Thym 4 Tea with Mikita
Welcome to Thym 4 Tea with Mikita, a podcast about letting go of the pressure to have it all together and learning to live life on your terms.
Hosted by Mikita—a nurse, storyteller, and wellness advocate— each episode explores the moments that shape us, shake us, and sometimes save us.
We talk about the things that matter: healing, identity, boundaries, burnout, family, self-trust, and the quiet strength it takes to start over or simply keep going.
Expect personal stories, unfiltered reflections, guest conversations, and gentle challenges that meet you where you are and invite you to go deeper.
Because this isn’t just about self-care—it’s about reclaiming your time, your voice, and your rhythm in a world that keeps asking for more.
So take a breath.
And let’s spill some real tea
#SelfCare #Motivation #WellnessJourney #BeautifullyUnbalanced
www.beautifully-unbalanced.com
Thym 4 Tea with Mikita
Ep 1 Mini Series: Behind the Mic The Unfiltered Truth
Have you ever wondered what really happens behind the mic of your favorite independent podcasts? The truth might surprise you.
Welcome to a rare, unfiltered glimpse behind the curtain of Thym 4 Tea with Mikita. In this intimate first episode of my mini-series, I'm spilling all the tea about what podcasting looks like when there's no production team, no fancy studio, and absolutely no playbook: just me, a microphone, and a mission.
From choosing themes based on what genuinely tugs at my heart rather than chasing trends, to the vulnerable moments of sitting with headphones on, wondering "Does anyone even care what I'm saying?" – this journey has been anything but smooth. I share the technical nightmares (yes, I once forgot to hit record after a brilliant 30-minute conversation), the emotional rollercoaster of almost quitting multiple times, and the unexpected joy of having strangers yell "Is it time for tea?" across a store.
The podcast world often glamorizes the process, but the reality involves constant learning curves, battling insecurities, and figuring out how to create quality content without formal training or experience. Yet within these challenges lies the true magic: hitting publish on something you almost talked yourself out of, then hearing from someone who needed exactly those words.
Whether you're considering starting your creative endeavor or simply curious about the person behind the mic you listen to, this raw conversation offers a refreshing dose of reality paired with genuine encouragement. Remember, you don't need perfection to begin – you just need to start. And when you feel like quitting, ask yourself why. The answer might just bring you back home to yourself.
#selfdevelopment #Wellness
#thym4teawithmikita #manifest #purposefulliving #liveunapplogectically #freedom #podcast #womeninpodcast #podcastlife #empoweringwomen
Welcome back. I am Makita and I just want to thank you for tuning in for Time for Tea with Makita. This is part of our mini series, so we're not going to be diving into anything too deep today. I just want to bring you with me behind the scenes, into the heart of what this podcast really is, what you didn't get to hear or see and what no one talks about when they say, hey, just start a podcast, you can do it. This is the first episode of the miniseries and I'm going to be calling my truths. I'm going to be giving you the unpolished, unfiltered look at what it really means to create something that matters when you don't have a team, a producer or a playbook. So, as you know, I started Time for Tea with Makita a couple years ago and it has been an amazing journey. But we're gonna start here, because there is no secret team behind this show.
Speaker 1:It's just me and my husband, who I love so much because he does not mind calling me out when I need it. He challenges me when I get in my own head and refuse to let me hand in trash. Now I can tell you, working with a spouse or family sometimes can be different and difficult, but for me sometimes it is. Sometimes it's stressful because I don't always like when he calls me out. I don't always like when he doesn't just agree with my bullshit, but I love the fact that he does it. It would not honor me in any way if he just let me do crazy stuff and didn't say anything. I remember when I wanted to quit not once. But there's been moments when I'm like I think I'm going to be done, I think this is going to be it. And he didn't tell me not to. He just looked at me and he was like, okay, but why? And that question, that one word, why pulled me back into alignment each and every time? Because sometimes we don't need someone to cheer us on, we don't need someone to always say yes, we need someone that holds us accountable, someone that reminds us what it is we're doing, to make us own up to the truth. Examine why. Why do you want to give up? Why are you quitting? I mean, if it's because you really feel like you're done, then that's fine, but for me it was like you're right. Why? And that's why this podcast means so much to me, because it has been this unexpected legacy, this labor of love and sometimes a complete mystery.
