first episodes will be available October 6, but check out the trailer for a taste of what's to come-                                                                

And the socials! Oh, all the socials...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/partlycloudypod

Instagram: @partlycloudypod

Twitter: Yeah... probably not gonna happen, but who knows, maybe eventually

And if you or someone you know has a story to share, I'd love to hear it. You can email me directly at partlycloudypod@gmail.com

So yeah, I invite you to join me on the airwaves... webwaves? Whatever you call them, I hope you drop in and listen to an episode or two. Or three. Or subscribe and listen to them all :)