Explore Your Enthusiasm
136 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 78 ratingsTap into what makes you feel like YOU by following your enthusiasm. Each week we’ll discuss finding joy, mental wellness and enthusiasm by finding time and energy to do more of what feels fun. Yes, FUN, even in times of big transition, in the middle of caregiving, in your life.
Gardening, reading, sewing and knitting are how I follow my enthusiasm. How do you follow yours?
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Episodes
268: Fear of Success (rebroadcast)
July 24, 2019 11:00 - 15 minutes - 20.7 MBIn today’s rebroadcast we are revisiting a topic that I still get asked about every single week: Fear of Success. So let’s dig deeper: What is it? Once you've identified what you're really afraid of (hint: it's probably not “success”), how do you overcome it? That's what we'll cover today. In my experience working with creatives, what looks like “fear of success” is usually a fear of something else: Fear that you need to have the kind of “success” other people want … which doesn't appeal ...
267: How to Launch Anything (rebroadcast)
July 17, 2019 11:00 - 36 minutes - 50.5 MBIn this week's podcast we're revisiting a topic I get asked about a TON: launching! This episode was originally inspired when a Starship captain asked for ideas and resources for launching a new product line and I wrote a long and thorough answer, and wanted to share that with you. This can apply to how you launch a new business (if you already have an audience), how you launch a new product or how you launch a book. We'll cover: How to come up with launch content How to fit it in you...
266: Episode 1: Getting Started (rebroadcast)
July 10, 2019 11:00 - 14 minutes - 20.3 MBIn today’s episode we are throwing it ALL the way back to the very first episode of this podcast! I share a little about my goals and dreams for the podcast and my own business journey (up until that point!). As I said at the time: “I want you to know you're not alone, in whatever it is, that feels like a struggle in your creative business: making money, finding motivation, being consistent. More than anything, I hope you like it. I hope this helps us connect in a new way and help you f...
265: 10 years of self-employment: What I've learned
July 03, 2019 11:00 - 24 minutes - 33.4 MBYou guys, I have been self-employed for TEN YEARS, this week! That is really unbelievable to me, because I had no idea what to expect when I quit my dayjob to make yarn full-time. I have learned so much, struggled so much, and had weird unexpected successes (like improving my credit score, and earning a lifetime achievement award at Midwest Craftcon?). Today I want to look back on it with you, and share some reflections that may help you in your own business journey. I have been running ...
264: Summer Reading Resources
June 26, 2019 11:00 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBIt’s summer! And that means it is time for summer reading. This may be the time where you’re spending more time than ever with your family and you just need a break with a book! I get so many questions about how I read so much, what books I recommend, that I wanted to put together a whole resource episode with absolutely everything - my best tips, the tools I use, the sites I read, the books I recommend for your business and for your summer. Usually I talk about running a business and mi...
263: Failure as Fuel
June 19, 2019 11:00 - 14 minutes - 20.5 MBDo you let failure convince you to stop? Is it a sign that you are not going to ever get what you want? Or do you use failure as fuel to push you farther? When I was reading Abby Wambach’s new book Wolfpack, one of the lessons in it really struck me. She said: Use failure as fuel. She talked about how women so often use any failure as a reason they can’t do something. They feel like everything has to be perfect before they have permission to try something or be something. The problem is,...
262: Mindset is Contagious - a convo with Jay Swiger
June 12, 2019 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBHow do you impact those around you? How does that actually work? And how does it feel for those who love you? Today I’m having a conversation with my husband Jay about impact, confidence and more! Episode 258, which came out a few weeks ago, has ended up being SO popular - so many of you are sharing it and talking about it and messaging me about it, it’s making me sooo happy. And it tells me that this way of reframing the sacrifices you make for your dreams as a positive, because it is sho...
261: 37th Birthday Lessons
June 05, 2019 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MBIt's my birthday month, and that means it's time to review my year and share the lessons I learned from another year on the earth. Each year, on my birthday, I share a bit about my birthday review process. Just like we do at the new year, I look at what was great, what wasn't, and what lessons is my life teaching me? To do this birthday review, I use the monthly questions found in my book, Map Your Business. The book has these questions every month for 12 months, so you can start whenev...
260: What I'm Reading: May 2019
May 29, 2019 11:00 - 19 minutes - 26.9 MB260: What I’m Reading May 2019 I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I read Non-fiction: Wolfpack, by Abby Wambach (I liked this book so much, I discussed it in detail here!) Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis The Chil...
