For all the many ways motherhood changed and shaped me for the better, the one thing it did not do was make me smarter.
Nor did it make me a better version of me. In fact, it felt for many years as if my identity had been stolen and replaced with a drone whose sole purpose was to take care of other people. Day in. Day out. Any time I could have used to feed my brain or spirit was used for survival. Sleep. Eat. Fall asleep watching TV because I was too exhausted to do much else or if I did attempt to read or have an interesting conversation at any point, someone would need me. No doubt. My mental acuity survived on scraps of Marketplace and Fresh Air listened to while I cooked dinner and cleaned up. But then, along came the iPhone and the podcast app.
Suddenly, the opportunity to learn, grow, and feed my brain no matter where I am or what I’m doing came into being. Glory be to Steve Jobs.
The very first podcast I ever listened to was called Coverville. My husband actually introduced me to it. The host, Brian Ibbott, talked about covers of songs by famous artists. Next, it was the Bill Simmons podcast which mixed sports and a little pop culture. Then it was Radiolab, which explored offbeat topics with a scientific bent in a cool and quirky way. My older son loved it, too, making it perfect for car rides. By this point I felt hooked and when I listened to every available episode or caught up on the podcasts I loved, I craved more. For the first time in several years, I felt engaged, curious, excited to learn new things and able to carry on conversations that didn’t involve anything related to parenting. I was becoming fully human again.
Maybe you can’t relate. If not, I applaud you for managing to maintain your sense of self and not lose too many brain cells to mothering. If, however, you need to discover something for yourself, something that sparks your curiosity, or speaks to a specific interest and reminds you of the woman you were before you had kids or the one you’re now becoming, then, Mama, there is a podcast for you.
No matter what your interests, you can find a podcast on that topic.
Below, I’ve listed some of my personal favorites that I keep in rotation. I listen while I’m driving, sitting in the carpool line, cooking or cleaning, and pretty much all day. My kids are old enough that I can listen to pretty much anything in front of them, but I’ve also never been especially sensitive about them hearing bad words. We discuss speaking respectfully and they know they’re not allowed to use certain words. If you feel differently, or have young children that shouldn’t hear about certain topics, just be sure to listen to any of my recommendations alone first. Just in case.
I’ve listed these favorites by category, but this in no way represents the vast array of topics you can find in Apple’s Podcast app, on Stitcher, or in some of the other podcast apps available. Enjoy!
Business/Entrepreneurship/Inspiration
The James Altucher Show – The smart, quirky, curious host interviews guests from every field about their success.
The Brendon Show – Modern motivational speaker Brendon Burchard shares insights to success.
How She Really Does It – Life Coach Koren Motekaitis interviews inspiring women like Brené Brown and Danielle LaPorte who share wisdom and success tips.
News & Politics
Pod Save America – Four former aides to President Obama and their guests discuss politics, the press, and the current political landscape.
Up First – The biggest stories of the day, including a dose of pop culture, in 10 minutes.
1A – The national conversation, hosted by Joshua Johnson, with guests who will make you think, engage, and possibly see things from another angle.
Learn Something New
99% Invisible – Smooth-voiced host Roman Mars and a team of producers explore the process and power of design and how it impacts our lives.
Radiolab – Skepticism and wonder collide in this delightful show where hosts Jad Abumrad (a MacArthur Genius) and Robert Krulwich along with subject experts dive into science and culture.
Revisionist History – Author Malcolm Gladwell re-examines historical events, people, objects, and ideas to see what we missed, overlooked, or misunderstood the first time.
Slow Burn – Deep dive into topics you thought you knew like Watergate or the Clinton Impeachment along with host Leon Neyfakh.
Invisibilia – What are the unseeable forces that control human nature? This fusion of narrative storytelling and scientific method invites you to see everything differently.
This American Live – This NPR staple hosted by Ira Glass looks inside the extraordinary lives of ordinary Americans.
Hidden Brain – Shankar Vedantam uncovers the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and you’ll want to listen to his voice all day.
Mystery & True Crime
My Favorite Murder – True crime stories told by funny pals Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark.
Hollywood & Crime – An immersion in the glamour and grit of early 20th century Hollywood and the crimes that made headlines. Season 1 of this docudrama looked at the Black Dahlia case while Season 2 dives into Sharon Tate and the crimes of the Manson Family.
Unsolved Murders – Totally cheesy re-enactments with hack voice actors. A modern twist on old-time radio and a guilty pleasure.
Entertainment & Music
Id10t with Chris Hardwick – Witty host Chris Hardwick interviews guests from all things geeky.
Tiny Desk Concerts – NPR Music host Bob Boilen invites your favorite musicians to play at his desk in the NPR offices.
All Songs Considered – The week’s best new music discoveries hosted by Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton.
West Wing Weekly – Re-watch The West Wing and follow along as hosts Joshua Melina and Hrishkesh Hirway and their guests break down each episode.
Song Exploder – More Hrishkesh! Listen as musicians take apart their songs, instrument by instrument, choice by choice, and tell you how the songs were made.
Pop Culture Happy Hour – Bring it at your next dinner party after listening to a discussion of the latest music, movies, books, TV, comics, and games.
Faith & Mindfulness
On Being – The Peabody-award winning conversation about society’s big questions, hosted by Krista Tippett.
For the Love with Jen Hatmaker – The Christian author chats with guests about everything and Jesus.
Jesuitical – Each week three lay editors from America Magazine, a Jesuit publication, discuss the Catholic news of the week and invite guests to discuss world events, culture, and faith.
The Examen with Fr. James Martin – An ancient prayer practice that invites you to find God in daily life. Based on a technique outlined by St. Ignatius Loyola.
10% Happier with Dan Harris – Even skeptics will enjoy ABC news host Dan Harris as he discusses mindfulness and meditation techniques and how to incorporate them into your life with a range of guests.
What podcasts bring you joy or light your fire and keep your mind engaged? Tell us in the comments!
Thanks for the suggestions Dawn. I haven’t explored podcasts but thanks to this list I just got the app and subscribed to a few. I look forward to listening and keeping those brain cells popping!
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