Echoes in My Earbuds: The Podcasts That Travel With Me

What podcasts are you listening to?

---

There’s a strange kind of intimacy in podcasts — a voice whispering through your earbuds while the world moves around you. Some people call it background noise. I call it companionship.

It started during one of those aimless evening walks — the kind where you don’t know where you’re heading, but you keep walking anyway. I stumbled upon a podcast called “On Purpose with Jay Shetty.” I still remember the first episode I listened to — a conversation about stillness in chaos. Jay’s calm voice felt like a friend reminding me that not everything needed fixing; some things just needed understanding.

Then came “The Daily” by The New York Times — my morning ritual. The clink of my coffee mug, the hum of the kettle, and Michael Barbaro’s steady narration — it all blends into a rhythm of staying informed without drowning in the noise of the news cycle.

When I crave creativity, I drift to “99% Invisible.” It’s a love letter to the unnoticed — to design, to sound, to all the little details that shape our world quietly. One episode about the history of city benches made me see public parks differently. That’s the power of good storytelling — it rearranges your perception of ordinary things.

And then there’s my guilty pleasure: “Stuff You Should Know.” The hosts, Josh and Chuck, have this easy, curious tone that makes even the most random topics — like how mirrors work or the history of deodorant — feel like campfire conversations.

I often think of podcasts as modern campfires, really — places where voices gather, stories are shared, and silences are respected. Whether I’m walking, cooking, or just trying to untangle my thoughts, there’s always someone talking — and somehow, it feels like they’re talking to me.

So, what podcasts am I listening to?
A mix of curiosity, calm, and companionship — all delivered in 40-minute doses that make the world sound just a little bit kinder.

---