259: How to be unapologetic
May 22, 2019 11:00 - 16 minutes - 23.2 MBAre you apologizing for following your dream, for taking the time away from your family + friends, for taking selfies or for following your own path? Are you apologizing out loud “sorry for another post but…” or are you apologizing with your actions and attitude (trying to physically to shrink yourself - sorry for taking up space!). If you wanna move forward with your business or even your life, it’s time to identify your apologies and move to being unapologetically YOURSELF. I have been t...
258: You Have Impact
May 15, 2019 11:00 - 20 minutes - 28.1 MBWho does your work have an impact on? We've talked before about what you might give up in order to fulfill your dream. But what are you creating? What are you gaining? How is your work impacting others? Get ready to fall in love with your dream a little more, and get fired up. You know what I realized the other day? This month this podcast is FIVE YEARS OLD. I have written, recorded and produced a weekly episode every week for FIVE YEARS. Yay! I wanna celebrate! How can you help me cel...
257: The Myth of Balance
May 08, 2019 11:00 - 19 minutes - 26.4 MBHow do you balance business and family? How do you balance alone time with together time? What if you just need to be alone to work on your business but you feel like you should be with your family? Today, I'm going to give you a super honest answer. Ya ready? So let’s start by being honest about balance: it’s not real. Or at least, this ideal goal of work-life balance, where you’re always happy with how much time and energy you’re spending on each area of your life and it always feel bala...
256: Time: there's never enough!
May 01, 2019 11:00 - 22 minutes - 30.8 MBWhen I asked on Instagram what the most-pressing issue in your business was, I got one answer over and over and over: TIME. Time to do everything you want, time to grow your business, time for a business after the day job, time to post regularly, there's just not enough time. This week we're going to talk about how to have enough time, no matter the season of life you're in. Before we get into today’s lesson, I want to tell you that I’m doing a free workshop answering your questions on h...
255: What I'm Reading: April 2019
April 24, 2019 11:00 - 26 minutes - 35.7 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I read This month I got kinda book-crazy and attempted to read 40 books in the 40 days of Lent. I'm at 32 books right now, and I have about a week left, so it's possible I'll get there. For more ...
254: How to Plan in Uncertain Times
April 17, 2019 11:00 - 16 minutes - 22.1 MBHow can you plan for your business when everything in your life is uncertain? When you’re not sure where you’ll be next week or next month? You may be great at planning normal life, but what about when there’s a family illness, a new baby, a new job, a big move, a divorce, or just the uncertainty of life? Let’s talk through how to ride these waves of uncertainty. As you know, I’m in a really uncertain season of my life as a foster parent. Heck, as you listen to this, my whole family may ...
253: Q&A with my husband!
April 10, 2019 23:00 - 50 minutes - 69 MBEver wonder what it’s like to work with me? Or to work with your spouse? Today we, both Jay and I, are going to answer your questions! Jay has worked in my business on and off for years, and in the last few years we have had a lot of new adventures - from working full-time in my business, to pursuing his dream to open a comic shop, to fostering babies! In this episode we answer questions about guilt, what it’s like when one of us gets to follow our dream (and the other doesn’t), the har...
252: Get your confidence back
April 03, 2019 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.2 MBI’m gonna be honest: For years I have been teaching about confidence, here on the podcast, at conferences. So I was surprised to find: I had totally lost my confidence. Today I’m going to share how I lost it and how I’m getting it back. Hopefully it will help you locate your own confidence. First: What do I mean by confidence? Let’s define it here, because it’s easy to misunderstand. And I’ll be honest, I meet a lot of women who say they can’t move forward until they’re more confident and ...
251: What I'm Reading: March 2019
March 27, 2019 11:00 - 28 minutes - 38.7 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I'm reading: Brown White Black: An American Family at the Intersection of Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion, by Nishta Mehra A Life in Stitches: Knitting my way through love, loss, and laugh...
250: Q+A: Schedules, Toddlers and Why We Do Foster Care
March 20, 2019 11:00 - 31 minutes - 43.7 MBIn celebration of my 250th episode, I’m answering your questions! Last week I asked my Instagram followers to ask me question and I will answer them today! We’re going to talk about how to stick with a schedule, how my schedule has changed with a toddler and how we decided to do foster care. If you’re not following me on Instagram, I’m @TaraSwiger and I share more on all these topics every single day in my stories, along with my knitting and sewing projects and my reading list, so go foll...