Speaker 1:So let's get into it. All right, we're going to start with, you know, building out the theme. So I'm going to take you behind the scenes and give you a little look at what it means for me when I am starting my first process, because in each season I always think of a theme when am I going with this thing? Like, what do I want to hit? Like, before I hit record, I ask myself one thing Even if I don't necessarily have a blueprint or plan, I do know and I have an idea of the theme, like when I did the letting go, the being intentional, and I had episodes focused on what that looked like, people that could speak to that and share their experiences. So I always ask myself what season of life am I in now? Am I in a season or a chapter? Because for me those are two different things. Right, you know, a chapter, you can go through pretty quickly, but a season, it lasts longer.
Speaker 1:Because I don't choose topics based on what's trending. I choose them based on what's trending. I choose them based on what's tugging at me, what's in my heart, what's in my soul, and sometimes, when I'm flipping through magazines or reading a book, some things just jump out at me like, oh, I could dig into this topic. Oh, my gosh, this book spoke to my soul and it reminded me of this. And I take that and I start scribbling down little notes and jotting down ideas. And I even get to work sometimes and I bring those topics up and I'm like talking to my coworkers and I bring up these random topics and I just want to get a feel for what people are thinking, where they are at and what their thoughts are. And that helps me really create an episode and answer some of the questions. Because, even though something jumped out at me when I'm having these conversations with real people in my life, I realized that, yeah, they're thinking about that, but this is some of the questions that they have.
Speaker 1:This is what has been a struggle for them and, honestly, those are some of the realest times, because I'm just like girl, I am there with you, I have no clue, I have no answers, but you know what? I have a voice. So let's get it out there, let's pose the question, and what I find in every time I ask a question, I can create and find that answer. It ain't going to happen overnight, but in time, eventually I find what it is I've been looking for. So I have these. I use the note app in my phone and I use this like little breadcrumbs. I put down quotes and thoughts and I ask myself questions too. You know I try to chase the real. I try to be as real and authentic and intentional each and every time I choose a theme.
Speaker 1:So moving on, so in step two, if I am looking more for guests and this season I really didn't do a lot of guests I really focused on doing solo podcasts and speaking my own truth and then sprinkling in some amazing people that you know had a story to tell and that could share that impact of what it looked like for them as they were becoming and stepping into purpose. So this is kind of the hard part that no one talks about. Finding the right guest is not just about someone with a big platform. For me, it's just about does this person have a story that makes people feel less alone and more seen? I look for people who aren't afraid to go there, to be vulnerable. To be honest, sometimes that means cold pitching someone and praying. They say yes, and then I'll just a random DM. Hey, I'm Akita. This is my podcast. I would love to have you as a guest. You want to sit down and talk first? How do you want to go? Sometimes I get random and I've been lately.
Speaker 1:I've been getting a lot of random email pitches just saying, hey, I have so-and-so, they want to be a guest, or hey, I'm looking to be on a podcast. I've never been there before, but I got a story, I'm doing something amazing and I want to share what that looks and feels like and I'm like sure, sure, I built this platform for people who have something to say, so I'm definitely not going to say no if I can be that platform for someone else. So very, very rarely will I ever say no to anyone who wants to be on my show as a guest. So if you listen to this and you got a story, you have something that you just want to share with the world and it's safe and, of course, you know it's not about has to be respectful of other people, but I'm always open to share a story, so it has to be a conversation that matters to the person who needs to hear it the most. It's about does your story have impact? Has it impacted your life and can you tell and share that story in a way that is true to who you are? Because I don't want you to make it up, I don't want you to just get on and just say some stuff. It has to come from your heart, from your soul, and what you learned about you and how you took in that and shared it with the world. Um, and you don't necessarily have to. I've had a lot of guests who's never been on a podcast before and I've been there first place, which has been honestly amazing, like to be someone's stepping stone and to their purpose. You can't get no better than that. That's amazing. So I love finding the guests and connecting with them.
