Podcasts – What I’m Listening To NOW!

Podcasts have me acting like a sneaky teenager. You can find me:

1. Hiding out in my bedroom
2. Taking drives to nowhere in particular
3. Sitting in the car in my garage for longer than is necessary
4. Taking long showers (yes, I listen in the shower)
5. Staying up later than is recommended

These are just some of the ways I am giving into my long-standing obsession with podcasts. I. Can’t. Get. Enough.

And it does motivate me to get work done around the house – it’s like a little reward while I’m cleaning up the kitchen or straightening bedrooms. From self-help to true crime, podcasts have transformed how I get my fix. I have long been an avid reader and I really love a good book. Podcasts have turned something I love into a full-blown obsession – especially when it’s true crime. I mean, have you listened to Dirty John? There was no way I was pausing in the middle of one of those episodes. I binge listened and spent a good day or two saying, “What?!?” and, “of course that happened! He’s Crazy!” to no one but myself.

I mean, COME ON! Some of the people in these stories just need someone to knock some common sense into them!

And then there is the other end of the spectrum. The self-help and business podcasts that I love to listen to when I’m looking for inspiration, wanting to brush up on business, change my mindset, or learn more about life, business, family, and myself.

SHOP THE TOP MUST-HAVES OF 2018

I can’t pick just one genre or podcast. I’m all over the place – similar to my daily life. Hands in a lot of things and lots of varied interests. So I decided not to break it down. There is no elusive ‘Top 10’. You’re getting all my favorites in one list and it’s a good one!

Top Recommended Podcasts

• COLD: The Case of Susan Powell

ok…I, like every other Utahan followed this case as it unfolded. I have felt from day one that Susan Powell’s husband Josh killed her…and the cops just let him go. I don’t know about you, but I think this is a pretty common feeling from the general public. As a person who’s just hearing about something on the news, I feel it’s uncommon to feel like you have all the information available. And when there are holes, sometimes you may feel that not enough is being done. But as this podcast has unfolded, the length that investigators have gone to in this case to find Susan has been astonishing. On the other side, the things that have been revealed about Josh are unsettling, dark, and sinister. And don’t even get me started about his dad…this one is a doozy in all the best ways and is DEFINITELY worth a listen.

 

• BETTER THAN HAPPY: With Jody Moore

Because I need something to balance out all the true crime. And honestly? I love that this is a faith-based podcast. She’s a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a certified life coach, and she tells it like it is. Jodi covers everything: happiness, confidence, self-worth, money, health, relationships, and even your contribution to the world. Can you see how all of these are wrapped up together? It’s so good.

 

• DR. DEATH: 33 Patients. A Charming Surgeon. A Spineless System.

You’re supposed to feel safe when you go to the doctor, right? Well, this podcast is about a doctor in Dallas who believed, by his own admission, that he was the very best in the state and in reality, left patients worse off than when he found them. Sometimes even resulting in death. The last thing that has anyone feeling safe. And all they had to protect them was a system ill-equipped to stop the madness.

 

• TALK TO ME TAYLA: Business, Motherhood, and So Much More!

When Layla and I started this thing, we weren’t sure where it was going to go. But we knew we wanted to get out there and talk about some of the things no one else was talking about. Rewind 5 years and what would we want to hear or be taught when we were just starting out? Throw in motherhood, lady problems, and business and you’ve basically described the interior of our brains. We don’t know if/when we’ll continue but there are 25 episodes that are totally worth a listen.

• CRIME JUNKIE: Be Weird. Be Rude. Stay Alive.

Named one of the best true-crime podcasts of 2018 by Rolling Stone, Crime Junkie is my newest obsession. Every Monday, Ashley Flowers will tell you about whatever crime she’s been obsessing over that week in a way that sounds like you’re sitting around talking crime with your best friends. The storytelling is straightforward and free of rabbit holes so the cases stay suspenseful and are easy to follow. And because they’re only 30 minutes, you can finish these in the car on the way to pick up or work!

