Let me tell you about the day that podcasts helped me get out of this dark period in my life. I was in my early twenties and my first year post grad. Do you ever get that feeling where you feel lonely whilst being in a room with people? That feeling was constant dark cloud over my shoulder for that year. I tried talking to friends and family around me, it didn’t help. The passion for my hobbies dried up quickly and I didn’t know how I was going to get myself out.
I began to share my struggles via Instagram. I used it as my online journal to keep myself accountable during my fitness journey. One day, I stumbled on a post by Think Grow Prosper and it did something to me. It showed me that I wasn’t alone in dealing with these challenges. There were other people like me who were trying to change their mindsets too. It gave me the push I needed to start climbing out of that cloud. That post led me to a world of podcasts that helped me with my personal development. It put me onto a path towards growth and transformation in all areas of my life. In sum, I listen to podcasts that challenge the way I think. I like the idea of surrounding myself with people that I can learn from on a daily basis.
Podcasts Helped Me Change The Way I Think
Listening to a podcast show is easy work. The hard work is consuming, executing, failing and evaluating everything that resonates me. That is why I always call myself a student of life. I’m constantly on the path of being 1% better every day. Moreover, exercising my mind via podcasts puts me in a position where I am able to develop my mindset.
What do I mean by that? For me, it means believing that I can change and change the trajectory of my life. In order to do that, I need to be okay with embracing the beginner stages. I may not be great at business or editing long-form videos, but it’s worth learning, improving and learning again. Furthermore, it means challenging myself all the time. If I no longer feel challenged in an area of my life, it means that I’ve outgrown it. Then without challenges, my brain is not stimulated. If my brain doesn’t feel stimulated, then it’s dying. When I aim to develop my mindset, I want to be in a constant cycle of growth. I’m evolving, becoming and transforming into the woman that I am supposed to be. It requires me to tap into that limitless power without fear.
As we approach the New Year, I want to share the best podcasts that I have listened to this year. I hope that these recommendations change the way that you think about your life or an area of your life.
Spotify Wrapped: My Top Favourite Podcasts
Aspire With Emma Grede
After Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye announced that she was closing down, her podcast episode with Emma Grede was being circulated on Threads. I had never heard of Emma Grede and gave that episode listen at the beginning of October 2025. I found it insightful as it delves into the behind the scenes of consumer goods as a business. The closing message was how founders should trust themselves in this world.
Moreover, I realised that you never see the hard work and hidden labours that founders and entrepreneurs do. We only see the glitz and the highlights. What this podcast show does is strip back these layers back. Each episode provides a transparent view about how these thought-provoking people made it to where they are. Emma Grede has a variety of guests from a range of industries and backgrounds. Some of my other favourite episodes include the ones with Tracee Ellis Ross and Bozoma Saint John.
Slay Girl Slay Podcast
The Slay Girl Slay Podcast by Ashley Leggs has been my go-to podcast since 2018. I listen to the new episode every Monday without fail. This podcast show fell on my lap when I was climbing out of that dark cloud. Each week, every episode resonated with me because it gave me room to grow. Some weeks I didn’t do well, other weeks I did. No matter what happened, it reinforced the idea that progress isn’t linear and growth can look messy. Furthermore, the start of my week started on a high note by wrapping my mornings up with this podcast. I feel that I’ve been evolving on my journey with Ashley at the back of my mind.
This podcast got me into affirming myself daily. That is one of the reasons that affirmations have been a big part of my transformation in my 20s. It will play a very big part of my evolution in my 30s. In short, I love the way that she shares practical ways to cultivate happiness. It pushes me to be fearless in anything that I want to achieve. I have to say that I have achieved a lot in those years and it’s only the beginning.
Mindful Moments With David Larbi
Mindful Moments With David Larbi popped up on my recommendations list via Spotify late last year. This podcast is a breath of fresh air. He doesn’t feature guests on his show. It’s short, sweet and to the point. What kept me listening to him is how he begins his episodes by encouraging you to meditate and be present in the moment.
When I feel that there is a lot in my head, I just put this on to quiet the noise. I take a deep breath and by the end of the episode, I feel like I’m at peace. When I am at peace, I can seize my day efficiently.
IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson
Repeatedly, this podcast popped up on my recommendations list but I kept on skipping it. I don’t have an answer for why I skipped it and it could have been that it wasn’t the right time for me to listen to it. Around November, a sound bite from it found its way on my Instagram feed and it resonated with me. It came from the episode with Mara Brock Akil about “Black kids deserve to be crushed on”. It took me back to my life experiences, being in predominantly white spaces until I went to college. Not only did I have to navigate teenage hood in those spaces, but I also had to navigate being a Black teenage girl in those spaces. Having that verbalised on a big platform made me feel seen in a way that I hadn’t been seen before.
Now that I listen to this podcast on a regular basis, it gives me an opportunity to reflect and release some things that I had suppressed. At the same time, I feel comfortable learning from Michelle and her guests as they are older than me. By sharing their life experiences and lessons learned, it helps me navigate my adulthood and that I can pivot again and again and again.
How To Find Podcasts That Resonate With You
The beauty about this medium is that there are so many of them out there. There are thousands upon thousands of podcasts in a variety of topics and multiple platforms that stream them. I suggest starting with your core interests whether that is personal development, wellness, true crime, history, finance etc. Then, look at the recommended podcast shows as you are listening to them.
In addition, I have found a majority of my top podcasts via social media. Curating your social media feeds with content that inspires, educates and entertains you will help you discover new podcasts. If you find that something isn’t for you, it’s okay to drop it and move on. There are so many podcasts that I used to listen to that no longer resonate with me in this chapter of my life. It’s normal. We all evolve and our tastes grow with us.
What are some of your favourite podcasts? Share them below in the comments so we can all grow in 2026. With that said, I hope that you all had a peaceful holiday season and I’m wishing you a great start to 2026! Make sure to hit that subscribe button to join the community and never miss out on a post. Find me on Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok for more powerlifting and wellness content.
Until next time,
Folakemi
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