Hi. My name is Rebekah and I am addicted to podcasts.

In June 2013 I wrote about my love for podcasts, but in that post I only shared 4 podcasts that I was digging at the time. Well honey, I am listen to way more than 4 podcasts these days. If you haven’t jumped onto the podcast listening band wagon, then now is the time!

First things first….

What is a podcast? Simply put, it is an audio program that you can listen to at any time on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can also subscribe to be notified of new episodes. There are podcasts for all kinds of different subjects and audiences. Think of it as blogging in audio form.

How exactly do you listen to podcasts? So you’ve never actually done this before and you want some help. No problem! Laura from The Hollywood Housewife wrote an excellent tutorial to guide you through the process of searching for a podcast and subscribing.

But, Rebekah, when do you have the time to listen to a podcast??? Guys. I listen to podcasts all. the. time. My favorite times to listen are when I am cleaning, doing laundry, driving, on a walk, and grocery shopping. Podcasts make any boring task much more enjoyable. Podcasts can be an escape into a great story or a chance to further my education.

Okay, no more rambling on about the details of podcasts. Let’s get to the good stuff.

In no particular order, I present to you…

14 Podcasts I’m Seriously Digging

Podcasts I Love for the Story Telling

This American Life – Each week they pick a different theme and share real life stories based on that theme. A particularly touching episode featured a man who was diagnosed with autism as an adult.  He and his wife shared their journey and how he is struggling to transform himself in order to save their marriage.  Another fascinating episode followed an Obama impersonator who stumbled upon this new career when his look-a-like “twin” ran for office.  I like this podcast because I never know if it will make me laugh, cry, think, or all three.  Either way I know it will be good.The Longest Shortest Time –

Serial – This podcast launched this past fall and BLEW UP the world of podcasting. People who have never listened to a podcast before came flocking to the world of podcasts because of the popularity of Serial. Each season focuses on a real life event and investigates that story throughout the entire season. In the premier season, Serial presented a murder case. Did the convicted killer really do it or is he innocent? Make sure you start from the beginning!

Invisibilia – To quote the podcast, “Invisibilia is about the invisible forces that control human behavior – ideas, beliefs, assumptions, and emotions. Invisibilia interweaves narrative storytelling with scientific research that will ultimately make you see your own life differently.” I recommend listening to “How to Become Batman,” which features the story of how a blind man learned how to see again. It was purely fascinating.

StartUp – This podcast follows a man who wants to start his own business, which happens to be a podcasting network. I didn’t think that a podcast about a startup company would interest me at all, but I completely binge listened to this. It isn’t about the numbers side of business. It is about the people and the emotions. Start from the beginning!

The Longest Shortest Time – This podcast has the amazing storytelling that you would expect from This American Life, but it focuses on unique stories from parenthood. Just today I listened to the episode “The Emperor’s New Onesie,” which told the real life story of a mom who struggled to get her daughter to wear clothes. It went so far that her daughter was completely naked for a month.

Podcasts That Fill My Reality TV Needs

AfterBuzz TV’s The Bachelor After Show – I really enjoy zoning out and enjoying some good “fluff” while watching The Bachelor. We all need a little fluff in our lives, right? Sadly, none of my friends seem to enjoy The Bachelor franchise the same way that I do. Thankfully, I’m able to extend the Bachelor experience by listening to the recaps and behind-the-scenes insights from this podcast.

Reality Reunion – This brand new podcast only has one episode, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The episode was an interview with Chris Lowe, a previous bachelor on The Bachelor. The podcast is suppose to feature more interviews with old reality TV stars. I find the life of reality TV stars to be fascinating. At one moment they are your average Joe and the next minute they are crazy famous (but usually just for about 5 minutes). I hope they explore that complexity more in future episodes.

Ear Biscuits – This podcast is for all the YouTube fans out there! Rhett and Link, YouTube stars themselves, dig deep in their interviews with popular YouTubers. They discuss each star’s childhood, start on YouTube, philosophy behind their channel, and how they are processing their internet fame. As someone who enjoys YouTube and create online content myself, I find these interviews fascinating.

Podcasts I Love for Blogging

How They Blog – This podcast features blogging tips, tricks, and interviews with successful bloggers. I was interviewed for episode #35 and we discussed how bloggers can harness the power of Pinterest. Of course I don’t like this podcast just because I was a guess. I’ve learned a lot from it and I recommend listening to episode 15 to learn about building an email list.

Smart Passive Income – I have learned so much from this podcast about blogging and running an online business. I haven’t listened for awhile because I was getting a bit burnt out on information overload. However, I highly recommend this podcast to bloggers. If you aren’t able to attend a blogging conference, you can access a ton of great information just from this podcast!

Podcasts I Love Just Because!

Spilled Milk – Each week the hosts taste test foods, talk about their childhood memories eating those foods, and share their insights. You don’t have to be a foodie to appreciate Spilled Milk because they are hilarious! My favorite episodes are when they are talking about ordinary food like orange soda (episode 162), mint chocolate (#167), and vanilla ice cream (#153).

A Slob Comes Clean – This podcast is all about cleaning and decluttering from a woman who hates to do it. Her practical tips and insights are great for those who struggle in this area. Plus she is funny. I recommend starting at the beginning to hear her story of how she started her blog, which ultimately was the start of her trying to get her house under control.

Inspired to Action – This podcast is dedicated to inspiring mothers. If you are feeling overwhelmed and unequipped, listen to “My Story” (episode #37). Pretty much every mother in the world should listen to that episode. It is powerful and will leave you feeling refreshed and confident to start the next day.

Podcast I Love the MOST!

Sorta Awesome – In case you missed last week’s announcement, I am a regular co-host on this brand new podcast! Sorta Awesome was created by Megan Tietz and each week she will celebrate her “awesome of the week” along with her co-host. Then they will dive into to listener questions. I have thoroughly enjoyed each episode so far and can say with confidence that I would be a dedicated listener even if I wasn’t part of Megan’s co-host team.

My second episode (#04) was released today. Megan and I geeked out a bit about all the podcasts that we love, which inspired this blog post. You can click here to listen in your web browser or you can search for Sorta Awesome in your podcast app to listen on your smartphone or tablet.

Here’s what we talked about and when:

02:10 – My awesome of the week
05:25 – We dig deep into Lost
13:20 – Megan’s awesome of the week
16:20 – Megan is dominating my free time from across the country
17:50 – My thoughts on House of Cards
21:00 – How podcasts have changed my life
35:00 – Listener question: favorite toddler books
40:00 – Book advice from an expert
42:56 – Reading milestones for babies
45:35 – Oh my word. Did I really sing on this podcast???

It would be fantastic to answer your questions during our next podcast! If you think of a question you would like us to consider for the show, click on the Ask Us! link on the Tumblr.

Did any of your favorite podcasts make my list? Let me know in the comments what you love to listen to!