Tilly is a mum, model, founder of AJA Botanicals, producer and host of the podcast “Tilly at Home With…”.

With a passion for exploring people’s stories and finding what makes us all so unique, Tilly has quickly realized that creating podcasts goes beyond interviewing people, it’s a path to self-discovery, growth and transformation. Today, she shares some of the insights that she’s gathered by starting her podcast in 2020.

I like the sound of my own voice

When I first started out making podcasts, sometimes I didn’t like how my voice sounded– it didn’t come across like me and I could hear that I felt unconfident. I have learnt that the most important thing is to be natural, to “be yourself as everyone else is taken”, so now I don’t try to be someone that I am not and have accepted that I am good enough as I am.

Nowadays, I even find myself quite funny and often laugh at my own jokes. My family will not be surprised at this as I am constantly telling them how brilliant I am. This seems to work for me, even if I don’t believe that I am brilliant if I tell myself and everyone else enough, I start to believe it.

If anything, this has been a journey to more self-love and self-acceptance, so give it a go, record yourself and listen back or just look in the mirror and tell yourself how brilliant you are.

People are ready to talk when you’re ready to listen

Relaxation is the key to being a good listener. In order to listen you have to be relaxed. To be relaxed you need to be confident and to be confident you need to be prepared. So, whenever you’re heading for a conversation or sitting down with someone, think about what you want to say and the direction you want the conversation to lead, then let that go and go with the flow. If I am too focused on what I am going to ask next when interviewing my guests or what I want to say myself, I can miss a gem and the most crucial part of what that person is trying to say.

Often, it is the energy behind the words, that will speak louder than anything – so as much as paying attention to what a person says, its important to catch the sentiment behind it. It might just give you the keys to getting to know the person better and truly understanding their inner world.

It turned out to be simpler than I imagined

Just like for many of us, when I began, I thought that there would be lots to learn, it seemed quite overwhelming at times and so I dragged my feet for a while before starting. What I learnt is that you don’t need to know everything before you start, as you will be learning on the go.

I encourage anyone who is looking to begin something new to just start, tackle each step as you go along. Don’t be scared that you don’t know something – meet it with excitement and curiosity. Treat it as a challenge that you’re more than ready to take on. Be open and ask questions from friends who run similar initiatives or go onto YouTube. A lot that you need to know is right there, created by like-minded individuals who share the same passions as you.