Podcasts About Minimalism + Simple Living
Podcasts are the perfect companion while you’re on a neighborhood walk or run, doing the dishes or cleaning the house, or enduring a long drive or flight. And we’ll be doing lots of that in the coming weeks — okay, maybe not the drive/flight part. With all this leisure time on our hands, this is a great time to dive into a new podcast or two. I’ve collected some of my favorite podcasts to keep you company, all of which cover minimalism or simple living in some form — either directly or indirectly. Pop in your airpods (I think I’m the only human who still uses headphones with a cord…) and hit play on episode one.
The Minimalists Podcast
If there was a minimalism podcast to rule them all, this would be it. Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, the hosts of this well-known podcast, are also responsible for the Minimalism documentary on Netflix. In fact, this podcast is at the top of my list because these two are responsible for introducing me to the whole minimalism movement in the first place, via their documentary and books. The Minimalists Podcast covers a wide variety of topics, all with a minimalism filter. The show is led by questions from callers or fans online, sometimes involves a guest, and always makes you think. The episodes are pretty lengthy, but you can gain access to an even longer version of the episodes — their “maximal” episodes, to be exact — by becoming a Patreon supporter.
Minimal-ish
Minimal-ish is a lighthearted podcast where minimalism and spirituality merge in a beautiful, unpretentious way. In fact, I think that’s what made me love the podcast from the very beginning. Host Desirae makes it clear that minimalism should not be an unattainable, legalistic set of rules, but rather an imperfect pursuit of simple, intentional living. In her words, “We talk about minimalism and decluttering and how to get there, yes. But we also have conversations about pursuing intentionality in the things that matter: like our motherhood, our faith, our relationships, our work, and our mindset.”
The Lavendaire Lifestyle
I found this podcast when host Aileen Xu was a guest on The Ground Up Show (more on that podcast later!). I instantly connected with Aileen’s positive and energetic spirit and had to check out her podcast too. I love how she brings some deeper topics into the influencer world — including her successful YouTube channel and Instagram account. While The Lavendaire Lifestyle isn’t technically labeled a “minimalism podcast,” it certainly touches on the subject amidst episodes on personal growth and intentional lifestyle design. And Aileen is a self-proclaimed minimalist, so her values shine through no matter the topic at hand.
Slow Home Podcast
Brooke and Ben McAlary are the hosts of the Slow Home Podcast, which teaches listeners to slow down, opt out, and let go of keeping up with the Joneses. It was their Australian accents that originally drew me into this podcast, but it was their incredible content that kept me coming back for more. Brooke and Ben are from the Blue Mountains near Sydney Australia, but are currently “slow-traveling” throughout Canada with their two kids. Brooke was diagnosed with severe postnatal depression in 2011 and shortly after, embarked on a mission to cut out excess and reconnect with what was truly important. You can tell these two wholeheartedly live out their slow living messages in their day-to-day life, and their personal stories and tips, as well as the insight from guests, leaves me inspired every time I listen in.
Fight Hustle, End Hurry
This one-off podcast is a mashup from two amazing teachers, John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry and pastor at Bridgetown Church in Portland, and Jefferson Bethke, speaker and author of To Hell With the Hustle (and many other books!). The two merge their very similar messages of slowing down, reducing noise, avoiding “hustle” culture, and seeking simplicity — all under a spiritual umbrella. Each of the 10 episodes focuses on a different topic that falls within their Venn diagram of hustle and hurry, including Sabbath, silence, obscurity, and empathy.
Optimal Living Daily
Full disclosure: I’ve only listened to this podcast a handful of times but I liked what I heard! Optimal Living Daily is an audioblog of sorts where the host simply reads the best content out there on topics like personal development, minimalism, finance, health, business and more — all with permission from the authors. Each episode is less than 10 minutes long, giving you a short thought to inspire positive changes in your life on the go.
The Ground Up Show
Matt D’Avella is my favorite YouTuber. And for a while, he was one of my favorite podcasters! He stopped uploading podcast episodes in June 2019 and began pouring more energy into his YouTube channel and filmmaking career (he made the Minimalism documentary on Netflix!). That doesn’t negate the fact that The Ground Up Show still has hours and hours of meaningful content to listen to (there are 111 episodes, after all!) — many of which cover minimalism and related topics. Since day one, Matt has had one goal and one goal only: to get the Rock on his podcast — and he even created a website to make this happen. Check out his YouTube channel for all things minimalism, filmmaking, creativity and personal development. Basically, if you want to be a better human, Matt is an excellent resource.
What other podcasts should I add to the queue?
Let me know what I need to listen to next! Comment with your suggestions.