Welcome to the Substack Sound Circle, where everyone is welcome and audio is the medium of creative choice. I’m Laura, and I’m here to guide you and encourage you through this new bi-monthly audio adventure.
This is a free challenge, offered with the mission to inspire as many people here to explore self-expression through the spoken word. Let’s unlock this side of you, and share your literal voice with the world: we want to hear what you have to say.
Worried about the tech? Worried about how it will feel to “talk” rather than write? I’ve got you. As a secondary school music teacher of nearly 20 years experience, a professional singer who uses audio on the daily at Abbey Road and Air Studios, a professional podcaster (you can listen here) and a loving and supportive coach and mentor to small business owners, freelancers and creatives, teaching, supporting and enabling people to find their own confidence and clarity is my absolute favourite thing to do!
Here’s what you need to do and the details:
🌟PLEASE CONSIDER LISTEN TO THE AUDIO FIRST (IT’S ONLY TWO MINUTES) OR READ THE TRANSCRIPT!🌟 you don’t need to do this for future challenges
WHEN: Prompts are released fortnightly on Saturdays-you have eight days to give your response
WHAT: your audio response to my prompt, which this time is TRANSITIONS
HOW: create a piece of audio via an audio post (audio posts can still have writing in-like this one!) and NOT use a voiceover or audio embed (as these can’t be shared on Substack) that is no longer than five minutes (could be 30 seconds), in response to the prompt. Not sure how? Don’t worry! Listen to the audio at the top here!
RESTRICTIONS: your audio has to be a maximum of five minutes (but if the prompt inspires you, by all means go ahead and create a longer audio piece for your own personal use.)
THEN WHAT? I’ll collate my favourite pieces of audio and curate them into a beautiful new feature: The Substack Sound Circle - a joyful, inspirational space for you to be aurally inspired as you go about your days. I have many ideas for how these short pieces of art could lead to great co-creation also..
Make sure you post your piece in notes and tag me so I don’t miss it @lauraoldfield (you’re also welcome to add me as a guest in your post or drop a link to this post in it).
BUT LAURA, I WANT TO WRITE…Well, this is writing in a sense, and if you’re finding it really hard, why not write for five minutes (set a timer) on transitions and then record yourself saying your piece of writing out loud? Or, remove the bumpers and send that bowling ball down the lane free and unrestricted? A bit more risky perhaps, but could the rewards be greater?
I NEED A DEADLINE: Me too: it’s eight days after the prompt is issued, so this time it’s Sunday 25th February, 11.00pm GMT.
AND, TRANSITIONS? I’m giving you a dictionary definition and that’s it: the rest is up to you and your beautiful mind. “the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another”
You cannot “get this wrong”. The prompt is an open door, an invitation to step through the wardrobe and find out what’s waiting for you on the other side.
You might record 30 seconds of audio. You might include your voice and other sounds.
My one piece of advice? You might keep wanting to “start again”, which is a little harder to do on audio then just pressing the delete button. If that’s the case and you want to “write out a script” first time (or say out loud the five minutes of writing you’ve just written out) you of course can do so. But what if you allow yourself to include the pauses, the moments of sweet uncertainty? To show up with your perfect imperfections?
Make sure you post your piece in notes and tag me so I don’t miss it @lauraoldfield (you’re also welcome to add me as a guest in your post or drop a link to this post in it).
This a free challenge, so please make sure you share it widely: tag anyone you think might want to get involved, and let’s grow the circle.
Challenges work when community supports one another, so please restack the post, tag people whose audio you’ve loved, comment on it, enjoy it!
And if you’re not already subscribed to Life: Unlocked, please consider doing so. (And if you’re in a position to do so, please consider a paid subscription, which allows me to keep the momentum and dedicate time to challenges like this, whilst keeping free to all).
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Laura x
P.S. One final thing - when going to post it might say “Add audio to podcast RSS feed” - you don’t need to do this unless you’re starting a podcast!
Hi there, welcome! New here?
Welcome to Life Unlocked, I’m Laura.
I’m a multipassionate coach, mentor, podcaster, singer and teacher, and I’ve created this online home to help us both unlock, via three main tenets: creativity and creating (hopefully alongside you), listening and learning. I want to help you listen to yourself and what you want in your business or work, to help you realise how much your creations unlock so much for those around you, and to help you learn, whether that’s learning greater self-compassion and courage, or strategy and systems that work for you.
Sometimes my writing here is an honest dissection and reflection of my feelings about being a mum of 3. At other times it might be a piece on what it’s like to go and sing at Abbey Road one minute and host a coaching accountability circle the next.
Other pieces, like today’s, encapsulate all three: listening 🎧 (to others and yourself - don’t be scared), learning 👩💻 (about new tech?! and from others) and creativity! 🎙️
You can work with me in lots of ways, but right now why not sign up for my forthcoming free workshop: Four Steps to Intuitive, Organised marketing here.
👂🎙️Substack Sound Circle: your five minute audio challenge 👂🎙️ #1: TRANSITIONS