Hey, beautiful souls! 🌟 

Over the years, I've been blessed with being able to be a full time spiritual practitioner with our work here, The Hood Botanica. 

But if I'm being honest, there's a couple of different areas of business and marketing that I've been procrastinating on; and a part of the Sorcery x Success content is not only for sharing things that have worked for me, but also creating content as I reshape and refine my business, myself and my tasks.

There are some foundational things in my online business and marketing habits that can be more efficient and help with time management, work life balance and more!

I want you all to be able to learn from some of my mistakes, so that you can avoid them and build on a stronger foundation!

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I may make this a series but for this blog post, but for this post I want to talk about creating a content calendar. 

As I get new goals in business, as well as social media changing regularly; I’ve found myself having to return to foundational basics that I’ve been avoiding. 

I am not always the most organized person, so this task felt daunting and always found its way to the bottom of my to-do list.

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Any one who is successful on social media at one point or another shares their process for creating content.

Every single person I’ve ever seen discuss this process talks about having a content calendar and plan for their social media marketing as well as creating content in batches.

But for some reason, I’ve been avoiding this step in my content creation process.

In my last job years ago, I was an e-commerce and social media manager for a fashion brand, and they required me to come in to work because they didn’t trust remote work (this was years before the lockdown)

Because of that, I wouldn’t over plan content in advanced because if I did, I would basically just be sitting there all day. (And they were already watching my every move, cameras ZOOMED IN on my computer, mind you)

So I got into the habit of filling up my work day with creating new content ideas and posting each day.

That was over 5 years ago now and while I had success in that method; (The Fashion Company’s sales went from $4,000 a month to $40,000 a month within three months of me working there)

 it seems I brought it over to my own Online Business; Where I kinda get up and decide what to create on a daily basis.

While this freedom is a blessing and a part of entrepreneurship, it's not very sustainable long term and can (and has) led to mental fatigue, burn out and wastes tons of time every day.

This year, I decided it is really time to work smarter not harder

and I’m starting at the foundation of social media marketing to create more time, structure and efficiency in my businesses.

Now normally this is the part of the post where most people would say “That all changed when I discovered ChatGPT. Using AI to help me with my content calendar has been a game-changer!”

But I’m not there just yet.

Why I Procrastinated on Creating a Content Calendar

First off, Creating a content calendar felt overwhelming. I worried about getting it perfect, staying consistent, and keeping my content fresh and engaging. It was easy to put off, especially when juggling multiple tasks and projects.

Not to mention, at the start of my Online Journey, I was livestreaming at least 3-4 times a week. After a while a certain livestream schedule/structure was established and expected.

Again, what I was doing was working, so it was easier to put off even more structure at this point;

But I knew deep down that having a structured content plan, written out and planned ahead was essential for maintaining and growing my online presence. (👀🪐😭)

We will get into ChatGPT Specifics in a bit because Not only has it helped me get organized, but it’s also brought a sense of clarity and ease to my weekly planning. 

Today, I want to share my journey with you and provide a step-by-step guide on how you can use ChatGPT to create your own content calendar. 

Whether you're a seasoned business owner, just starting out, or you are a social media manager for a company like I was,

The Intention for this post is to inspire you to embrace AI as a tool for efficiency and success.

The Turning Point: Embracing ChatGPT

When I first heard about ChatGPT, I was intrigued but also a bit skeptical.

AI in the spiritual community can be a touchy subject, and I wanted to approach it with caution.

There are all types of spaces where AI creations seem to create more harm than good, but with any new technology or theme, even in the spiritual and magical realms, I seek to understand something before I just decide it’s “evil” lol.

I started testing different programs catered to businesses and entrepreneurs to see what all the fuss was about.

I started using it to come up with content ideas, create schedules, reorganize outlines and even come up with and refine captions for social media.

After seeing the positive impact it had on other aspects of my business, I decided to give it a try for my content calendar. And then…

I still didn’t use or implement the calendar.

I let weeks pass by, I would ask the software to create new ideas, more content calendars more this more that….and I didn’t take action.

Maybe a 30 day Content Calendar felt a little overwhelming for me, I’m not sure, but this week:

I’ve made the decision to get simplified and start with creating a content calendar for the week,

using Monday and Tuesday to bulk create posts and content, and use scheduling and chatgpt to help with Captions to post at least once a day on my social media platforms.

I’m starting at the lower end and working my way up to 3-5 posts a day, but honestly, I’m not there yet and that’s okay!

So I’m here to show you a behind the scenes look into the process I’m working on this week and I’ll continue to check in and show more!

How I Use ChatGPT to Create My Weekly Content Calendar

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how I use ChatGPT to plan my content for the week:

Step 1: Define Your Goals

Before diving into the prompts, it's important to know what you want to achieve with your content. Are you looking to educate, inspire, or promote? Knowing your goals will help guide the AI in generating relevant content ideas.

