Hey everybody! Today’s post is going to be short-ish and sweet. I’m new to podcasts and have only been really listening to a few since the beginning of 2017. I don’t have a very long commute to or from work (it’s only about 20 minutes), so I never thought I had any use for listening to podcasts or audiobooks in the car.
Turns out I was wrong. I never listen on my way to work, but on my way home, I like to hear something other than top 40 radio. I also listen on my way to visit my brother almost every weekend, and he’s about an hour away from me–I get a lot of listening done then.
I’m subscribed to a handful of podcasts, but I find myself only listening to two lately: Happier with Gretchen Rubin and Side Hustle School.
Happier
Happier is a podcast by self-imrovement author Gretchen Rubin and her sister Elizabeth Craft. Gretchen lives in New York and thanks to the magic of technology co-hosts each episode every week with her sister Elizabeth, a TV writer in the Los Angeles/Hollywood area.
Each episode is based loosely around a topic that can help make your life happier (hence the name). The sisters always share a “try this at home” idea, a “happiness hack” usually submitted by a listener, a “happiness stumbling block”, and then they award one gold star and one demerit for the week. In between full episodes, Gretchen does “A Little Happier” and gives short and simple tips to make your life just that–a little happier.
The podcast, as many others do, has a sponsor or two each week, but the ads aren’t totally obnoxious.
I really enjoy listening to this one because it’s just full of positivity, yet remains very real–I can’t think of many people who would admit to wearing sweatpants to work or having a Candy Crush addiction, but Elizabeth has done both.
You don’t have to have read any of Gretchen’s books to understand what’s going on, which is great, but I would definitely recommend checking out her Four Tendencies quiz to find out where you fall because that does get referenced sometimes. (I’m an Obliger, BTW. Anybody who knows me could tell you that.)
Each episode is just shy of an hour long, so plan accordingly if you want to listen to an entire episode. I usually save these for my drives to my brother, but I have been known to listen to one over the course of a couple of drives home from work.
Side Hustle School
Side Hustle School is hosted by Chris Guillebeau and is part of Gretchen Rubin’s Onward Project to try to create a network of podcasts to improve one’s life.
Chris uploads a new episode every single day and has committed to doing so for all of 2017. Most podcasts get one episode a week out, but so far, he’s kept his word and posted every day.
Each episode is usually under 10 minutes, so I can listen to a couple on my way home from work. In each episode, Chris shares a story about somebody who’s created a successful side hustle–a secondary income stream outside of one’s primary job. He definitely has a knack for storytelling and I haven’t found a single episode to be boring, even if it’s something I’d never consider doing (like selling worms or reviewing fish tanks).
If you’re looking for inspiration to start your own side hustle to supplement your income, this is a great resources. If you just want to hear a cool story every day, this is also a great one to listen to.
What about you? What are your favorite podcasts? What would you recommend I check out when I have a chance?
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- On my recent hiatus… - June 3, 2017
- My favorite podcasts - April 10, 2017
- Review: Own It by Sallie Krawcheck (B4B) - April 9, 2017
- My favorite quote - March 1, 2017
- 17 for 2017 - February 22, 2017
- My journey into reusable products - February 15, 2017
- About Blogging for Books - February 12, 2017
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