It’s no secret that I love to read, but you might be surprised to learn that I almost never listen to audiobooks. With the exception of a really long car ride by myself, I will choose the physical book over an audiobook every time. There’s just something about curling up with a book and a blanket! That being said, I’m also a busy mom of two and a lot of my days are filled with things that make reading a physical book difficult – running errands, doing dishes, cleaning, tackling the laundry, plus all the DIY projects I like to work on when I have some time. I won’t lie, sometimes I’m ready for a break from auditory stimulation (two kids and two dogs make a lot of noise!) and I’ll complete my tasks in silence, but often I do enjoy listening to something. It feels like adult interaction even though I’m the only adult at home and is truly a form of self care for me! Instead of listening to audiobooks while doing these tasks, I love listening to podcasts.
I think I prefer podcasts because they’re more easily customizable to my mood and the time I have. I can choose a 20 minute episode or a 50 minute episode. I can choose to learn something new or choose to laugh at funny stories. I can choose to binge three in a row or just listen to one episode from a podcast I haven’t caught up on in a few months. With an audiobook, it’s hard for me to just start and stop in short bursts and then maybe not listen again for a few days. With podcasts, it’s easy for me!
Way back in December 2018, I shared the podcasts that I enjoyed listening to. Over the past 3.5 years, I’ve tried out many podcasts and have different ones that I now enjoy, so I thought I’d share a list of my current favorites. These are the ones I turn to again and again, whether I’m folding laundry, painting a wall, driving to the grocery store, or any of the many other things that fill up my days.
This was the top of my list way back in 2018 and it still ranks highly as a favorite these days. It is hosted by Gretchen Rubin (whom I adore!) and her sister Elizabeth Craft and discusses happiness, good habits, and human nature. They share happiness hacks, strategies for knowing yourself better, and tips and tricks for meeting goals and improving your overall quality and enjoyment of life. There are things that the podcast suggested that I’ve implemented that have honestly been game-changers in my life! I’ve read every book Gretchen has written (some of which made it to my all-time list of book recommendations) and think her insights into human nature, particularly with habit formation and her personality framework of The Four Tendencies, is fascinating. I also thoroughly enjoy the dynamic that Gretchen and Elizabeth have. They have two smaller, sort of spin-off podcasts called “A Little Happier” and “More Happier” that you can choose to add in as well. It’s just a really fun and enjoyable listen that can help you maximize different areas of your life for the better.
I have been following Sharon and her Instagram account @sharonsaysso for over a year now and appreciate it so much. Sharon shares factual news and information in a non-biased, non-partisan way and has taught me (and her 850,000+ other followers!) so much. One of her frequent sayings is that “facts don’t require your approval” – in other words, you are absolutely allowed to have your own opinions and your own feelings about things, but facts are facts regardless of how you feel. It’s so refreshing! Her Instagram focuses more on current events (which I also highly, highly recommend following) and her podcast focuses more on interesting stories about people and places. Sharon just seems like someone you want to be friends with and her enthusiasm for brain tingles and new information is contagious. She interviews experts in various fields, shares little-known stories about historical figures and locations around the United States, and even has interviewed political candidates, congressman, and others working in government on all sides of the aisle. It’s a fascinating variety of topics and I always learn something!
This podcast is hosted by a 20-something woman named Madi Muphy and it’s been a fun, bingeable listen for me. Madi…enjoys complaining. Haha! But not in a negative way if that makes sense? She likes to discuss pop culture (deep dives on things like TV shows and Lindsey Lohan), random things like Trader Joes finds and beige foods, and has fun segments like “Dumb Dumb Club” (where listeners submit things they should’ve known a long time ago but just found out) and “Love/Hates.” But my favorite thing about her podcast are the listener submission episodes. She’ll ask her listeners to submit their own stories and experiences on a variety of topics and it is HILARIOUS. She’s done things like bad dates, petty things you’ve done, embarrassing moments, bad jobs/bosses, white lies you’ve told your kids, gynecological stories (lol), legal things that give you a thrill, breakups, in-law stories, wedding frustrations, and more. I am constantly cracking up at both the submitted stories and Madi’s responses to them. I also love the episodes where people submit situations that she judges – things like am I the a-hole and petty fights between friends and family. It’s just entertaining and fun and perfect for when I want to zone out and laugh.
This podcast is hosted by two friends, Abby and Amy, and discusses a variety of topics that women encounter. They discuss things like setting boundaries, combating overstimulation, prioritizing self-care, apologizing, saying no, motherhood, marriage, finances, sex, confidence, etc. Some episodes are just the two of them discussing things and they also bring in experts to talk about topics like financial investing, mental health, setting boundaries, adult friendships, and more. I especially enjoy the episodes where they bring on their husbands to talk about the triumphs and struggles in marriage, parenthood, and life. I used to listen to every single episode but now I tend to pick and choose the topics that most interest me or apply to my life and am more of an occasional listener, but I still find there’s some good food for thought in whatever episode I listen to!
Young House Love Has a Podcast + The Chris Loves Julia Podcast
These are two different podcasts but I share them together because they’re both not currently active but the archives are still available. Both podcasts were started by DIY couples with blogs (Young House Love and Chris Loves Julia) and both cover a wide variety of topics related to DIY, home, renovating, etc. I follow each of their accounts/blogs and it’s fun to get another perspective of their DIY journey through podcasts. It’s definitely worth checking out their archives if you’re interested in any of those things!
Do you listen to podcasts? Which ones do you enjoy?
simplify the chaos 