#39: Season One Final Reflection: What 39 Episodes Taught Me About Stillness with Gillian Gabryluk

Thirty-nine episodes ago, I hit record with more passion than skill and a lot more fear than confidence. Now, as we close season one of Be Still and Live, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes story I’ve mostly kept to myself: the days that felt deeply rewarding, the days I wondered if I was wasting time and money, and the surprising amount of work that happens after the “fun part” of the interview. If you’ve ever started something meaningful and felt unqualified, I think you’ll recognize yourself here.

I also get honest about something creators, parents, and modern humans all face: disconnection. Podcasting can feel one-sided because download numbers don’t tell me who you are, what you’re carrying, or what conversations actually helped. I want that to change. I’m asking you to reach out so we can build genuine community, not just content, and so season two can speak directly to what you’re navigating in real life.

Then we go deeper into the heart of the message: stillness as a practice, not a brand. After stepping away with my family, I realized I’d been pulled into the productivity matrix while teaching slowing down, mindfulness, and faith-centered calm. So I’m choosing a season of rest, presence, prayer, and simpler rhythms and I’m bringing that learning back into the next chapter of the podcast. Season two will lean into the millennial midlife parent experience: raising kids in a world of constant noise, caring for aging parents, lowering stress, simplifying life, building healthier homes, and finding peace when culture demands more.

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Connect with Gillian:

E-mail - gillian@sileocoaching.com

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Transcript

A Call To Slow Down

Gillian 0:00

I can tell you that there were days that felt so incredibly rewarding, but there were other days when I questioned whether I was cut out for this, whether it was a waste of time, a waste of my family's investment. But I'm really glad that I kept going because I've learned so much from this process, and I can only pray that it's been a gift to at least one person on the other end. If your days feel full, but your heart longs for more meaning, you're not alone. Between the screens, the schedules, and the never-ending noise, it's easy to lose your sense of peace. But what if the way forward isn't found in doing more, but in learning to slow down, to simplify, to be still. Welcome to Be Still and Live, a podcast for individuals, couples, and families longing for calm, connection, and a more meaningful way to live. I'm Jillian, speaker, coach, and founder of Sileo Health and Wellness. And I'm here to help you create space for stillness and step into a life that feels whole and good again.

Closing Season One With Gratitude

Gillian 1:04

Hello, Be Still and Live community. Welcome to what is officially the last episode of season one of Be Still and Live. 39 episodes. That still feels so strange to say because when I started this podcast almost a year ago, I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I wasn't trying to become a podcaster. It was just something that I felt called to do. And although I was afraid to do it and had none of the skills other than having a passion for what I'm talking about, I just had this deep desire to sit down with people who were living with wisdom and a sense of intention and faith and bring those conversations to anyone who needed them. That was my objective, and that is the passion that I wanted to share with listeners. So here we are, 39 episodes later. I didn't even know there were seasons in podcasting. So I just kept recording and recording and recording. And it was one day my brother-in-law said, Hey, when are you going to wrap up the season? I was like, What do you mean, season? He's like, Well, typically you have seasons for podcasts. I had no idea when I looked at a couple other podcasts. I was like, oh, it looks like there are seasons. So, anyways, this season was 39 episodes long. And um, what a gift. What a gift it has been. And uh if you're listening to this, I would really love for you to tune into the end because I'm going to share something exciting at the end of this particular episode that I want you to be a part of. I want to invite you into. So stick with me. I'm going to share a little bit of my heart here and um a little bit about the story behind the scenes of this podcast. Because behind every podcast, there is a person, a host, and there's a whole lot of guests who's a real person who has real fears that they're trying to break through, real trials, real skills that are needing to be learned to put this out there. So I want to share a little bit of that journey with you because you're the listeners and you're important. You're the only reason this podcast is still going live after 39 episodes. How amazing is that? So, this episode is for you. And it's also my first step of becoming more vulnerable because I know I need to share more of myself. And um, to be quite honest, I've been hiding. I've been hiding behind my guests. I've been hiding behind the scenes because that's where I'm comfortable. But in listening to the feedback from my listeners, they're saying they want to hear more of my voice, my perspective, my story. And that's really scary for me. So I'm gonna take you along the journey in this episode. And at the end, I'm going to invite you into the next step. So please stick with

