Recently, I have been tired of music. Crazy statement, I know. Living 9 hours away from NC State, however, music can get boring after the first couple of hours. For this reason, I started to find new podcasts to listen to. This has been an exciting journey for me, allowing me to have guidance to think more critically, but also gain valuable insights on how to be the best version of myself I can. From light-hearted podcasts to deep intellectual podcasts, I have collected a few creators that resonate with me, and I want to share my list with those interested in finding something new, or if you’re also tired of music!
Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlin
This is the one podcast that I listened to years before I was even a podcast girl. This partially comes from growing up watching Emma Chamberlin on YouTube in her early days and then feeling Emma’s growth into a new creative outlet syncing with my own growth from an adolescent to a young adult. Emma covers a vast amount of topics, ranging from her trend predictions to advice sessions and even special guest features. Emma’s outlook on different aspects of life is always interesting, and Emma is constantly making new realizations and coming to new conclusions each episode. It is hard to choose even a few episodes to highlight. Still, a few of my top favorites that I find myself coming back to are her spiritual awakening talk with Lisa Miller (November 9th, 2023), Limiting Beliefs (January 28th, 2024), and Great Art Takes Time (September 10th, 2023), as well as her countless different advice sessions that cover anything you could think of.
Pantsuit Politics (Sara Holland and Beth Silvers)
It can be daunting when a podcast discusses politics, and for many, it is reasonable to opt out of listening to political podcasts. Many people use podcasts for relaxation, which is the opposite of what is happening worldwide. Sarah Holland and Beth Silvers are from Kentucky, which is one of the reasons this podcast resonates with me so profoundly. Being from Tennessee helps me relate to these women who are also from the true south. They truly understand how to decipher between acknowledging opposing views and standing up tall for their beliefs that are potentially being challenged. These women are brilliant speakers on issues from a place of passion and deeply understand the content from multiple perspectives.
Wild Geese with Anna Corrine
Wild Geese is THE podcast of the year. Named after the famous poem “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver, every episode is a journey. The host Anna Corrine brings together quotes, poetry, and her insight to reach beautiful conclusions about deep concepts and ways of life. What I love about this podcast is that it is never taken in one long take. But rather a compilation of days of work, building on ideas to ultimately come to a seamless compilation of her ideas on a specific topic. Additionally, Anna finds some of the most relevant, beautiful, and intentional quotes in these podcasts that show her attention to detail and research, but also perfectly tie together the message. There are two episodes in particular that I have re-listened to at least three times in the past couple of weeks, simply because they are so beautifully curated. First, Corrine’s episode discussing decentering men brings attention to unintentional biases and inherent societal standards that must be addressed to progress as a society.
Another episode I love, and am currently rewatching as I write, is her episode “How Life Changes When You Realize the Rules are Made Up” from August 5th. This episode discusses the importance of having your own agency, but also acknowledges that one of the only ways to learn a concept or process is by actually doing said activity. Another topic that really stuck with me was that you do not have to know everything about the activity to dive in and figure it out. Overall, Anna Corrine has some refreshing insight and interesting takes on ethical, moral, and philosophical topics. If there were one podcast I could recommend to anyone, it would be Wild Geese.
The Mel Robbins Podcast
This is a new addition to my podcast library, but for very good reasons. Mel Robbins is an author and lawyer known for her famous TED Talks. She creates podcast episodes that tell the truth, straight up, and from a lens of self-reflection and growth. Her episode “8 Things to Tell Yourself Every Morning” single-handedly changed the way I wake up every morning. I have found that using these eight phrases has given me a more positive outlook on each day.
The Polyester Podcast (Ione Gamble and Gina Tonic)
Another new addition to my podcast library, this podcast was recommended to me by my sister, and for good reason. This podcast is lighthearted, while also discussing serious topics simultaneously. Ione Gamble and Gina Tonic provide fresh takes on hot topics, and they are also so witty. In this political climate, it can be relaxing to listen to political issues but from a fresh, upbeat standpoint that does not dismiss humor in times of hardship. Humor is a vessel that holds a lot of power. The Polyester Podcast integrates humor effectively to emphasize points of weakness and provide essential insights into current situations.
Overall, there are so many podcasts out in today’s media, and I think there is a good reason for this. It can be beneficial for people like me, who struggle to find time to read for pleasure, just to be able to listen to something insightful while walking to class or making the long drive back home. Podcasts are a wonderful technological development that allow for deeper thinking, but also valuable insights and information that can be utilized across all facets of life.