8 podcasts you should probably listen to

Do you listen to podcasts? A year ago, my answer would have been no. But somewhere in the last year, I started subscribing to a few on iTunes and now I can’t seem to stop listening. My tastes are wide-ranging and probably a little confusing, but I keep listening to my favorites and always think Everyone should be listening to this! and so I’m sharing the list with you so you can get on board.

Disclaimer: I have a really odd collection listed below. I do not assume you’ll enjoy every single one I recommend, but I hope there’s at least one you fall in love with. I realize my tastes are, um, eclectic.

Girl’s Girls with Brittany Gibbons 
This one is like talking to your best friends from high school who have no shame. I love it. I’m going to say it’s probably not for everyone though. If you’re not a fan of cursing or have sensitive ears when it comes to things married people do, skip this one. I am a fan of cursing and do not have sensitive ears so I am a big fan of this really random podcast.

Terrible, Thanks for Asking
I started following Nora McInerny, the host of Terrible, Thanks for Asking, on Instagram a few years ago. She wrote It’s Okay to Laugh about losing her husband and father within a few months of each other. She’s the founder of the Hot Young Widow’s Club and really funny. I love people who can share horrible, hard things and laugh in the midst of their pain. I think it’s the only way to survive, actually. Her new podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking is heartbreaking and wonderful, hard to listen to and hopeful. I know that’s a weird mix, but I HIGHLY recommend this one. It’s such great storytelling.

The Big Boo Cast
Two authors I love (Melanie Shankle and Sophie Hudson) chat about the most random things and are hilarious. This is just two women who enjoy each other, are very quick witted, love Jesus, and live very normal lives but find so much joy in their every day madness. The talk about things I don’t care about (college football) and suddenly I care about it because they’re very engaging. They’re not very consistent with their episodes so whenever I see a new one pop up, I get excited. Also, I binge listened to tons of their older ones when I was redoing the bathroom floor in our old house and for weeks after, I couldn’t walk into that bathroom without thinking about them. That’s weird, but I felt the need to share it.

Awesome with Alison
Alison (@thealisonshow) on Instagram is new to podcasting. I’ve been following her for years on social media and was intrigued when she started a podcast. She’s still working out how to tell stories and share on this media, but I leave every episode with something enjoyable like a book recommendation or a challenge. She’s not polished but I still like the short episodes she’s creating.

This American Life
If you listen to podcasts, you’re probably already listening to The American Life. As someone who wants to be a good storyteller and really appreciates that skill in others, this podcast is it. I will be honest and say I skip the political ones. I just can’t take more politics talk and so I just delete those without listening. I need my podcast-listening time to be more calming and politics aren’t doing that for me right now.

Young House Love Has a Podcast
Listening to a podcast about home decor sounds the opposite of exciting, but I promise this one is good. Really good. I’ve read John and Sherry’s blog Young House Love for years and was curious when they started a podcast. I wanted them to be successful, but really? Could this work? Actually, YES, it can. It really works and is so enjoyable to listen to. They talk home design, laugh a lot, and keep me entertained. If you like their writing style, you’ll love their podcast too.

Gilmore Guys
This summer as I was prepping for the new Gilmore Girl episodes, I stumbled upon the Gilmore Guys. It’s two guys watching episodes of the Gilmore Girls and talking about it. It’s hilarious. They’re not currently doing anymore Gilmore Guys episodes because the series is over and they already covered the new releases, but if you happen to be re-watching any Gilmore Girls episodes, download this podcast and listen to their commentary on any episode. It’s silly but entertaining.

RV Family Travel Atlas
RV Family Travel Atlas gets me excited about summer travel. I pick and choose which episodes I listen to (some of them I’m not interested in), but if you’re into RV travel, camping, or plan to be one day, this podcast is full of information, ideas, and talk you’ll be interested in.

This is also a plea for your favorites. I listen to podcasts at two specific times: when I’m driving/shopping alone and when I’m exercising. I need high engagement suggestions that make me forget about the miles I’m running or help me ignore all the people of Walmart as I grocery shop. I don’t want politics. I want smart, I want funny, I want a little inappropriate. I like good storytelling.

What do you love to listen to? I’ve been collecting suggestions and recently subscribed to My Favorite Murder, WTF with Marc Maron, You Must Remember This, and Reply All but haven’t listened to any of them yet.