Speaker 1:The second part is sometimes there's a lot of insecurity. So, listen, there are nights I sit with my mic in front of me, headphones on, and I still think does this sound good? Did I say too much? Did I overshare? Oh my gosh, do I really want people to know this about me? Well, anyone didn't care about what I'm saying and yet, every single time, I think about these insecurities. You know these false realities that are not even my truth. You know these false realities that are not even my truth. Um, I remind myself to stop and just say hey, you got this. And each and every time I feel like I've had moments when I'm like what are you doing? Are you sure this is? You know, are you making an impact? You know there are.
Speaker 1:I will run into someone I'm not going to lie Like I run into someone who will say hey, I listened to your podcast recently and I needed that. And I'm like, oh my gosh, like someone stopping me to say they listened to my podcast. Or walking in a store and someone hollering out hey, is it time for tea? Like I can't tell you what that does to me, for me, and it's a humbling experience. It's not like my head gets super big and I'm like yeah, no, it's just like this deep moment of gratitude, of thankfulness, of just reminding myself that, even when I feel like it's heavy and I don't know if I'm really showing up and making an impact, that I truly am. So if you see me and you say, hey, is it time for tea, don't worry, I'm gonna say it's always time for tea, of course. It's never a dull moment here, all right. And I think one thing people don't know about me is that I am pretty quirky and a little goofy. I love to laugh and have fun. So, with that being said, these moments remind me that I'm not just talking into a void. This is a platform that gives me an opportunity to just be me.
Speaker 1:Now, the last thing we get to step four here. Well, it's not the last, but in step four. So we talked about finding a theme, finding a guest, some of the insecurities that pop up when I'm recording or right before I record, even after I hit, like you know, the button to, you know, publish. You know those insecurities are sometimes just crazy. But then we got to get to the setup. So step four is the setup. We move.
Speaker 1:So this year, honestly, we moved. So when I'm talking about setup, I'm talking about having my equipment in the right space to create the right sound. So, so, as I said, we moved this year. I think I'd even did an episode where I mentioned it, talking about moving, getting a cat, all this stuff. So my studio space is a lot bigger. I had like this tiny, like small, like shoebox room before, which was actually great because it was cozy, it was great for sound, it was cozy, it was great for sound. Now I have this bigger space, um, and it was a challenge and I still think I'm still trying to figure out my sound. I have moved everything around in here like three different times trying to make sure I'm in the right space, cause, like I said, my husband don't mind telling me that my audio sounds like crap and he'll tell me so just creating and finding the right sound, um, and even sometimes, especially in the beginning, during different platforms, from using Descript to Audacity to Hindenburg, recordings directly onto Tascam, like I'm, I play with a lot of different things, and then also using Riverside if I'm doing interviews or going with Zoom.
Speaker 1:I have done it all. When it comes to setup, however, especially setup for recording. However, I will say, for me, zoom is not always perfect, but it has been the best platform I like. If I'm going to do a solo for myself, I like to use Riverside. As far as sound goes, my husband does not complain as much. I love to use.
Speaker 1:I still use Descript for a lot of things. I don't, you know, directly record into it, but I love to play with it. I'm not going to say, um, I am that good at using Descript. It's a learning curve and I don't know about you, but I get frustrated learning stuff and I just want to know it right then. And there I do not like the idea of having to learn what I'm trying to record. So it's not a bad platform. Like I say, I use it. I still use it. I just don't do my recording in it. I do a lot of uploading and I use it to create my soundbites and all of that fun stuff. So I kind of use a different thing, a lot of different things, and I still use Audacity as well. Like when I first started, I was using Cakewalk and that's when they actually had the program you could load on your desktop. They don't have that anymore, which sucks, but they do have GarageBand.
