11 Inspiring Podcasts That Are Self-Care For Your Soul
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Remember that episode of Sex and the City where Carrie Bradshaw divulged that she loves reading Vogue while standing in her kitchen and eating Saltines smeared with grape jelly? She dubbed it her SSB (“secret single behavior”). That ep has managed to stick with me whether I’m single or not.
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Nowadays, SSB has a new name — self-care. It’s a way to take a quiet moment, recharge and get some inspiration. So, what’s my SSB? Working on a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle while listening to inspirational podcasts. Just give me a quiet Friday night, my coziest pajamas, a puzzle of a bucolic New England scene, some earbuds playing an Oprah interview with Deepak Chopra, and I am in heaven.
For me, listening to podcasts is the perfect way to unwind and then get motivated to tackle my perpetual to-do list. Plus, no matter how burnt out I may feel, I’m always able to find a new podcast to keep me inspired. There are literally thousands of podcasts to choose from, but of course, being spoiled for choice has its pros and cons. How do you find the perfect podcast to lift you up faster than you can say “Oprah is my spirit animal”? Check out these nine podcasts to keep you going every single day.
Super Soul
If we’re going to talk about inspiration, we need to start with its reigning queen: Oprah Winfrey. Her podcast, SuperSoul, features great thinkers and leaders of our time, ranging from former first lady Michelle Obama to the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh; as if Winfrey alone isn’t motivational enough.
Unspoken
This podcast’s tagline says it all: “Why saying the unsaid is one of the hardest and most important things we will ever do.” Cohosted by Ruthie Lindsey, a speaker and author, and Miles Adcox, a self-described “expert on emotional fitness,” Unspoken isn’t afraid to dive into vulnerability with guests such as actor Sophia Bush and writer Jedidiah Jenkins.
Dear Therapists with Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch
If you love mental health deep dives, Dear Therapists is the pod for you. Each episode gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective of a session with the hosts, therapists Lori Gottlieb and Guy Winch, where they give concrete advice to everyday people and check back in to see how it went. These are episodes you can sink into and learn deeply from.
You Are Here
Rachel Rhee is a cancer survivor, management consultant-turned-life coach, and the host of You Are Here, a podcast featuring “conversations with people who have courageously taken the road less traveled.” With episodes on everything from professional topics like burnout and career changes to journaling and relationships, Rhee’s goal is to meet listeners “where you are — and where you’d like to be.”
The Minimalists
You know how some people claim all you need is a tiny house and, like, two shirts to be happy? The hosts of The Minimalists are those people. Hosts Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus, and T.K. Coleman discuss everything from relationships to addiction while focusing on living simpler, more meaningful lives.
Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert
This podcast accompanied the launch of Gilbert’s 2016 book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, and if you haven’t read that book, run to your nearest bookstore and get a copy immediately. Magic Lessons is a miniseries, featuring 21 episodes full of lessons on living a more creative and purposeful life, with titles including “Pursue Your Passions Like a Mofo” and “You Have a Screaming, Not a Calling.”
Good Life Project
Good Life Project claims it can help you live a “purpose-drenched life,” and I am totally buying it. This podcast boasts a list of heavy-hitters as guests, including New York Times best-selling authors Brené Brown and Tim Ferriss.
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin started her lifelong pursuit of contentment with her memoir The Happiness Project. In Happier, the author delivers additional tips to living a fulfilling life on this podcast along with her sister, Elizabeth Craft, who lovingly dubs Rubin her “happiness bully.”
The Marie Forleo Podcast
For advice on your career, love and everything in between, Marie Forleo is your gal. She was named by Oprah Winfrey as the next thought leader of our generation, after all. The Marie Forleo Podcast says it can help you build a business and a life you’ll love. More of both, please.
The Mindbodygreen Podcast
If you think that smoothie bowls are as nourishing as meditation, The Mindbodygreen Podcast will speak to your wellness-loving soul. Featuring conversations with nutritionists, entrepreneurs, doctors and health pioneers, this podcast will motivate you to take care of your mind, body and soul.
10% Happier
Did your worst moment in life happen in public? You’re not alone — ABC news anchor Dan Harris experienced an on-air panic attack, which led him down a path of self-betterment. On Ten Percent Happier, Harris explores methods of training the mind with meditation pioneers, neuroscientists, psychologists and mental health experts.
Before you go, check out these books on manifesting your dream life:
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