How to listen to a podcast + my fave podcasts

PODCASTS – they are my absolute FAVORITE way to keep myself entertained during a myriad of activities. Getting your nails done? Folding laundry? Doing your makeup? Stuck in traffic? Trying to stay on the treadmill a little longer? Podcasts are the answer!! It seriously doesn't matter what your age or interests are, there's a podcast to inspire, teach, and entertain you. I PROMISE! And today I'm gonna break down how ridiculously easy it is to fire up a podcast on your smart phone and share a list of my faves.

Ever since I launched my podcast Mint Arrow Messages, I've received so many messages from people who are like, “Ummm, how do I listen to a podcast?” And I'm not just talking about my grandma or someone in their 80s. People of ALL AGES have asked this! So I'm going to make it super duper easy for you to get podcasts going on your phone and in your ears anytime you need something to keep you company.

How to listen

Apple Devices
If you have an iPhone or iPad, did you know your device comes with an app all ready to play podcasts?! Seriously! It's a purple square with a microphone icon.

The easiest way to find it is by pulling down on your home screen and typing “podcast” into the search bar…it'll pop right up! To find a specific podcast, click on “Search” in the bottom right corner and type in the name of the one you're looking for. Once it pops up, you can select “Subscribe” and all of the new episodes will automatically load into your library when they publish.

Android
If you're wanting to listen on an Android, there are several different options for getting podcasts onto your phone. The one I always recommend is Spotify! It's super simple on that app–you just search the name of the podcast you want to listen to, and when it pops up you can hit “Follow.”

You'll also see all of the older episodes, so you can scroll through and get caught up on ones you might have missed! If you don't have Spotify, you can use Google Pay music (the List icon in the upper left-hand corner has a Podcast option) to search, subscribe, and listen to podcasts.

Where to listen:

Some of my fave places to listen to a podcast … everywhere. Okay really, it's hard to think of a place where I don't love getting totally lost in the conversation or story told by a really good podcaster. But here are some fun places I've found that are perfect for tuning into a podcast: (a lot of these post-quarantine of course)

• During a manicure
• Public transportation
• On an airplane
• Driving in the car
• Folding laundry
• Doing dishes
• Making dinner
• At the gym
• Doing my makeup or hair
• During a blowout (with Airpods!)
• Walking the dog
• Running (Neil's suggestion — I don't run…ha!)
• Cleaning the house

Of all these places, the one I love most is during a manicure. I used to kind of dread getting my nails done because it's so much time sitting there where you can't use your hands and get work done, etc. Now I can totally relax during that time and still be entertained with just a set of headphones or Airpods!

What to listen to:

If you're ready to dive in and get started on listening to podcasts, here are some of my very favorites that I'm fairly sure you'll love too!!

Mint Arrow Messages – okay I KNOW that's cheesy to suggest your own, but we really do work super hard to find guests who have powerful messages to share that uplift and inspire and provide deeper understanding to situations and life experiences that maybe all of us haven't experienced before. Recently I had the New York Times Best-Selling Author Greg McKeown on the podcast and his episode was one of my all-time favorites! Which leads me to my next suggestion:

Essentialism with Greg McKeown – if you're a fan of the book Essentialism then you're probably THRILLED just like I am that you can now get weekly doses of the same goodness from the author himself on the subject of living the intentional life.

Classic Speeches – this is a collection of the BEST of the best speeches given at the University I graduated from, BYU. These are always PURE GOLD and me and Neil have had the most amazing discussions after both listening to these. Hard to choose favorites but some of the ones that have been real paradigm shifts for me are, “Gifts of Love” Dec 1980, “Remember Lot's Wife” Jan 2009, “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence” Mar 1999 (side note: if not for this speech, Neil and I would probably not be married!!), “The Loneliness of Leadership,” Nov 1969.

How I Built This – if you're an entrepreneur this podcast is a must! You'll learn the ins and outs of how so many successful self-starters launched their careers.

Smart Passive Income – another podcast that's great for online business owners or entrepreneurs. This was one of the first podcasts I got hooked on and Pat feels like a real-life friend even though I've only met him once in person! His episodes are always packed with amazing business advice.

Making Oprah – okay this will come up as “Making Beyonce,” because they changed the name of the podcast after the first season. But the first 3 episodes entitled “Making Oprah” are FASCINATING and I learned so much about how Oprah became the powerhouse she was during her growing-up years and how she made intentional decisions about only representing GOOD MESSAGES in her career, even when it was less popular, that led to her total domination in the television space.

Oprah's Super Soul Conversations – if you miss Oprah on the reg at 4 p.m., this podcast is for you. Little truth nuggets from your favorite soul sister that will have you laughing, crying and always feeling uplifted.

EntreLeadership – if you are a business owner or even a manager or leader within your organization, you will absolutely love this Dave Ramsey led podcast, teaching all about servant leadership. I love that these leaders often incorporate principles taught by Christian values, and they are just full of wisdom and goodness.

All In – a podcast I have been uplifted by over and over. Morgan Jones interviews people about what it means to be all-in the gospel of Jesus Christ and her interviewees are vastly different but always, ALWAYS inspiring.

Listen up

Those are the podcasts I frequent! What do you guys love to listen to? Please let me know in the comments so I can add more to the list!!