Speaker 1:But anyway, set up for sound, that's what we're talking about. Um, because I have this bigger room, it came with a lot of echoes and the sound quality started to shift. I had a lot of technical hiccups, I think. Even, like I did my first recording, I had a guest and it was so crazy because I forgot to make sure that my Zoom was set up correctly and it was all on like one and I had previously set it up to, like, record different tracks. It was just a disaster. Um, I even had times where I had to stop and ask people can we go off camera? And that's the things people don't see. Like when you're in the process of recording, what you don't see is that Zoom has stopped, people have been kicked off of the Zoom and we've lost each other.
Speaker 1:We have to log back on, try to pick up where we left off and, you know, get back into that same mindset of that conversation to make it flow and be the same. So like. It's sometimes completely crazy and I remember one time when I had first started, I forgot to even hit record. I had talked to someone for 30 minutes and looked down and realized I had never hit record and we had to stop and start over. And I'm just like, oh my gosh, but talking to other people in podcasting has really just opened my eyes up that I'm not the only one. There are going to be some tech difficulties, we are going to have some issues, but there's always a way to fix it. It is not the end of the world and I think the most important thing when we're talking about behind the scenes is that.
Speaker 1:You know, when I first started, I was not that assertive, because this is your platform. You have to own it fully. You have to be able to tell people stop, we can't, let's take this out. I'm going to stop right here. We need to do this and just like having that flow because you are controlling the flow, and I am one of those people that I just want smooth sailing, I don't want to hurt people feeling. So there are there are a lot of things that I had to like get over in my head to show up.
Speaker 1:And when we're talking about setting up that sound and creating you know what you want from that. You have to make sure that you do a test with your people and sometimes, when you test and it's so crazy because there've been times, especially getting on people can't even get on. They're like I got this recent the link. We got a long out, long back. Well, I'm telling you, sometimes it is crazy but it's still fun. Even with all of that, don't let it scare you. If you're thinking about podcasting, just know that it's not going to be perfect. Some days are messy, but it's also magic, because this space grows on you and it grows with you.
Speaker 1:All right, so, moving on from this setup and finding your sound and creating the right sound that you want for yourself is also the final step, the most important step, which is step five, the reward. And here's what no one tells you. The reward isn't the recognition, it's hitting publish on something you almost talked yourself out of. It's re-listening to your own words and hearing your strength. It's knowing someone somewhere just took a deep breath. They didn't know they needed because you said something they were, they've been feeling and thinking about. And that's the win. That's why I keep going, because of all of you amazing people that remind me every day, whether you see me out on the street, whether you send me a DM, like you're saying, hey, thanks for sharing that it mattered so.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, it is just me. There is no production team. There is no one telling me what to do or how to do it. It's me trying to figure it all out on my own, all of my mistakes, and for that it's made me a stronger person. My husband has been amazing to have him, you know, do the production and clean up my messy vocals sometimes and call me out and hold me accountable and just be there and allow me to give myself permission to take this next chapter anywhere I want. And no, I didn't go to school for this. I'm not backed by a studio and I didn't have any experience. I'm a woman with a mic and a mission and I'm just getting started.
Speaker 1:So if you're listening to this and you're thinking of starting something whether it's a podcast, a book, a brand, a chapter of your life this is your sign. Don't wait for perfect, just start your life. This is your sign. Don't wait for perfect, just start. If you are already started but you feel like quitting, ask yourself why. Your answer might just bring you back home to yourself.
Speaker 1:So I hope this episode and this behind the scenes look at what it's like and what you don't see during the recording and setting up of all this stuff. I hope it's been fun for you. I hope sometimes that you've laughed at some of the craziness, because sometimes it is crazy, sometimes it's frustrating, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, even those times when I'm like, what am I doing? This has been amazing for me. All right, you guys. That is all the tea that I have to spill in this mini series, but we have two more episodes of the mini series coming your way soon, so don't forget to tune in for more delicious hot tea until next time, my friends Namaste.
