I never used to find the concept of podcasts appealing. But, after testing different podcasters and episodes, I’ve quickly become hooked. You can rest assured that, nine times out of ten, when my headphones are in, I’m focused on one of the many podcasts that I listen to religiously. This new year, I’ve been finding it refreshing to add a new selection of podcasts to my rotation to help me reflect on my goals, as well as to get exposure to fresh perspectives and topics. That being said, I’m a firm believer that podcast listening does not have to be solely an intellectual endeavour. You can feel empowered and productive without listening to academic shows which will most likely tire you out without variety. Creating a well-rounded selection of podcasts is my key to making sure I’m helping myself stay on top of my interests, goals, and aspirations, as well as just listening to things that make me happy and fulfilled.
- The Psychology of Your 20s
I sincerely recommend this podcast to anyone and everyone, as the exploration of relationships, goal-making, and emotions is vital to understanding ourselves and how we want to lead our lives. Whether it’s about how to set boundaries with other people, how to get in touch with your own emotions better, or the diet culture, this podcast really is paramount to anyone who wants to understand themselves and their own habits better. I specifically recommend episode 65 about the psychology of New Year’s resolutions, as it gives a genuinely refreshing and helpful outlook on how to make achievable, realistic changes to your life in the New Year.
- Today in Focus by The Guardian
Since I moved to university, I’ve found that I stopped watching the news as much as I did at home, which (especially as an IR student) makes me feel disconnected from the world. ‘Today in Focus’ is an accessible news source, as each daily episode focuses on one key topic, with easily digestible ins and outs of why it’s interesting and what you should know about it. Sometimes listening to a pure news broadcast is just not it, so this is a great middle-ground that keeps it entertaining and educative and makes me feel productive all the meanwhile.
- The Receipts Podcast
Sometimes you don’t have the energy to be totally focused on a podcast, and want to chill out instead. When I’m in that mood (which is honestly the majority of the time), ‘The Receipts Podcast’ is my go-to. The three female hosts make you feel privy to your own empowered friend group, offering topics such as girl talk, pop culture, and relationship dilemmas. It’s so easy to listen to and genuinely gives me a good laugh, and the over 300 episodes available make it a great binge podcast.
- Growing with the Flow
This show is another great balance between chilled out but still insightful and empowering. The host, Nayna Florence, covers topics she feels are pertinent to young adults, such as university advice, burnout, how trends affect us, as well as just random things that are happening in her life. The audience interaction through Instagram polls makes this podcast feel really collaborative as you’re hearing the opinions of a whole community instead of solely the podcaster, making the topics discussed feel all the more pertinent and relatable. I especially enjoy the ‘Big Sister Advice’ episodes from this show!