Has it really only been a month?!? Good grief.
I listened to no podcasts for weeks one and two. And then remembered myself and my normal routines. So, I got back in the saddle and sought to find podcasts that educated me, distracted me, and encouraged me.
Here are the ones that I have found useful in those pursuits in these first four (really long) weeks of this crazy un-normal life in a pandemic.
Tim Keller Gospel in Life “The King is Dying” – With Easter in the midst of this first month, I listened to this one during Holy Week and it rocked me. A wonderful deep dive in true Tim Keller style.
Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast “Leading From Home” – Yeah, this one was spot on. As someone being led and leading from home, this was really encouraging and useful. Craig is great at acknowledging reality in a grace-filled way, and then giving us strategies to give ourselves grace and be productive at the same time. Like all of his, this one is short (about 20-minutes).
Craig Groeschel Leadership Prodcast “Leading Through Crisis” – Name says it all. And it seems cliche to say, but there are no leadership books (that I’m aware of) that address trying to lead during a global pandemic. Craig shares really logical (and somewhat obvious) tips. And the logical, obvious tips are what I needed during these early weeks of this insane situation we find ourselves in.
The Daily “I Become a Person of Suspicion” – Until recently, I was unaware of The Daily podcast from The New York Times. I’ve loved it. Episodes are relatively short and cover very timely topics. As the name would suggest, episodes come out daily and speak to conversations really relevant to the current day. This one on discrimination against Asian-Americans during the COVID-19 crisis is really eye opening. This one helped me understand much more than just what is happening right now, but rather more about what it may be like to grow up as a Chinese-American in the United States. This was a really good one.
The Daily “A Historic Unemployment Crisis” – This one is not a happy topic and it is not encouraging. Rather it is informative and if you want to understand just how deeply this pandemic will impact every corner of our lives, listen to this. Note the date when you do. It was released April 6 and since then, millions more Americans have filed for unemployment benefits.
Armchair Expert with Sanjay Gupta – This one was SO good. It was released about a week before I hit an absolutely anxiety wall. And this was exactly what I needed to hear about sane science, from calm voices, and it is from the guy I look to for advice (when I’m not looking to Dr. Fauci). Heads up – in true Dax style, event his podcast on COVID-19 has language. So, be mindful of when you listen to this one. The content is more than worthwhile.
Armchair Expert with Andrew Marantz – This has nothing to do with the pandemic (for the most part) and it blew my mind. The world of trolling, influence on elections, how hateful people can become online, and the breeding of really extreme belief systems is examined. Again, language and content warning here. But, put in your earbuds and listen. This one opened up parts of the world I was blissfully unaware of, but need to be mindful of even in my own relatively boring suburban life.