249: When To Quit
March 13, 2019 11:00 - 14 minutes - 20.4 MBHow do you know it's time to quit? Should you keep plugging away when it’s not working? Should you just try harder? Or is it better to quit? This week I’m going to tell you when it’s time to definitely quit. When do you know it’s time to quit? When should you just give up on the thing you’re working on? I was asked this question a few months ago and I have thought about it a lot, because this is a BIG question. I have two competing answers when individual people ask me this question. Fir...
248: My Favorite Podcasts
March 06, 2019 12:00 - 29 minutes - 40.1 MBI LOVE podcasts. They are the absolute perfect way to learn or be entertained while you do boring or mundane stuff. I listen to quite a few podcasts and I'm always recommending specific episodes to friends. Today I want to share my favorite with you! I'll cover my favorite podcasts for your business, for parenting (especially fostering and adopting), and just general fun stuff. This week I'm sharing some of my favorite podcasts. I have been listening to podcasts since 2006! My husband bou...
247: What I’m reading: February 2019
February 27, 2019 12:00 - 13 minutes - 18.1 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I'm reading: Heart Berries by Marie Terese Mailhot Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higahsimura The Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel Links: Read Harder Chall...
How to stop being hard on yourself
February 20, 2019 12:00 - 25 minutes - 35.1 MBDo you find yourself distracted with how you could have done something better? Or sidetracked thinking about the mistakes you made? Are you just too hard on yourself? Guess what? Me too! Today I’m going to share how I’ve been working on NOT being so hard on myself so I can move forward! Today we’re going to talk about something I’ve gotten so much feedback on: Being hard on yourself. Now, most of us want to be better, right? We want to streamline, optimize, and improve all the time. That...
245: Seasons in business
February 13, 2019 12:00 - 20 minutes - 28.6 MBWhat if you are just not getting things done? What if you just can NOT get things done? Before you start beating yourself up, ask yourself: is this just a season of my life? Today we're going to talk about how to identify the season you're in, and what to do about, to be both as productive and GENTLE as possible. My aim is to guide you to living an enthusiasm-filled life...which includes doing work you love, spending time with people you love, and feeling GOOD while doing it. I was rec...
244: Beyond goal-setting: Daily and weekly plans
February 06, 2019 12:00 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBWhat do you after you set your goal? What if you know what to do but you aren't getting anything done? Today I'm going to answer those questions and talk about how I use a planner. I know it's February, and most people think about planning and planners and overhauling their habits at the first of the year, but I'll be honest with you: this year I didn't start even THINKING about my new year until January 20th. Between the logistics of a new 2 year old foster placement in my life and the le...
243: What I'm reading: Winter 2019
January 30, 2019 12:00 - 14 minutes - 19.4 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I'm reading: The Deepest Well, by Nadine Burke-Harris Why I think everyone should read this book, especially parents Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi House of Dreams, the life of L...
242: Celebration is important: Why and How
January 23, 2019 12:00 - 14 minutes - 20.2 MBCelebration is SO important for the health of your business. In today's episode I cover the big reasons WHY you need to stop and celebrate and also HOW to celebrate (no, it doesn't need to cost money.) If you look back at 2018 and can't remember what went well or how your business did, tune in to make 2019 a better year. Why Celebration? The answer is science: Our brains are wired to have a negativity bias. We notice the negative (bad sales day, unmet goals, cranky customers) MORE than t...
241: Turn a bad day around: mental health checklist
January 16, 2019 12:00 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MBHaving a hard day? Me too! When I’m having a not-optimal mental health day my best tool is simple- a checklist! Today I’m sharing my own checklist & helping you make yours. ALL THE MENTAL HEALTH THINGS: Feeling hopeless? Get help! Now! https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ https://www.nami.org/Find-Support Feeling awful? Before you give up, go through this checklist. This list is meant to give you ideas, not replace professional help. Anxiety and depression and my own story here:...
240: Introvert in business, with Stacey Trock
January 09, 2019 12:00 - 33 minutes - 45.4 MBAre you an introvert? Not sure? Think being an introvert is the same thing as being shy? We have a lot to talk about! Hi, I’m Stacey. I’m an introvert. I’m also tremendously talkative, self-confident and not the tiniest bit shy. Sound like a contradiction? Not really. In this episode, I’m going to talk about what an introvert really is, plus dispel some misconceptions. I’ll fill you in on the strengths of an introvert, as well as some strategies to cope with challenging situations. What ...
239: How to plan the best year ever
January 02, 2019 12:00 - 17 minutes - 23.7 MBHow can you plan to have the best year? Not just get everything done, but have a year you actually enjoy? It is both important to reach the goals you have set, and enjoy your time. What’s the point in building a business if you aren’t enjoying yourself? You’re never going to feel like you’re done in business. You’ll always be changing, growing, setting goals. THAT is what building a business is. So be sure that you enjoy the process of moving towards the goal, as much as you think you’...
