People often question the validity and importance of podcasts. They don’t seem very interesting and can be drawn out and monotonous at times. However, when you relate the topic of time investment to podcasts, they can prove to be a vital constant in the process of investing in yourself. Personal development has to do with many influential factors. Books you read, people you meet and places you go, are all major factors that remind us to change habits, change our appearance, and eventually change our personalities. Whether for the good or bad, is debateable. Podcasts are a brilliant way to shape your personal development. Think about it, how many people can say they’ve been given a seat at the table, with popular, successful people who have mastered the art of self-help and personal development? The people, who conduct these podcasts, have invested their time and energy developing concepts and theories that have proved successful. From training your mind to being productive, to conquering your inner battles by yourself, the extent podcasts can vary are insurmountable. The ‘investment’ you make with podcasts revolves around one factor: TIME. Podcasts are completely free, and have been introduced to us, in order to impact our minds and bodies in a positive, influential sense. The great thing about them is affordability and accessibility. They are free and can be listened too in the car, on the train, or even when you do tasks such as cleaning and cooking. You get to have this rare opportunity of listening to millions of opinions on the same topic, and being able to decide for yourself, which ones have valuable advice to take on-board, which could effectively ease your mind of current worries, help you love yourself more, or just maintain a positive mind. Sometimes, people are reluctant to listen to advice from loved ones. It may be necessary and important to listen, but stubbornness and ego win over us sometimes. Personal development podcasts often deal with the same advice, and sometimes listening to an unknown person telling you things you need to hear, can ignite that spark, and prove to be a softer approach that will eventually lead up to that positive change you seek for yourself. A few podcasts I thoroughly enjoyed were:
1) Life Coach School Podcast by Brooke Castillo: These podcasts essentially teach you how to coach yourself; through any tough situation you may face in life. They range from learning the art of forgiveness to the power of planning. Here are 3 episodes that made me feel positive about conquering life’s challenges:
• Episode 6: Vulnerability vs. Victim Mentality
• Episode 75: Toxic People
• Episode 152: Fear
2) Your Kick-Ass Life Podcast by Andrea Owen: This podcast was definitely a special one for me. Andrea Owen is a life coach, who focuses on helping people conquer self-doubt, cease their negative self-talk and effectively conquer their goals. Her podcasts fuel the idea of maintaining a positive attitude. Here are 3 episodes that helped me put aside self-doubt and maintain a positive attitude:
• Episode 58: Expectation Hangover with Christine Hassler.
• Episode 60: Why we self sabotage and how to stop.
• Episode 131: 3 steps to let it go.
3) The Lively Show by Jess Lively: This podcast has been designed for ambitious, creative people. It’s relatable, motivational and raw. By the end of it, I was feeling all charged up to take on my day. Here are 3 episodes that helped me remain optimistic and positive through tough times.
• Episode TLS 139: Personal Struggles + connecting to your intuition with Dana Shultz.
• Episode TLS 198: Internal and external love and approval.
• Episode TLS 189: Quantum Living: Why we don’t have to work as hard as we think we do.
In a day, we often have many internal battles. They include faults we find with our bodies, our personalities and our individuality. Here’s hoping these, and many more podcasts can quell the internal battle and instead we millennial’s can celebrate our bodies, be content with out personalities, and be proud of our individuality. Go forth readers, and embark on an adventure filled with self-discovery. I wish you all the luck on your journey!