Learning Podcasting The Hard Way

Gillian 4:18

me. So when I started this podcast, as I said, I had very little idea as to what I was doing. I had this amazing editor, Mike, from Cardinal Studios. You can reach out to him on Instagram. He is amazing if you're interested in starting a podcast. He literally laid out every micro step to getting a podcast live and to making it sound somewhat professional. So I really just had to take this leap of faith and trust that Mike, trust that Mike knew what he was doing, and I just needed to follow the strategy. So that is what I did. I bought a microphone and I learned everything, like everything, every micro detail as I went. I made loads of mistakes. I had to record my first three episodes probably a hundred times over because they were solo episodes, and I was so nervous, stumbling over my words, voice cracking. It was just very difficult for me to do. But I just kept showing up each week, every week. And when it was hard, I had to keep showing up. When I wasn't in the mood, I had to keep showing up. When I felt like no one was listening, I had to keep showing up. And um that's how I that's how I got here. It's it's as simple as that. And it was not easy. Looking back now, I'm so incredibly grateful for this journey. I'm so grateful that I took that leap, that um I followed that nudge that I had to start a podcast. It's not that I wanted to be a podcaster, it was that I just felt so passionate about sharing this message of stillness because this is my way of offering something to the world that I hope will positively impact the world that my four children are growing into. And that is my why. I've had the absolute privilege of sitting across from physicians and therapists and authors, um, financial experts, coaches, parents, and people with extraordinary life stories. Every single one of them gave their time so generously. And I'm grateful for you if you're listening to this, because every conversation that I had left me feeling so inspired, so uplifted, so motivated to continue doing this work. And um it honestly became my favorite part of this business was connecting with other like-minded people who were so dedicated, who are so dedicated to living life well and living with intention. It's been one of the greatest gifts of my life to have these conversations, truly. But it's also been one of the hardest things that I've ever done. I don't think I appreciated how much work goes into producing a podcast. The interview is just the beginning. That's the fun part. That's the part that I love showing up for. But then come the edits. You have to choose your titles, you have to write a description, there's graphics for social media, there's emails that need to be exchanged with the podcast guest, and learning entirely new skills that I'd never imagined I'd need. How to be a good interviewer. What is too much? What is too little? You have to pay attention to how repetitive you are. I realize that I have said in the world around us, probably a thousand times in my interviews, why I say that, I have no idea. But as you listen, you realize how repetitive you are with some words. So I apologize for that. And thank you for sticking with me. At least you know I'm real and authentic, and that you don't have a robot on the other end of this podcast. I can tell you that there were days that felt so incredibly rewarding, but there were other days when I questioned whether I was cut out for this, whether it was a waste of time, a waste of my family's investment. But I'm really glad that I kept going because I've learned so much from this process, and I can only pray that it's been a gift to at least one person on the other end.

When Podcasting Feels One Sided

Gillian 8:38

One thing that surprised me about podcasting is how one-sided it can feel. When I publish an episode, I can see download numbers, and that's about it. That's all I can see. I can't see how many people are listening. I can't see who is listening. There's no demographics whatsoever. All I can see on the other end is how many people have downloaded that episode. Not just listened to it, but downloaded it. So I'm going off of faith and seeing downloads slowly, those numbers slowly grow, hoping that these are real listeners who are truly engaged, who are truly benefiting from this message. And I'm going off of that faith alone. I have no idea who's listening out there. Whoever you are on the other end, I know a handful of people who, you know, tell me that they've listened to my podcast, but that's it. Just a handful of people who I'm engaging with who are on the other end of this podcast. I don't know who's listening while they drive to work or go for a walk or while you're folding laundry or doing chores around the house, maybe making dinner. I don't know who you are. And a part of me feels this disconnection from my audience. And that's one thing that I really am wanting to change. I would love to know what conversations have stood out to you. I'd love to know what you're wrestling with in your day-to-day life. I'd love to know what God is doing in your life and where you're being led. Really, I just would love to get to know my community better, these listeners better. If you have been listening to this podcast, I am asking you to please reach out. Please reach out person to person. I am just a normal person, just like you, who loves to connect. And I get so motivated by growing community, by helping people to move from feeling like they're living on an island and feeling so alone to feeling like they're a part of something greater than themselves. That is where I find my motivation. So if you are listening, please reach out. Send me an email. Reach out on Instagram. I want to hear from you. I want to get to know a little bit more about you so that I can serve you even better in season two. If you've been listening, I am asking you to reach out. My email address is gillian at saleocoaching.com. G-I-L-L-I-A-N at Saleo S I L E O coaching.com. Once this episode is over, send me a message. I will respond to you. If you're open to a Zoom call, I'd love to have a conversation with you. I would just love to learn more about you. Tell me who you are, where you're from, what episode was your favorite, what you might be walking through right now, and what you'd love to hear more about. That's probably the most important piece because that's what I can help you with the most. I don't want this to feel like I'm talking into a microphone and hoping someone out there is listening, someone, someone is benefiting from the message. I'd love for this to become a genuine community where we're learning from one another, actually learning how to thrive, how to navigate through this crazy world we're living