238: Staying sane: Let go of holiday expectations
December 19, 2018 12:00 - 23 minutes - 32.8 MBAre you feeling a little overwhelmed? With holiday fun, holiday obligations and, uh, you're whole business to run? If so, you are not alone. This week we're going to talk about keeping your sanity and having as much fun as possible, while keeping your business going. We, as a community, have been talking about staying sane during the holiday season since 2010, when I created the first version of the Holiday Sanity Guide. This comes up every year, because, guys, this season can be HARD. Yo...
237: In conversation: Joeli Kelley & Mary Roth, Fiber Artist & Starship Captain
December 12, 2018 12:00 - 22 minutes - 30.5 MBYou told me you'd like to meet other makers and here about their business, so by popular demand I bring you our new semi-regular series: In Conversation! In today's conversation, Joeli Kelly, teacher and coach, will be talking to Mary Roth, the mad scientist and dyer behind Elemental Fiberworks, where you can find science-inspired yarn and fiber to geek out over. Both women have created amazing businesses and both have been Starship Captains! (The Starship is open right now, if you'd l...
236: What I'm reading: December 2018
December 05, 2018 12:00 - 21 minutes - 29.7 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I read this month: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in Silicone Valley Startup, by John Carreyou All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenting by Jennifer Senior Time to Parent, organizing yo...
235: Trust Yourself: A beginner's guide
November 28, 2018 12:00 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MBTrust yourself about what direction to go. Trust yourself about who you want to work with. Trust yourself about what product to make, to launch, to go all in on. A key element to building a business you actually LOVE and that fulfills you, is to TRUST YOURSELF. But how can you trust yourself through all the imposter syndrome, self-doubt and perfectionism? That's what we'll talk about today. Trusting yourself and relying on your own intuition and sense of what to do is vital in creating...
234: Six episodes you HAVE to listen to
November 21, 2018 12:00 - 17 minutes - 24.2 MBAre you traveling or working for hours in the kitchen or just trying to escape family this week, for American Thanksgiving? Me too, so I thought this week we could take a look at the best of the past episodes. If you'd like me to keep you company during your holiday prep, you'd have plenty to listen to. These episodes will come in handy as you're wrapping up 2018 and planning for 2019. They are the most-downloaded, the most-shared, and the episodes more people tell me totally changed their b...
233: Imposter Syndrome: How to stop it from stopping you
November 14, 2018 16:05 - 19 minutes - 26.5 MBWhat if I’m not good enough? What if they call me a fraud? What if everyone figures out I don’t know what I’m doing? Hello, this is Imposter Syndrome and girl, we all deal with this all the time. So in this week’s episode we’re going to look at what it is, what it means, and how the heck to move past it. Guess what? I’m 233 episodes and 4 years into this podcast and I still worry I’m not good enough. I got a bad review earlier in the week I’m recording this, my first ever, and I thought:...
232: What I'm reading November 2018
November 07, 2018 12:00 - 15 minutes - 20.9 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I read this month: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, by Hank Green Head On, by John Scalzi In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough The Witch Elm by Tana French ...
231: How stress is affecting your biz (& what to do about it) with Joeli Kelley
October 31, 2018 11:00 - 11 minutes - 15.6 MBDo you always seem to be coming down with some cold or bug? Do you feel exhausted all the time? When you sit down to work, do you find it difficult to focus and get distracted by Facebook and social media? Do you find yourself struggling to get motivated to send your newsletter or record that video? Well, stay tuned, because today we are going to talk about the one factor that might be the reason for all of those things. I'm Joeli Kelly, and I'm filling in for Tara for this episode Today...
230: Play Your Own Game
October 24, 2018 11:00 - 15 minutes - 21.1 MBAre you getting distracted by what other people are doing? By what you *should* be doing? Today let's go beyond the Comparison Trap and instead look even deeper at how to play your OWN game. I think we all know a lot about how easy it is to fall into comparison, but I wanna challenge you today to go deeper. The question isn't just "am I comparing myself to others?" but "am I even playing the game I want to play? A while back I was talking to Jay about our future comic book shop and he sa...
229: Taking leave, with Stacey Trock
October 17, 2018 11:00 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBWhether for planned or unplanned circumstances, it’s easy to feel like taking time away from your business is committing career suicide. Totally not true! In fact, taking leave from your business can provide an opportunity for valuable revitalization of your business trajectory and your life! In this episode, we’ll cover the basics of a plan for taking a leave from your business. So whether you’re adding a new member to your family, taking time out to care for a family member, have a medic...
