In the past couple of years I started listening to podcasts.  The odd friend would ask if I’d listened to this one or that one and I began to think perhaps I should give them a go.

Originally, my ‘saved’ library was filled with self-help, mindfulness and parenting.  I would set my ironing board up and get through the week’s laundry while learning how to ‘let go’ and ‘simplify my life’.

While I’ve always been open to new ways of thinking and organizing my life, before long I went looking into other genres and I was opened up to a whole new world of podcasts…. Crime.  I bet you weren’t expecting that!

I started working my way through series after series of serial killers, pathological liars and unsolved mysteries.  Once I’d finish one series, I’d be looking up the highest rating list for the next.

Occasionally I’d feel guilty that my podcast time was no longer educational and more entertaining (if you could say crime is entertaining!). I begin to shift my thoughts from ‘I should be listening to…’ to ‘I’d really like to hear about…’

I started to enjoy long drives or cleaning the house because I could listen to story after story, exploring other people’s lives.  No matter what was happening in my own life, I could delve into someone else’s.

Over the years my repertoire of podcast subscriptions has grown and changed, and I thought I would share with you 5 podcasts that I have enjoyed in the past 5 years.

  1. The Moth. Did you know that presenting short stories to a live audience is an actual thing?  Like karaoke, or poetry recital?  The Moth is a podcast that presents each episode with a theme.  Anything from moving to a new house, to anxiety, to getting your first job… the stories and touching and engaging and from REAL life.  If you’re looking to escape your thoughts for an hour, take a listen.
  2. No Filter with Mia Freedman. I must admit I’m a bit of a Mia fan.  She is real and tells things as they are without bias or opinion.  She doesn’t just interview celebrities, she often talks to people like you or I, the only difference is that these people have lived through extraordinary experiences.  I like to pick and choose which interviews I listen to, but there is always something for me to enjoy.
  3. Separate Bathrooms and other handy marriage tips. Presented by Cam and Ali Daddo, I really like this idea for a podcast.  Perhaps having been through a divorce myself, looking at how to keep a relationship afloat is important to me.  As I say to parents, you don’t have to have something broken to seek help to fix it – maintenance is important.  These two are brutally honest and have had quite a rocky path themselves.  I love their openness and honesty.
  4. Ladies, We Need To Talk with Yumi Stynes. I wouldn’t call myself a feminist, but there’s something empowering about this podcast if you’re a chick.  No topic is tabu, in fact I often find myself jaw wide open as I listen to these interviews and explorations into things that women experience everyday but rarely talk about.  Not one for the kids, or husbands to be honest.
  5. Australian True Crime with Meshel Laurie and Emily Webb. Ok, I told you I love crime so thought I’d throw this one in! I love Meshel Laurie and had no idea she was a crime buff.  She teamed up with crime author Emily Webb and together they interview the most fascinating people.  Not just criminals, but retired detectives, victims of crime and families of those who lost love ones.  Some stories are fascinating and give me such faith in our criminal system. Some stories are truly horrific and make me question how some people sleep at night.  Always a fascinating story, if that’s your thing.

So, there you have it, my favorite podcasts as of January 2020.  Making the ironing less painful and giving me some time out from the real world.

Have you got any great podcasts to share?