Getting Quiet To Find What Matters

Gillian 12:03

in. Over the last few months, I'll be honest with you, something has been happening in my own life. It's funny, I took spring break with my family. We took a road trip to Texas. And when I took that week off, it's like I realized that I had been pulled into the matrix myself. It's amazing how slowly this happens and how it happens behind the scenes. I started Sileo Health and Wellness with this desire to share this practice of stillness with the world, with a community of people who were willing to listen. And what happened as I grew the business, the online business, is I felt the need to show up in all the ways that I felt I was supposed to show up. And where it led me is to a place of confusion, disorientation, and uh just overwhelmed. I became the person that I was coaching, trying to change the world. And I think that this is what happens. We have this objective and we have these good intentions, like you want to provide for your family, and you lose yourself while striving to achieve that. And I fell into that same trap and got caught in the same matrix. And when I took a step away for spring break, I realized that I realized that I was stuck in this flow of having to maintain all of these platforms just to feel like I was doing enough. But the message that I have been asked to share with you that has taken just as much time to land with me is that we are enough just because we are. Just because we are. Spending too much time creating content about slowing down, that I needed to ask myself whether I was actually making enough room to slow down myself. That's a good question because one thing that I promised to myself when I started this business is that I would be authentic, that I would be real. And I started to feel like I was being a bit of a hypocrite behind the microphone. So that's been a hard question to sit with. Am I walking the walk? Am I living this life out that I am preaching to everybody? I feel like I have been, but I feel like I got pulled into that matrix, and now I need to pull back and reassess. So this summer, my kids are home. They won't be home for long. My oldest just turned 12, my youngest just turned seven. This is a very short window where we are a family for the summer. So we've been camping, we've been spending time outside, we've been doing a lot more laughing together because the schedule isn't as rigid. We've been doing ordinary family things that I know won't always be this normal or simple. I don't want to miss them because I'm always building the next thing. That's the trap, right? The thing that matters most is right in front of me. So for the month of August, I'm gonna put work down for a while. I'm gonna reduce my hours, and I'm choosing to be fully present for my family. I'm choosing to spend more time in prayer, just listening. I'm choosing to pay attention to what's really going on before making decisions about what's next. And if you know me, this is not easy for me because I'm always kind of scanning my environment to see where the voids are and finding solutions. But I know my intuition always reminds me that the most important thing is to feel like my mind, body, and soul are in order. And that's when I can throw myself into the world to be serving and to be solving problems around me. Part of me feels like I should always be producing, always be moving, always be building. But I know that that isn't true. There are seasons for that, and I am being told that I am not in that season, at least for the next month or so. There's another part of me that knows if I really believe what I've been talking about for the last 39 episodes that you've been here for, then I have to live it too. I can't invite you into stillness if I'm unwilling to enter it myself. And that can be scary. It can be scary to get quiet because you don't know what you're going to find there. So that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to face that fear of listening. And I'm going to step into the unknown. And when I come back,

