Diksha Sundriyal
If you believe that you couldn’t be a better person, either you are content with yourself and are rather unambitious when it comes to that, or you are simply narcissistic! All of us are flawed; all of us have weaknesses; all of us have something that is holding us back. It could be related to our mental health or the fact that we are lazy as hell. Everyone needs a good pep talk now and then to stay on the course of becoming a better person. Podcasts are a great help in this matter and if you are on the hunt for them, you have come to the right place. Here’s the list of top self help podcasts. You can listen to several of these best self development podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or even YouTube for free.
16. 10% Happier with Dan Harris (2016- present)
One of the traits that you need to instill in yourself is optimism. Yes, it is difficult to think positive when nothing is going right, but pessimistic behaviour won’t lead you anywhere either. Besides, if you are already at your worst, you can only get better after that. Ask Dan Harris! He had a panic attack on national television and lived to tell the tale. Not only this, he learnt an important lesson from this, and has even written a book and launched an app on the subject. Do you want to know his secret? Listen to his podcast. You can find all episodes of ‘10% Happier with Dan Harris’ here.
15. Bucci Radio (2016- present)
While religion and philosophical teachings ask you to be content with what you have, you know you’ll be stunted if you don’t thirst for more. Humans would have never achieved such scientific and technological advantages if they had been satisfied with what they had. Similarly, if you want to have a better life, then start working for it. Wherever your talents may lie, if you don’t have a proper mindset, there is only so far you can go. In her podcast, Amanda Bucci talks about all the habits that we need to inculcate to become the best version of ourselves. You can listen to all episodes of ‘Bucci Radio’ here.
14. 20 Minutes with Bronwyn (2018- present)
Do you ever wonder about the unfairness in life? Do you feel about the people who are immensely talented yet aren’t so successful, but the ones you deem mediocre are doing better? Why does that happen? Well, talent isn’t the only thing you need to become successful. Confidence is another strong factor that can take you a long way. The people who are shy and don’t have effective communication skills are held back. If you are one of those people, then Bronwyn can help you with that. She has had some suffering from stage fear and communication problems. In this podcast, she wants a small part of your day so that you can be a better version of yourself. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
13. The Dave Ramsey Show (2019- present)
Money isn’t everything, but it is most things. It is also, often, the cause of our problems. We want to do so many things in life. We want to travel the world, start a business, buy a house – the list is endless. But the money is tight. Always! Despite having a steady job, somehow, you are still in debt, with next to no savings and are only making it on the basis of one paycheck to another. And this is the cause of many problems. Dave Ramsey is here to help you sort out that problem. He has some great tips with which you can manage your money, and make a better life for yourself. You can listen to all episodes of ‘The Dave Ramsey Show’ here.
12. The Lively Show (2014- present)
You can never move forward if you have a chaotic life. A messed-up desk is the sign of a messed-up life, and you can really affect the bigger things if you start paying attention to the small ones. It is actually an elaborate, yet very efficient science. In this podcast, Jess Lively talks about all these things. In every episode, she hosts an expert who gives you deep insights into the small changes you need to make in your life. Be it the food choices or the fashion statement, facing your fears or properly handling your accounts, these are simple and effective methods. You can listen to all episodes of the podcast here.
11. Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations (2017- present)
There is no one better to bring you out of the well of hopelessness and breathe motivation into your soul. For years, Oprah has been an icon, a beacon of positivity that everyone looks up to. Her own life story is a source of immense motivation. In this podcast, she not only shares her own experiences but also talks with other celebrated people who have survived their lowest moments and came out on top. Do you think you are in a unique situation and no one will understand what you’re going through? People have been through worse and turned out better. You can, too. Listen to all episodes of ‘Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations’ here.
10. The Chalene Show (2014- present)
It is the drive to be better which pushes us forward. Even if you are in a good place, you know you can do better. If you become habitual of your current routine, if you become complacent, you’ll be stuck in one place for the rest of your life. But you obviously wouldn’t want that, right? Chalene Johnson has a perfect plan for you to be healthier, wealthier and wiser. From personal grooming to good eating habits, she addresses every topic that leads you towards a better life. All episodes of ‘The Charlene Show’ are available here.
