Believing in Yourself When Others Don't: A Journey from 3,000 to 20,000 Listeners

Have you ever pursued a dream that your own family couldn't see the value in? That crushing feeling when those closest to you don't fully believe in your vision can make anyone question their path. But what if that doubt is actually part of the journey?

My podcast started with just two loyal listeners—myself and my sister Lora. From her sickbed in 2020, when I contemplated giving up this project to focus solely on my music, Lora insisted I continue. "Please do the podcast," she urged. That single moment of encouragement changed everything. Today, what began as a tiny project has blossomed to reach over 20,000 listeners and continues to grow with each episode. Though Lora isn't physically here to witness this growth, her spirit guides everything I do with this platform.

The scripture says "a prophet is without honor in his own country," and this truth applies to many creative journeys. Sometimes the people who know you best believe in you least—at least until your success becomes impossible to ignore. But by then, the validation feels different, doesn't it? The magic happens when you push forward anyway, putting faith before doubt and purpose before approval. I'm now preparing to welcome incredible guests like Murphy Elliott and Elder Davis, people whose stories will inspire and transform. These connections represent the unexpected blessings that arrive when you refuse to abandon your calling.

If you're struggling with doubt today, especially from those whose support you crave most, take this as your sign to keep going. Your breakthrough might be just around the corner, and the right audience is waiting to find you. Subscribe to join our growing community as we launch Season 8, where remarkable stories await. Remember—if God is for you, who can stand against you?

Season 8 my words

A message from me to all my wonderful  followers.  Please  feel free to share your feedback. Click fan mail and leave me comments. 

Chapters

• 0:00 Podcast Growth Journey
• 2:46 Encouragement to Never Give Up
• 4:22 Honoring Sister Laura's Memory
• 7:21 Exciting Guest Announcements
• 9:26 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:58

Hello guys, regina Swern, here I'm talking a little bit low because I got a lot of sleep and I was supposed to do some stuff yesterday that I didn't get a chance to do because I guess I just needed the rest. But this podcast is to let you know that I'm sending my number, the number, out to the people who are going to be on the podcast and I got some major, beautiful, wonderful guests. Who has decided to? You know, they chose my little podcast to be a part of and I call it a little podcast because it's not a huge, big podcast. You know a few thousand. You know, yeah, I yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:40

But I'm so thankful I want to say this, I want to come over here to say this this morning you may not always be received by those closest to you, I mean family. You know some of your family members not all of them, but some of them may not believe in your dream or believe in what you're doing and although it may be the best thing that you've ever did in your life or ever done in your life, some people still, even some of your family members, may not believe that, because they are family members. And sometimes I'm here to encourage you out there. I just feel like I need to encourage you. Somebody out there, some families they oh, oh my god, they gravitate toward the kids or or their sisters and brothers, and my sister, laura, she did that. I mean, she was absolutely my biggest supporter, my biggest fan, and but some families and I know there are some out there, there are some like that in every family you got them where they are. Not necessarily they don't really believe in you yet, until things blow up and everybody's believing in you and then bang. But is that the time you really want them to believe in you, when everybody in the world knows who you are? But that's not important and I say that to say this, those who are listening to me right now don't give up, because it doesn't matter.

Speaker 1: 3:05

I started out with just my sister, laura, and me doing the podcast really, and when she said don't give up, when I was about to give up, she said don't do it. And I've seen this podcast grow to. It went from 3,000 to 5,000 to 15,000 to upward to now 20,000 people and I'm really excited about that, really excited. I want to cry. I want to cry because Laura is not here to cheer me on in the success of the podcast, but actually she is here, her spirit is here. I always see happy dreams about her and I always see that. So I'm here to say, even if people don't take you seriously in your dream it may not be a podcast, it might be music, it might be a dream that you got Don't give up, guys, do not give up just because one or two people over here that knows you don't support that.

Speaker 1: 4:05

You keep going, keep going. Take my word for it, because there are bigger things ahead for you, greater things ahead for you, and if you go on, regardless of what people are saying or they're doubting or whatever, you personally, you go on and God will bless that, because God you know, if you've got a personal relationship with God, like I do, I have a personal relationship with God. I may not be around a lot of people all the time, but I know that God is with me all the time. Everywhere I go, he's with me. He's with me right now as I sit here speaking with you. So don't don't be dismayed, don't don't let anything cause you to give up, because had I given up when Laura was on her sickbed back in 2020 when she was listening to my podcast. It was her and me, maybe a couple of other people. But it really brought joy and comfort to her soul when I was telling her she was laying there in a bed, really sick and I said, you know, I was thinking about just, uh, just not doing the podcast anymore, just focusing solely on the music or whatever, and she said, oh, no, no, no. She said, please do the podcast, do the podcast. So I'm so grateful looking back on that, I'm so grateful that I did not give up. Had I given up those 20,000 people that are listening now and it's growing, guys, the more of my guests are on there.