Season Two And The Millennial Parent Lens

Gillian 18:45

I'm sure I will have a much clearer sense of where this podcast is heading. I've absolutely loved interviewing guests, and I'll absolutely continue doing that from time to time. But I also feel called to share more of my own experiences and speak more directly into what so many of us are navigating and not really talking about because we're spending so much time just getting through it. But I believe when we discuss these things and we create community around these topics that we're struggling with and we share our stories, we share our, you know, intuition that that's where beautiful things take place. Moving forward, I'm feeling called to spend more time talking about the millennial experience, is not only the millennial experience, the millennial midlife parent experience. What does it mean to raise children in a world that looks nothing like the one we grew up in? While raising children in a world that will look entirely different when they're raising their own children. This has to be the most confusing, disorienting time to be a parent. And we have such little guidance. What we do have is a ton of noise just coming at us, confusing us from every direction. We are asking ourselves questions like, how are we going to age? How are we going to care for our aging parents while raising our young families? How can we simplify when life keeps getting more complicated and confusing? How do we take care of ourselves and lower stress, strengthen our own faith, build healthier homes, create better rhythms, and find peace in a culture that's constantly demanding more from us? Those are the conversations I want us to have. Not because I figured it out. I am here to help have these much needed conversations and to first myself turn inward to find the answers and encourage you to do the same. I don't have it figured out. Quite the opposite. I'm in the middle of it too. I am learning. I am making so many mistakes. I am asking countless questions. And if sharing what I'm learning helps someone else feel a little less alone, then this podcast is doing exactly what I hoped it would do. And what I hope it will continue to do to even a greater capacity. However many episodes you tuned into, whether it was the first couple where I was stumbling over my words, or you know, the interviews I had where I was feeling really low and um lacking confidence, and maybe you heard that in my voice, or the ones where I felt incredibly inspired and energized by the conversation. Thank you for sticking with me. Thank you for growing with me. Thank you for allowing me to make mistakes and to try something new, something that I had no skill to do in the beginning. And I hope that this podcast continues to, I hope it's been a gift to you. I hope it continues to be a gift to you in your journey to take care of yourself and take care of those around you. I'm excited for what is to come. I'm also very nervous and scared, but I'm realizing the more I do this, that's just a part of it. You're going to feel fear. Anything that is worth doing in your life is going to be scary. And the more you can break through that fear and just keep moving forward, if it feels aligned, if you've done the reflecting, if you've prayed about it and it feels right yet scary, it's probably the thing that you need to go after and just break through. So I'm very excited and nervous and genuinely believe the best is still ahead. So that said, I want to wish you a beautiful summer. I want to send out permission to slow down, to really reflect on the things you value, the things that matter most, and to create space to be still and delight in the life you've worked so hard to live. The life right in front of you that you get to enjoy. Sometimes we need permission to do that. So spend time with your people, get outside as much as possible, get into nature so you're reminded of all the wonderful things that are right with the world. Because there is far more right with the world than wrong with the world if you have eyes to see it. Leave

Permission To Log Off And Connect

Gillian 24:32

your phone inside, sign off, and pay attention to the life that's happening right in front of you. I will be doing the exact same thing. And I'm excited to share more about that experience when I come back for season two. In I don't have a date yet, likely mid to end September. And if you think of it, please send me a message. I truly want to hear from you. I'd love to hear your story. I'd love to know your name. I'm so excited to see what's next. Please stick with me for the journey. And um I will see you in season two. Until then, don't forget the simplest thing: Be still and live. Thank you so much for the first 39 episodes of Be Still and Live. We'll see you soon. Thank you for listening to Be Still and Live. As always, my hope is that this conversation offered you a little more space. Space to breathe, to listen, and to come home to what matters most. If this episode resonated with you, I invite you to subscribe to the show and consider sharing it with someone who could use a little more space or clarity right now. That simple act helps this work reach the people who need it most. If you're ready for a gentle next step, you can begin with Fog2 Freedom in the show notes or at saleocoaching.com. Until next time, be still and live.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

This podcast is produced, mixed, and edited by Cardinal Studio. For more information about how to start your own podcast, please visit www.cardinalstudio.co or email Mike at mike at cardinalstudio.co. You can also find the details in the show notes.