228: When you have too many ideas
October 10, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 35.9 MBHave you found that whenever you're really busy and you do NOT have the time to work on something, you get a MILLION ideas for it?! I know! Me too! So what do you do when you have too many ideas? How can keep from losing them? How can you keep creativity flowing? How can you be sure to choose the right one? When I asked the Starship what topics they most wanted me to cover on the podcast, this came up over and over: What do I do when I have too many ideas? First, know that you are not ...
227: What I'm reading October 2018
October 03, 2018 11:00 - 17 minutes - 23.8 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I read this month: Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham If you wanna know more about how to use your strengths in your business, check out the doTERRA resources (And if you're curio...
226: Why you self-sabotage
September 26, 2018 11:00 - 28 minutes - 39.6 MBI did not want to talk about this. I have been avoiding this topic for years, even though it's something my listeners and clients as ask all the time: WHY do I keep sabotaging myself? If you feel like you sabotage your own success, today’s episode is for you. So last week I put up 5 different podcast ideas for the Starship to vote on what they most wanted me to talk about...and you know what got the most votes? Self Sabotage! Even though I've been asked this a lot, I've avoided talking...
Post-summer Renewal FREE WORKSHEET!
September 19, 2018 11:00 - 10 minutes - 14.5 MBAre you ready to dive back into your business after a summer break? Did you take time off for the summer? Or did you just feel less productive because of the nice weather, the travel, the kids home from school? Whether you took a proper break or not, a lot of you asked me: How do I get back to work? Take a fresh look at your goals. It's possible your life shifted over the summer - maybe your kids entered school or maybe you entered a new relationship or maybe your had a great moment in you...
224: How I dramatically simplified my business
September 12, 2018 11:00 - 20 minutes - 28.2 MBI dramatically simplified my business this summer. Today I'm going to share what I did and more importantly, how you can simplify your business in just a few questions (but a lot of heavy thinking). As you know if you’ve been listening for awhile, we’re getting ready to become foster parents and one way we’re preparing is by getting very clear about what our priorities are. Now, before you start worrying, my business is a big priority. Not only because it pays 100% of our bills, but beca...
222: Upgrade your "everybody"
August 29, 2018 11:00 - 18 minutes - 25.3 MBEverybody knows it's too risky to have a business. Everybody is following their passion and making a million dollars doing it. Everybody knows you need to be on Instagram. Or have an email list. Everybody knows you can’t grow on Instagram on anymore. Which of these statements is true? It depends on your own personal "everybody". Today we're going to talk about who "everybody" is and how upgrading your "everybody" can improve your life. Today we're going to talk about how your concept of...
221: Foundations of a healthy business: What you truly need to succeed
August 22, 2018 11:00 - 17 minutes - 24.3 MBWhere should you spend in your business? What actually matters for a profitable, thriving business? And how in the world do you get there? Today we’re going to discuss the foundations of a healthy business. Today we’re going to talk about what really matters in your business. Now, these are the foundations, but this isn’t just for new business owners. In fact, if you’ve got your business together and you’re wondering how you can scale it, or make it more profitable, or make more sales, the...
220: How do you keep going when everything is GOOD?
August 15, 2018 11:00 - 11 minutes - 16.3 MBHow do you keep going when everything is GOOD? Or FINE? What if you met your goal, so you're not feeling super motivated? Or you've gotten excited about a new project? How do you keep your consistency on what's already going well? Today's question comes from a Starship Captain who asked, "How do you stay focused on the parts of your business that are already going well, when you've got a new project you're excited about?" I'm going to answer her question in a minute, but first I wanted...
219: Branding vs Marketing vs Sales
August 08, 2018 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.1 MBWhat's your brand? Is worrying about it going to increase your sales? What is translating marketing on Instagram into sales? Today we're going to talk about the difference between branding, marketing and sales, as it's related to your small business. A few weeks ago we talked about increasing sales through marketing on Instagram and then I was talking with a Captain about being sure they were spending their time on SALES, not just on Branding. It got me thinking, there's an important dis...
218: What I’m reading: August 2018
August 01, 2018 11:00 - 25 minutes - 34.4 MBI follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here. (The usual disclaimer applies.) What I read this month: Expecting Adam, by Martha Beck I mentioned this article about the shrinking population of the Downs Syndrome population. Not Always Happy, by Kari Wagner-Peck (Kari's artic...