I am late to jump on the podcast bandwagon. You should know, that’s typical for me. If something is popular, I tend to steer clear of it until it’s not so cool anymore.
Podcasts took me awhile to come around to. Why? Because it felt like too much work to search through the thousands of podcasts to find one that I liked. And I am picky. I have spent seventeen years working in the radio industry so not only does the content need to be good, but so does the production. And let’s face it: not all podcasts are created equal. Some were made in their host’s garage and it is glaringly obvious.
But I digress.
Lately I started recommending podcasts to friends. Sometimes I just recommend an episode or two. Other times, I recommend they subscribe to the entire podcast. And I wanted to share some of my favorites with you. But only if you’ll return the favor and share some of your favorites with me, in the comments.
The Lazy Genius
The only podcast I make time for is this one. The Lazy Genius is hosted by Kendra Adachi. She’s a mom of three, lives in NC and the basic premise of her show is to help me and you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t.
She has more than 100 episodes and the topics are endless. Her Change Your Life Chicken has become a household staple, she offers tips for navigating holidays with tricky family members, helps you hire a housekeeper and everything in between.
And best of all: Kendra is relatable. She’s real, doesn’t pretend to have it all together and makes you want to be her best friend.
Bonus: her episodes are not a huge time commitment. You can easily listen to one while out running errands or home doing dishes. I recommend starting with her Summer Mindset episode.
The Next Right Thing
Do you ever suffer from decision fatigue? We’re faced with thousands of decisions every single day and that can be paralyzing. And that’s where The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman comes in.
In her short, succinct episodes, Emily has a calm about her that is so soothing, as she helps you navigate decision making. Her podcast follows a formula she created: each episode includes a thoughtful story, a little prayer and a simple next right step. Like The Lazy Genius, you can really start with any episode of The Next Right Thing. You don’t have to go in any particular order.
The Mystery Show
Brace yourself: there are only six episodes of this show. SIX. In the spirit of full disclosure, I felt you should know that first. The Mystery Show by Gimlet Media is delightful, random and quirky. Host Starlee Kine spends each episode solving a different mystery.
Don’t expect Dateline NBC stories. These are mysteries about belt buckles and Britney Spears, video stores and vanity plates. Trust me: this podcast is a fun escape.
Julie’s Library
And here’s one for the whole family. Because who doesn’t love Mary Poppins? Julie’s Library is hosted by Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. This podcast is brand new, with producers rushing to release it earlier than planned due to COVID-19.
Julie and her daughter discuss children’s books (and wonderful words) and read some aloud. I turned it on one day when I was killing time in the car with my three kids. My 8-year-old and 6-year-old could not get enough of it. They were begging for more and have listened to each episode more than once now.
