For starters, many of us tend to live a reactionary life; waiting for love, success, happiness to happen to us. The ultimate definition of contentment is this utopian bliss beyond some horizon we can’t see.

No. That horizon happens with each day. Each activity that takes us where we need to be, is propelled by us, solely.

For me, podcasts are a great way to connect, to learn, to build and in many cases to develop yourself.

Podcasts have been a great addition to my routine. It’s been essential in getting to where I need to be. I loved listening to all these amazing shows on my Apple Podcast so much, I started my own, The GREY PODCAST

But while I get mine together, these are some of my favourite podcasts that have empowered my positive outlook. These essentially take me to my zen place

Hey, Girl

I discovered Alex Elle through a friend, who sent me a link to her podcast when I told her I wanted to start one. I found her to be everything and more. She is the host of the Hey, Girl podcast that covers self-care in literally everything. She’s spoken to so many talented black women who are not just relatable but so inspiring. I think when I envision the future of The Grey Podcast, i think of what Hey,Girl has been able to do for me. for From Motherhood, Self-love to Entrepreneurship, Alex Elle talks to women who have learnt the art of showing up physically and emotionally for themselves, their passions and the people they care about. Of course, it’s so much more. What I love about it is that every episode has something that is more than likely to connect with you, no matter the stage of life you are in.

Read: How to be an Ally in the Digital Space for Black Lives Matter Movement

Therapy for Black Girls

I got sold on this podcast from the title of this podcast alone. Dr Joy Harden is a trained psychologist who talks about everything around mental health for black women. After i listened to her episode on Therapy for Activists, i felt so understood and connected with her. I don’t really identify as an activist but as a woman, it’s hard enough to do basically everything else because the challenges stacked against us are so overwhelming. No matter what part of the world we are in, we are compelled to show up for our families, relationships, our careers, while fighting stereotypical conceptions about our “limitations”. So imagine being an activist too? Dr Joy talks about our wellbeing, from a perspective we didn’t know we needed.

Black Girl In Om

Hosts Lauren Ash and Deun Ivory, bring so much depth into understanding the self, the mind, body and soul. So many of us do not PAUSE to really heal from anything. Far from a dreary conversation, these two self-care advocates are creating an awesome space for women of colour in nurturing our self-worth and a healthier sense of love.

Modern Love 

The whole concept behind Modern Love is pretty amazing. Host, Meghna Chakrabarti hosts readings, authored by varying writers. What makes it awesome is that the letters are read by celebrities from all over. I’m talking about Krysten Ritter from Jessica Jones , Kate Winslet, David Oyelowo and Jake Gyllenhal, reading honest, and thought-provoking essays from different people. The letters a describe matters of love, loss, and life. It’s an honest perspective from people living regular lives. You know, it does your mind a ton of good, oftentimes to just be still and take in the nuances of someone else’s experience. It’s always a teachable experience.

SuperSoul Conversations

Every time I tune in to Oprah’s podcast version of her OWN talk show, SuperSoul Conversations, it’s always on a topic I’ve been wanting to ask questions on. I mean, Oprah is out here asking on the philosophical questions about culture, religion, race, entertainment, business, wellbeing, you name it. I mean only Oprah can get these perspectives. From Trevor Noah to Malala Yousafzai, Supersoul is going to make you think about the larger world around you, what your purpose is as well as some introspection of what values you live by. A cleanse, i tell you.

Kyo

I discovered Kyo first as a Mindful journal app. I re-installed it recently because I found it easier to use with its preset questions for journaling. But it looks like there have been some updates since the last time. For one thing, Kyo now has a podcast that speaks to world experts on mindfulness, alleviating stress and so many great tips to self-love and gratitude. Trust me this is just a few of that

Criminal

So I threw the Criminal podcast in here because, weirdly, I love listening and watching true crime shows. Criminal does that successfully without you feeling the angst and anxiety of listening to the crimes people have committed. There’s also that irresistible soothing voice of the host, Pheobe Judge, who really should be on a Yoga or Mindfulness app. Essentially, Pheobe Judge can put you to a peaceful sleep while speaking about a murder case. Ok, I’m weird, I know.

This will be probably updated because I have so many new shows to get into. I’d love let me know what your favourites are.

This list was curated by Kwakyewaa Owusu-Nyantakyi. She is a  digital media consultant, freelance blogger and host of The Grey Podcast. Visit her website here to read more about personal growth, feminism, lifestyle and self-care