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I don’t know what I did before I listened to podcasts. Really. I’m an out-and-proud addict.

I listen to them as I drift off to dreamland at night. I listen to them as I run (often at speed, away from my house and it’s homeschooling chaos). I listen to them as I drive, sometimes getting so engrossed that I forget to take the motorway exit I needed.

I’m a real wild woman when it comes to podcasts too. Always having an aural affair or two, usually I’ve got three or four series on the go at the same time. Absolute floozy.

The joy of podcasts for me is that I listen to and learn about things I would never come across otherwise. In my time-poor, stressful life as a Mum of three rambunctious boys; there is no time to sit down, take a break and watch TV. But podcasts..? They are a multitasking joy. I’ve been known to listen as I cook, bathe and clean the house. Although not at the same time. I’m good; but I’m not that good.

Pre the whole global pandemic thing, I was a big fan of true crime stories. And of course, I popped my podcast cherry with Serial, as all fanatics do. (Please, if you haven’t listened to series 1 of Serial, cancel all your future plans and pop those headphones in your ears.)

I also listened a lot to political and statistical podcasts in a bid to filter out the fake news of the mainstream media.

Post the strain of a year in lockdown, my tastes have softened slightly and podcasts have become a glorious escape from bad news. My current feel good favourites are ‘Relatively’ which is a really touching series examining the longest relationship most of us will ever have, the one with our siblings.

‘Heavyweight’ is a joyous concept which sees people who have carried round a sadness or regret, finding a way to put things right and achieve a resolution. It is both funny and heartwarming.

While our mental health is under strain, there are also a wealth of podcasts out there which offer really practical help. From Fearne Cotton’s ‘Happy Place’ to Happiful Magazine’s ‘I am, I have’, anyone struggling with difficult times should be able to find some solace and support.

If you haven’t yet jumped on the podcast bandwagon… I urge you to get on board!

*Sarah writes at www.thegoodthingisthough.co.uk about all things happy and hopeful.

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