Speaker 1: 5:32

When you hear the different guests that decide to come on the podcast, you're going to be knocked off your feet. You know, some people I've had to like pull teeth to get them on the podcast. I want you to. Can you be on there? These guests are major people and want to be a part of that, and some of them are just regular people that want to tell their story. You know, and I'm here to listen to your story.

Speaker 1: 5:55

So my encouragement this morning is don't give up. I had to make this quick podcast. I promise not to make any more podcasts before I bring on my first guest, but I had to do this. So today I'm calling different people who's going to be a part of the podcast, letting them know the number. So if you see my number, I'm going to give you that number. When I call them, I'm giving them that number and when they see that number, that's the number they will call me at. But before that, I'm going to be calling them and we're going to have a conversation to make sure they're good and they're comfortable, because once you have that number, we're on it, baby.

Speaker 1: 6:36

So back to the reason for this podcast don't give up. People may not be for you, they might not even believe in you, but you gotta believe in yourself and, most of all, put god first. Always you put god first. He's gonna always put you first, and that's the reason why a lot of people right now they're sitting back like boy. That that's pretty good, you know. But as it grows, it's going to grow even bigger. It's getting bigger, and so I just want to say don't give up, guys.

Speaker 1: 7:10

Whatever it is that you're out there doing, don't give up, because it's so easy to give up when you want certain people to be a part of things and a part of your life. I want it to be more lures out there, but it's not so you got to go with what God put into your path, because when God put people into your path, that's who he wants there. And you got to realize, if God before you, that's all you need. If God before you, who can be against you? If God be for you, he's more than the world against you. So just move forward, Believe in the Lord, believe that all is good, and I just want to bring you that word this morning. Thank you so much for listening and, yes, I'm going to be calling different ones today, giving them my podcast number, and we'll go from there.

Speaker 1: 8:01

Sorry, I had to make another podcast, but I just felt like I needed to, uh, spread a little joy this morning and bring forth a good word, letting you know don't give up in spite of, because you know a prophet is going to always be without honor in his own country, except in his own country. And that can mean, you know, sometimes people know you are around you, even friends, they don't take it seriously. But once everything get oh, my god, that's my friend up there and you're so up there and god has blessed you so much that they have to believe in it. Then and then you know. But in the meantime, don't, don't be discouraged. I have to tell myself that. I have to tell myself that a lot of times. Don't be discouraged.

Speaker 1: 8:44

I got to remember what Laura, the conversation we had on her sickbed, on her deathbed. I remember her conversation. Don't give up. And that's the only reason that I kept this podcast going. And it's reached the right people, the people that it's needed to reach. It's reaching the right people, the people that is need to reach or needed to reach. It's reaching the right people. So, thank you to all the guests who decided to come on. But those who I can't reach, I'm not going to bother them anymore because I don't have time to waste my time. So, but for those who have decided to be a part of this podcast, thank you, thank you, thank you. God bless you and I'll see you, Lord's willing, in the first podcast.

Speaker 1: 9:24

And my first guest again is Murphy Elliott. Did you guys see the picture, the latest picture that he did of me? Oh my God, it is so spot on to the real picture. This man is so amazing, but he has a story. He got a story. But he has a story. He got a story. I mean, he's a story, you know. So, yeah, I'm gonna be calling him in a minute just to talk to him.

Speaker 1: 9:49

But thank you, thank you. Thank you, thank you to my, my uh brother, elder davis uh, for deciding to do this podcast. We got a lot to talk about. We go back a a long ways. I love my brother so much. He's been a great inspiration to me. He's a brilliant man and you know I just thank God for him so much. So I just thank God for all of my wonderful guests and all of my wonderful friends and everybody. That's a part of the podcast. Thank you, thank you. God bless you and thanks for listening to me ramble for oh my God, 10 minutes. What, okay, guys, have a good one. Regina Swine, gina Swine signing off here. Regina Swine Audio Series Presents Season 8. That would be the next one you'd be listening to, I promise God's willing. Oh, goodbye, guys.