9. The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish (2015- present)
“When you know better, you do better.” Why do you think everyone was so obsessed with your education when you were young? Knowing about various things helps us make calculated decisions in life. It also helps you secure a job, so that’s a win! The thing is, as we grow up, our education converges to our subject of interest. But the knowledge of just one thing won’t help you in all walks of life. ‘The Knowledge Project’ is here to help you with that. In each episode, it covers a different topic and makes you more informed. Now, if you wonder why exactly you need to be a know-it-all, let me tell you about a few topics discussed in this podcast. Decision making, being financially smart, media manipulation, future of transportation, learning how to catch a lie, learning from your mistakes, asking questions, learning the art of conversation, and much more. An expert will guide you through these topics in every episode. You can listen to the podcast here.
8. The Fringe of It (2018- present)
Do you laugh your heart out at those millennial memes, but then feel sad because you could relate to it so much? We do have different kinds of problems, right? And look at us, we just laugh it out. Liv Purvis and Charlotte Jacklin understand your situation and are handling it just like you do — by laughing it off! But they also offer some great insights into what makes millennial life so different and how to approach the solution of our unique problems. Find out all about it in ‘The Fringe of It’. You can catch all episodes of this podcast here.
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7. The Marie Forleo Podcast (2017- present)
Everyone dreams about a better version of themselves. Some wish they were smarter, others wish they could communicate better, some wish they were braver, while others wish they could say “no” to others. There are a lot of small things that we wish to amend, that we know could seriously change our lives. In her podcast, Marie Forleo offers you advice on all these things. Whether you are plagued with self-doubt, or don’t have enough resolve to see things through, or perhaps it is because you feel useless in comparison to other successful people, this podcast addresses all the flaws holding you back. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
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6. The Jordan Harbinger Show (2018- present)
To know what it takes to be a successful person, you only need to look at one of the hundreds of great personalities that walk the earth. You don’t need any book to tell you what to do. You just need to listen to what the top performers in the world have to say about hard work and perseverance and apply it to your life to become the best version of yourself. In this podcast, Jason Harbinger invites some of the best people from all walks of life — from writers to musicians to social workers — to show you how you can be better too. All episodes of this show are available here.
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5. This Is Your Life (2012- present)
There are a number of ways to become a better person. Most podcasts here help you have better control over your mind, which will eventually lead you to have a happy life. And there is no denying that it takes time. You can’t just leave your old self behind and change in one day. It’ll take some time and requires a lot of work to get there. Meanwhile, what you can do is use some simple, practical methods to increase your productivity. When you do better at your job, you will feel better. In ‘This Is Your Life’, Michael Hyatt gives you some great tips and tricks that make you more passionate about your work and help you focus more. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
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4. Happier with Gretchen Rubin (2015- present)
Life is a constant challenge. But if you have your emotions in control, if you know how to keep your happy face up every time trouble knocks at your door, it will become easier to handle everything. Easier said than done, right? Not impossible though. In this motivational podcast, Gretchen Rubin talks about her personal experiences and what keeps her motivated and happy all the time. She offers some tried and tested methods that will never let you down. Her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, who also co-hosts the show, is often a guinea pig for her experiments. You can listen to all episodes of the podcast here.
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3. Therapy for Black Girls (2017- present)
If you want to have a happy and successful life, you need to start taking care of yourself. If you are mentally and physically healthy, most of your problems will simply vanish. In ‘Therapy for Black Girls’, psychologist Joy Harden Bradford helps you improve your mental health. In each episode, aired weekly, she talks about a particular issue that is holding you back. From things like Imposter Syndrome to co-dependency to stress eating, she will help you through it all. You’ll surely be a better person after this. You can listen to all episodes of this podcast here.
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2. Mental Illness Happy Hour (2017- present)
Often, we create our own mess. Just like the problem starts with us, we can find the answer in ourselves too. But before that, we need to get to the bottom of the things that trigger our troubles. We can find certain events rooted in childhood, or later in life, that had an adverse impact on our mind. Our inability to address these things, and talk about them, only festers the issue. In this podcast, the host helps you acknowledge the source of your problems, so that you can deal with it and move on in life. You can listen to all episodes of ‘Mental Illness Happy Hour’ here.
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1. Hannahlyze This with Hannah Hart and Hannah Gelb (2018- present)
Whenever we feel down, we turn towards our best friends for support. They know what will get us back on track, and instead of telling us what we want to hear, they tell us what we need to know. Best friends know tough love and that’s what makes them perfect people to solve our existential crises. ‘Hannahlyse This’ has two Hannahs, each other’s best friend, talking about love, life, relationship and every other topic. They also try out various methods mentioned in popular self-help books to find out if they actually work. They’ll light up your day. Listen to all episodes of the podcast here.
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