I’ve been trying to listen to fewer news-related podcasts recently. I typically limit my news consumption to NPR’s Morning Edition combined with a short evening update from NPR to make sure I’m aware of any major events from the day. I find that scrolling through endless articles or engaging in the 24 hour news cycle leaves me feeling drained and anxious. I usually stream podcasts through the NPR One app or download and stream them through Spotify. Here are a few of my recent favorites:
1. Unlocking Us with Brené Brown: My mom told me about this podcast and highly recommended that I listen. At first I was hesitant because I feel like I have plenty of podcasts that I enjoy, but I decided to give it a try since I love Brené Brown (and my mom has great taste). I usually try to listen to podcast episodes in order, but this time I decided to jump in with an episode my mom loved–“I’m Sorry: How to Apologize & Why It Matters.” As I said earlier, my mom has great taste in people and podcasts, and the two part series on apologizing was incredible.
2. Modern Love: This is one of my favorite go-to podcasts. I discovered it while in college and find the short essays to be engaging, entertaining, and relaxing. I often finish an episode with a feeling of happiness and hope! The podcast is based on the Modern Love column in the New York Times and the essays are read aloud for the podcast by various actors. Most episodes will either bring you to tears or to laughter!
3. How I Built This: Here is another NPR podcast that I love! This podcast focuses on the story of founders behind big companies, like Whole Foods or Impossible Foods. I love learning the backstory on how these companies became successful and the personal journeys of the founders are super interesting!
4. On Being: Krista Tippett, the host of this podcast, has arguably one of the most soothing voices out there. If you are feeling anxious or down, this is a great one. On Being episodes are basically a conversation between Krista Tippett and guests who come from all walks of life (e.g. John Lewis, Ruby Sales, Indigo Girls, Bessel van der Kolk) that revolve around philosophy, life, wisdom, and love.
5. WorkLife: My advisor actually recommended this podcast to me after we had a conversation about burnout. The host, Adam Grant, is a fantastic writer (his book Give and Take is one of my favorites) and his podcast episodes are equally compelling! Even if you are not as interested in psychology in the workplace, this podcast is relevant to all spheres of life.
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What are some of your favorite podcasts? Were there any podcasts on this list that you had not heard of?