I can’t decide which one I despise more between audio books and e-books, but I love podcasts for some reason. Probably because it feels like I’m sitting in on conversations between really brilliant people and learning from them without having to participate. I use the Pocket Casts app to listen to the whopping 46 I’m subscribed to, and these are a few of my current favorites.

Creativity

› Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert

A joy to listen to with the bestselling author and her guests, Magic Lessons was started to help aspiring artists “overcome their fears and create more joyfully.” The “Leap Into the Fire” episode with Martha Beck is great for anyone like me who struggles with putting their work out into the world.

› Creative Pep Talk

Illustrator Andy J. Miller is behind the Creative Pep Talk podcast about “helping creatives strike the perfect balance between art and business.” It covers a variety of helpful topics about creative matters such as focus, personal branding, anxiety, self-doubt, and more.

› Mattieologie

Mattie James has a lot of quick tips on blogging, branding, and business in the blogosphere. And by quick I mean less than 10 minutes per episode, which I appreciate.

Christianity

› Doctrine and Devotion

I have a lot of fun listening to Pastor Joe Thorn and Jim Fowler explore the Christian faith. It’s worth noting that the podcast is from a Reformed Baptist perspective but even if you don’t identify yourself as either camp, there’s still a lot to learn from.

› The Calling

A podcast by Christianity Today, The Calling features “long-form, highly personal interviews with church leaders.” I appreciate the diverse group of guests and the discussions on race, politics, and multiethnic churches.

› Paul Tripp Sermons

I prefer to be sitting still and taking notes when I listen to sermons, but I normally listen to podcasts while I’m driving and sermons either put me to sleep or I can’t follow along properly. However, Dr. Paul Tripp keeps my attention and more importantly, he keeps to preaching God’s Word.

› Pass the Mic

A podcast by the Reformed African American Network, Pass the Mic features “engaging discussions and high profile interviews addressing the core concerns of African Americans biblically.”

Career

› Oh Boy

It’s the first podcast by Man Repeller with interviews from “women in the arts, tech and beyond for one on one conversations about their life and work.” My favorite episode, of course, was with Sally Singer—the Digital Creative Director at Vogue.com.

› The Science of Social Media

This one doesn’t apply as career unless you’re in one similar to mine, but it’s by the folks at Buffer for marketers and brands “interested in learning about new and exciting ways to implement social media marketing across a variety of platforms and industries.”

› Minority Trailblazer

Hosted by a fellow North Carolinian, the Minority Trailblazer podcast tells the stories of minorities who are “blazing a trail” in education, business, technology, and more industries. My favorite episodes have been “From Chicago to MIT to Palo Alto: Building Relationships, Skill & Creativity” featuring Quinnton Harris and “Degrees Don’t Define You: College Dropout turned Master Brand Builder & Monetizer” featuring Maya Elious.

› Girlboss Radio

There’s such a rich variety of talent, careers, and personalities here. In the podcast episodes, Sophia Amoruso interviews “world-class girlbosses who have made their mark in creative, cultural, and business ventures to extract solid advice from the lessons they’ve learned along the way.”

What other podcasts do you listen to and love? I’m always looking for more.

Oh, and never mind that the last Monthly Sparkle was in April. I’ll do better.