I've Always got Time to Talk

A year ago I had an inspired idea sitting in my car after a long shift. What if I just made a vendor market here, in Rantoul, on a Tuesday night. I called it Rand Tuesdays in my head and couldn’t let it go.One year later there’s a website, a discord, village support, and we’re about to start setting up every Tuesday night at the Sports Complex for the whole summer.Today I’m talking about the whole thing. The original spark, why in-person sales matter so much to me, what I finally learned about streamlining (spoiler: grab bags saved my chaos brain), and the advice I’d give anyone sitting on an idea right now.Press play. I’m glad you’re here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

A birthday week ramble about the real job question, what flexibility is actually worth, and why I almost canceled Monday’s interview. Also: the market got rained out and I want to plant lavender. Showing up anyway. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m talking about ADHD and social media, why I keep building systems and then not following through, the whole many-platforms problem, and why I’m just starting to record anyway and figuring it out as I go.If you want to follow along: find me at mayagouliard.com or subscribe This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

I’m recording on my phone and uploading to Substack on my phone. Will this work? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

What am I waiting for permission to begin?In this episode I’m thinking through something I realized writing this week’s Daily Think - I’ve been waiting for permission my whole life without ever actually asking for it.Read the original Daily Think → https://substack.com/@mayagouliardVisit my website → https://www.mayagouliard.comRead Waterweaver free on Kindle Unlimited → https://a.co/d/0b9YWFJwJoin the community → https://discord.gg/cU2YENEYQH#mayadailythink #dailythink #midlifeauthor This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

This week I discuss in my plog (podcast log lol) how all of my many life experiences are coming together to support me in creating a local creatives cooperative. Working to help us sell our creative works and have community connections. I discuss a bit about the importance of building a local following as an indie author to build up the algorithm.As usual, a little all over the place, but that is who I am. Glad you are here for it!Want to join my discord community?https://discord.gg/tQZrHm8YWCPlans to make podcasts better in the future?* Create a better background for video* Look at camera better* Be more aware when the mic is rumbling to create background noise (sorry about that late in this one.)* I am sure there is more, but I am taking baby steps here.Thanks for joining me! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

This week, I discuss the need for a weekday event option to sell my books and art in person. What can I do when I can’t find anything?It occurs to me that I could get much better at these show notes. What would you like to see in these? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

This week I embrace looking for the fun in my podcasting/writing and just enjoying the process rather than trying to do it the way someone else expects.I need to figure out how to add my amazing theme music when recording the podcast through Substack.The book I was talking about is The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

Chaos Gardening* It’s Spring - here is what is blooming so far in my tiny rental patio garden* tulips, rose bush (no flowers yet, but it is green, even if the trees aren’t yet.), phylox* can’t wait to sit out there and enjoy it. But it wasn’t always this wayMy history with gardening has been very rocky. I have always had excuses to not focus on the garden.* I was busy watering other things like my children.* Walls I put up for myself - I am a renter, my family, my adhd, * clean up a small space, build compost areas, put fences up* plant gardens and forget to take care of them - busy* indoor plants - forget to water* Now as a woman in her 50’s with the kids all grown, I have a new attitude - I plant whatever I can in this garden of mine.* What work did I put in to make that happen?* Everything that is growing I planted on a whim* I encourage you to plant whatever you can, whenever you can* My 15 minutes of big fame from tulips* A stop motion video I made of my tulips had over a million views last year.* It was my only experience with Phone really blowing up* It made me re-think “Why did I join social media?” To market my book - the flowers were not what I expected to go viral* I’ve re-thought social media a lot this past few months, what is its value to me, what energy should I put into it? I will go into that in more detail another time.* A huge reason for the garden is to enjoy beauty - it is so easy to look at what is wrong, remember to focus on the tiny wonderful things. (Too close to the street, two satelite dishes from the past, leaves left from last fall, the jumping rope Jon leaves out)* In no way is my garden paradise - it is a far cry from my dream cottage core/witchy vine filled escape, but the beauty of it fills me.* The small bits of beauty take my eyes away from the things that bother me, give me something to be happy about, even a simple metal sunflower * Jon likes to leave out compost-ing right into the garden. I was super annoyed with it until I took this photo of the bee loving the celery. Feed the bees. Also, the color from the flowers really draws the eye away from the celery.* .* Plans for this summer -* plant another rose bush - in the ground* buy petunias for planters because I love the colors and the smell of them* throw out some wild butterfly flower seeds and see what grows, and what bees and butterflies I can encourage to visit* growing food - probably a future deep dive about forever chemicals.Maya’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.* Plant what you can, enjoy the little beauties, (glimmers) growth comes with experience and time, each little thing helps your garden bloom with more color and beauty. Plant the seeds, bulbs, starters, even if it is just one thing this year.* Do you see how this is a great analogy to life? It sums up my learning style and attitude perfectly. My chaos garden this year is one of my projects, the others I am focusing on are:* this podcast of course* Wise Woman fantasy book club* Discord community* Writing more of my fantasy series* getting serious about the business side of authoring* really thinking about what I want to do with my artsy/craftsy life* social media streamlining* What are you going to plant this year? What are you going to grow?Thanks,Maya This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe

Discord Channel Link: https://discord.gg/6BkEQ857zFWebsite : www.mayagouliard.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mayagouliard.substack.com/subscribe