 

• HAPPIER WITH GRETCHEN RUBIN

Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She’s known for her ability to distill and convey complex ideas with humor and clarity, in a way that’s accessible to a wide audience. She’s a published author, friends with Oprah, and talks about human nature and happiness with her sister, Elizabeth Craft, who is often-time her guinea pig. If you need a daily pick-me-up – this one is for you!

 

• UP AND VANISHED: What Happened to Tara Grinstead?

Payne Lindsey dives into the disappearance of former beauty queen and teacher, Tara Grinstead. Reporting on the disappearance as the investigation progressed, this podcast was insane. She disappeared in a super small town where roots ran deep but secrets were buried even deeper. And once you’ve made your way through that minefield, check out season 2…things are just getting started.

 

• DIRTY JOHN: John Meehan: Con Artist and Sociopath

This one had me audibly responding to the stupidity and craziness of it all. Debra Newell is a successful interior designer. She meets John Meehan, a handsome man who seems to check all the boxes: attentive, available, just back from a year in Iraq with Doctors Without Borders. But her family doesn’t like him and he gives them bad vibes. Pretty soon, they start getting awful texts from their mom’s phone…and that’s just the beginning. This one definitely kept me on the edge of my seat!

 

• OPRAH’S SUPERSOUL CONVERSATIONS: Everyone Has A Soul Story

Most times the news is about who cheated who, who messed up, what actor is headed back to rehab…yawn. Oprah sits down with thought-leaders, writers, artists, health and wellness experts and goes deep. These conversations are mini soul sessions that seriously make you think about the bigger questions in life while also helping you see your story clearer and understanding your purpose. Oprah didn’t get to where she is by accident. And it’s proven time and time again in this podcast as she artfully draws never-before-heard narratives from some of the most incredible people on the planet.

 

• COLD CASE FILES: Based on the Emmy-nominated series on A&E

Don’t listen to this if you aren’t a fan of unsolved mysteries – it’s called ‘cold case’ for a reason! But I love listening to this and hearing about mysteries that have pretty much baffled authorities and rocked communities all over the U.S.

 

• RISE PODCAST WITH RACHEL HOLLIS

No B.S., No empty advice. RISE is a constant bold conversation that Rachel has with fellow entrepreneurs that will give you real-life tangible takeaways. I got so sick of everyone talking around specifics. No one gives the dirt like Mrs. Hollis. And I love the entrepreneurs that she has in her inner circle. Learn about other moguls, other struggles, and business.

 

• MY FAVORITE MURDER: Stay Sexy. Don’t Get Murdered.

This is basically all true-crime junky’s motto. My Favorite Murder is the hit true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Since its inception in early 2016, the show has broken download records and sparked an enthusiastic, interactive “Murderino” fan base. Foul-mouthed (consider this your warning) and funny, these ladies are anything but reverent about serial killers. They’re obsessed – in a healthy-ish way with all of it: the method, the theories, the madness, and the murderers themselves. The episodes are long (you can skip past almost every 30 min intro full of ads) and get to the meat pretty easy. They’re just 2 chicks trying to find the silver lining.

 

• AWESOME WITH ALISON

There’s no one with as much energy as Alison. You’ll hear her say over and over: “my ONLY goal for it is to help you feel more awesome each time you listen. Whether it’s by laughing at me, laughing with me, or learning something new and helpful, I hope you feel more empowered and awesome than you did before!” And it’s true! She’s a branding guru, awesomeness-enabler, and a bonafide boss who reinforces your right to live your life by design – whatever that looks like.

 

LISTENING TO NOW:

• BROKEN HARTS

On March 26, 2018 Jennifer Hart drove off a cliff with her wife and several of their six adopted children. None of the victims in the car was wearing a seat belt. Jen, who had been at the wheel, had an elevated blood alcohol level, while Sarah and two of the kids had an ingredient commonly found in Benadryl in their system. The speedometer was stuck at 90 miles per hour. This podcast asks the questions everyone is asking: What happened that day in March? And why did it happen? I’ll tell you guys more as I listen but so far, this one is so sad…

 

I’ll continue to update this list and keep it fresh but I’m also asking for a favor in return! Are you guys listening to anything good? If there is something I HAVE to listen to, tell me below!

 

xx Tara