Two years ago I discovered the 10 Things to Tell You podcast by host Laura Tremaine. While Laura had been around on other podcasts before, I had never heard of her or her work. This quickly became my FAVORITE podcast and Laura has become one of my favorite creators on the Internet. Last week she announced that she would be stopping the podcast to focus on her family and other areas of her work (I am ready to preorder her second book as soon as she is done writing it!). While I completely understand, I am selfishly so sad to think of no more weekly podcasts from Laura. To honor all that the 10 Things to Tell You podcast has inspired in me, I am sharing 10 things here.

1. The way I learned about the podcast was when actress Jenna Fisher shared something about it on her Instagram stories. The first episode I listened to was #17: Revisiting Flowers in the Attic with guest Meg Tietz. Like Laura and Meg, I devoured this book series as a young teenager and have never read it again as an adult. I loved their discussion after they reread it. I was equally creeped out and now will NEVER reread it nor recommend it to a teenage girl myself. But I was hooked on the podcast! I loved how honest and open Laura was.
2. I have always been a reader, but it wasn’t until listening to all of Laura’s book episodes that I realized how much I missed talking about books with others. I missed being in a book club, sharing books with friends, and having reader friends to discuss books on a regular basis. Laura and I are not book twins, though we share a love for Stephen King, and I enjoy hearing why she liked certain books. She has introduced me to author Elizabeth Strout and encouraged me to seek out more nonfiction books.
3. Thanks to Laura, I often set a timer for 20 minutes to read, especially if I am reading some heavier nonfiction. I feel so accomplished when the timer goes off, and feel happy if I want to and have time to keep reading afterwards. I have loved joining some of Laura’s Instagram Reading Parties, especially when she shares her family fish tank as a backdrop!
4. Over the course of listening to the podcast, I have taken part in two years of Laura’s annual #OneDayHH challenge on Instagram, sharing my day hour by hour. I also capture the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic using her hashtag #OneDayCV. I am so grateful to have those pictures now, as memories and reminders of where I was and what life was like. I vow to continue to take selfies and share my stuff on her challenges and throughout each year.
5. Laura’s episodes with Jamie Golden on skin care really inspired me to create my own skin regime that I have been semi-good about ever since. Not only did I learn, but I found another funny person, Jaime, to follow on Insta for laughs and inspiration. My skin and feed are grateful!
6. Laura’s book, Share Your Stuff I’ll Go First was the first book I ever pre-ordered in my life! Then I bought a copy for my cousin and my friend and encouraged other friends and family members to get the book so that we could discuss the 10 questions. My cousin and I had some fascinating conversations about the questions, realizing the differences in our childhoods, yet the commonalities across our genetics! Those 10 questions have spurred many conversations, journal entries, and more over the last year.
7. Reading that book and listening to the podcast episodes where Laura shared her writing and publishing process made me want to focus my time on my own writing again (hence my challenge to myself last January to write every day!). I was inspired to hear that Laura always had a goal to write a book, and her honesty as she shared failed proposals/ ideas and then her success when she created 10 Things. I’ve already written my first book, The Coach ADVenture, but I still believe I have a fiction book living inside of me too!
8. When Laura created a Patreon, a paid membership for additional content, I joined Secret Stuff right away! Again, this was the first Patreon I ever joined. I was happy to pay Laura after enjoying so much incredible free content from her for years. I have loved the Secret Stuff community. Stephen King summer was the best – reading 3 of his books and discussing them with the group, then spending cozy Sundays watching each movie on Zoom with the group – I never thought a Zoom movie party would be fun, but it was! Laura is now forcing me to read some Classics, which I would NEVER do on my own. This is why I love book clubs – they push you out of your comfort zone and into more.
9. In addition to photo challenges, Laura’s on-going message to “Share our Stuff” has really resonated with me. I have written more in my Insta captions, I have shared more on my blog and in my journal, and I have shared more with friends. Laura’s message really resonates with me, because though I love the Real Housewives of every city, I prefer less superficial and more meaningful connections with friends and family. This is by far what I am most grateful to Laura for – encouraging us to share our stuff with the people we love!
10. I vow to continue to follow Laura’s message, to continue to share my stuff, and to seek out more meaningful conversations with the people in my life. I love that as Laura’s 10 Things podcast chapter is ending, my word of 2022, CONNECTION, lives on in honor of the inspiration.