Step 2: Gather Your Content Pillars

Content pillars are the main themes or topics that your content will revolve around.

For The Hood Botanica, my content pillars include spirituality and occultism, business and career advice for mystics, and practical tips for merging spirituality with everyday life.

I tell chat gpt to remember these aspects about my business so that as I ask further questions, it answers from that context.

Step 3: Construct Detailed Prompts for ChatGPT

Creating detailed prompts is key to getting the most out of ChatGPT. Here are some examples of prompts I use:

Weekly Overview Prompt:

  "Hi ChatGPT, I need help creating a content calendar for my business, The Hood Botanica, for the upcoming week. My content pillars are spirituality and occultism, business and career advice for mystics, and practical tips for merging spirituality with everyday life. Can you suggest content ideas for Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest?"

(Depending on your needs you can specify the amount of time aka “30-day content calendar” I started with a week to keep it manageable)

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Specific Day Prompt:

  "Hey ChatGPT, I need Instagram post ideas this week and especially for Wednesday that aligns with Mercury's energy and focuses on communication in business. Any suggestions?"

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Batch Processing Prompt

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  "Hi ChatGPT, can you help me batch process content for my Instagram Reels? I need five engaging topics related to spiritual business growth tips."

I might also add in things like “give me an example of some captions I could use for each post” 

PRO TIP: I also search related hashtags and keywords used in other posts on TikTok and Instagram Search with similar topics and ask chatgpt to include the Keyword in the Caption they generate

Step 4: Review and Customize

ChatGPT will generate a list of content ideas based on your prompts. Review these suggestions and customize them to fit your brand's voice and style.

This step ensures that your content remains authentic and resonates with your audience and your overall brand message.

Step 5: Schedule and Implement

Once you have your content ideas, it's time to schedule them. Use a content calendar tool or even a simple spreadsheet or document to plan out your posts for the week.

Make sure to include details like post dates, platforms, and any necessary hashtags or links.

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Now mind you, I was doing steps 1-4 for the most part…but then I would still create content day by day, fall off, forget and then not post anything for two weeks.

Step 5 was the biggest part and this week is about completing the process and then taking it week by week until June is done!

Benefits of Using ChatGPT for Content Calendars

Even though this is Week 1 I know that Using ChatGPT has several benefits to my business:

- **Organization:** It’ll help me stay organized and ensure I have a steady stream of content ready to go.

- **Efficiency:** It saves time and reduces the mental load of coming up with content ideas from scratch daily. So far I’ve created all the graphics for the week as I’m typing this post, and I already feel so much clarity for my week. Its only Tuesday!

- **Consistency:** It’ll help me maintain a consistent posting schedule, which is crucial for building and engaging with my audience.

- **Creativity:** It has already sparked new ideas and perspectives and I think it’s because it’s off my to-do list for today. I can move on to the projects that really need my time and attention, like Consultations and Digital Product

- **Reduced Procrastination:** By automating part of the planning process, it helps me overcome procrastination and stay on track. Sometimes I procrastinate because I feel a task is going to take alllll day but when I actually finally sit down and do the thing…it takes an hour 😭

AND the TIME PASSES WHETHER I DO IT OR NOT 😭

The graphics for this week took me an hour and a half to complete and I wrote this article in like…45 minutes?

This is what I meant in the tweet above about the Overthinking!

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Addressing AI Concerns in the Spiritual Community

I know that AI can be a sensitive topic in the spiritual community, and rightfully so. It's important to approach it with mindfulness and intentionality. 

For me, using ChatGPT isn't about replacing human creativity or intuition; it's about enhancing and supporting my workflow.

It helps me check off tasks, get organized, and focus on what truly matters—connecting with my audience and providing value.

Looking Ahead: Tracking Progress and Analytics

As I continue to use ChatGPT for my content calendar, I'll be tracking my progress and analyzing the impact on my business. 

I plan to share updates and insights on what’s working, what’s not, and how my approach evolves over time.

This transparency not only holds me accountable but also helps other business owners and content creators like you see the potential benefits of integrating AI into your workflow.

Final Thoughts

Creating a content calendar with ChatGPT has been a transformative experience for me.

It’s already bringing in a new level of efficiency and organization to my business mentally, allowing me to focus on the creative and strategic aspects that I love. 

If you're a new business owner, I encourage you to give it a try and see how it can support your journey.

Let me know in the comments below if you're going to implement this or a similar strategy, so we can keep each other accountable!!

Remember, it's all about finding tools that work for you and using them to enhance your unique gifts and talents. 

Let’s embrace the magic of AI and continue to grow, use responsibly, thrive, and create amazing content together!