It can be hard to practice self-care when you’re always running from one class to the other, burying your nose in textbooks and drinking more coffee than you should. When you don’t have time for a long walk or the money for a day at the spa, this is where podcasts come in. All you have to do is put on some headphone and you can listen to them anywhere, while you’re commuting to school or to work, or during a short study break. In case you don’t know where to get started, here is a list of five podcasts that will brighten your day.
1. Chasing Joy
As the name implies, this podcast is all about making more room for joy in your life. Georgie Morley, a blogger and content creator living in Nantucket, shares a lot of her own experiences with disordered eating and depression as well as the lessons she’s learned on the way. She also invites other women to share their own self-growth journey. She talks about anything and everything that has to do with physical and mental health, from letting go of limiting beliefs – what you think you know about yourself – to building your confidence or eating intuitively. She’s never preachy and always genuine and curious. Listening to her feels a lot like sitting in a coffee shop with a friend.
Where to start: #64: The History of Diet Culture, #58: Celebrating What’s On Your Plate, #71: Finding Purpose in your Career and Letting go of Limiting Beliefs
2. That’s So Maven
Davida Lederle is a yoga instructor and the blogger and youtuber behind The Healthy Maven, a health and wellness platform. What is incredibly refreshing about Davida is that she recognizes that health is not, as she says herself, “one size fits all”. She’s all about nourishing the body AND the soul. In her podcast, she talks about how to maintain healthy relationships, find a work-life balance and practice self-acceptance. As she’s struggled herself with anxiety and body image, she doesn’t shy away from being vulnerable, and she is always relatable. She’s not there to tell you how to live your life, but rather inspire you to find out what makes you feel whole, whatever it is.
Three episodes to listen to: #33: Inclusivity in Fitness and Health at Any Size, #48: Embracing Female Sexuality, #59: Letting Go of Perfectionism
3. Nourishing Women Podcast
Meg Dixon and Victoria Myers are not your regular dietitians. In their podcast, the two women take a holistic approach to wellness and promotes body positivity and health without obsession. Most of their episodes revolve around the relationship between food and wellness and the difference between eating and nourishing yourself. It’s not about drinking a green juice every morning or making room for superfoods on your plate, but about being more conscious of how food can affect your body and your mind. Meghan and Victoria are not only co-hosts but friends, which means that the podcast never gets boring. Where to start: #17: How to Live Intuitively, #50: Intuitive Eating, #59: Setting Boundaries.
4. The Mindful Kind
These bite-sized episodes are perfect for busy people who want to overcome challenges through mindfulness. There is literally an episode for everything, from dealing with rejection, practicing patience, improving productivity, or even studying more effectively. Rachael Kable invites you to look within, something we often forget to do in our everyday life when we’re busy worrying about everything else. The thing is, every intention starts with you, and if something is preventing you from moving forward, a third cup of coffee or a season of Friends may get you through the day, but it won’t get to the root of the problem.
Where to start: #119: Mindful Studying, #131: Mindful Exploration of Emotions, #141: Conscious Consumption.
5. The Wellness Wonderland
This is the podcast to listen to when the weather and the deadlines get to you and you start wondering if you’ll ever get through your finals. Katie Dalebout invites inspired and inspiring people on her show to talk about they are most passionate about and listening to them will make you feel empowered. While the focus of the podcast is still wellness, Katie and her guests bring attention to everything that should make us feel good about ourselves, from work to relationships, movement and nutrition. Each episode will teach you something different about yourself, what drives you, and what you can do keep moving in the right direction. Passion really is contagious.
Where to start: #235: Emily Kinney, #111: Emily Nolan, #218: Claire Fountain