8 podcasts to listen to in 2020 to help you become a better person

We've heard it all before and seen it too – "new year, new me" and other platitudes smeared over cursive Instagram posts and sequinned pillows. 

And with the start of a new decade looming above us, the optimism or urgency (you decide) of new beginnings is more poignant than ever. 

But how do we “make this our year!” and conquer 2020? Green juices and waning gym memberships can only get you so far, my friend. How do we go about reinventing and reinvigorating ourselves? Like a $12 Kmart pillow might say, “inner beauty is REAL beauty xo” – so, we’re starting with our minds. 

I’ve done the hard yards and trialled many a podcast to narrow down a list to get you off on the right foot this January. From mental health and random facts, to career advice and news coverage, these poddies can hopefully be your companion in the new year. At the very least, they’ll keep you company while you sip on that morning green juice. 

1. Do Go On

Do Go On is a weekly fact-based comedy show hosted by three Aussie comedians, where one of the trio researches a topic and reports back to the rest of us. Hosts Matt Stewart, Jess Perkins and Dave Warneke are like the best mates you wish you were friends with. They’re wholesome, wacky and tangential (hence the title). Tune in to hear lengthy reports on topics covering historical events, noteworthy people and mysterious crime. On topic? Occasionally. Entertaining? Always.

Listen to... Juliane Koepcke, The Woman Who Fell From the Sky

2. The Bobo & Flex Show

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Critical thinkers Bobo Matjila and Lillian Ahenkan (aka Flex Mami) bring us a cross-continental podcast that, in their words, seeks to “decolonize our minds, intersect our feminism, but most importantly, give us all the tools necessary to stay away problematic boys!” Episodes cover taboo topics such as, “the problem with wokeness” and “is my white boyfriend fetishising me?” which unpack preconceived ideas. Don’t expect a cruisy listen; they disagree with each other, you disagree with them and ultimately, we all challenge each other to be better. 

Listen to... what is the point of feminism? and Dating: Red Flags & Pink Flags, Settling vs Compromising

3. Fitbet

Two very funny Aussie comedians, Ben Lomas and Dilruk Jayasinha, embark on a transformative health journey – not one where skinny millennials preach about their latest water diet, thankfully. It started off as a bet; the first to get under 100kgs wins $1000 from the other. Now, still incredibly funny, it has expanded into mental health, therapy, addictions and more.

Listen to… Rhi Down to Earth and Just Hughes It (or start from the start to live through the bet)

4. Better Than Yesterday

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No, he’s not just the host of The Bachelor franchise. Osher Gunsberg’s podcast is a breath of fresh air in Australia’s male celebrity scene. Better Than Yesterday is simple, it hopes to make each day a little better than the last. And that patient, soothing mindset carries throughout his motivating episodes. He’s kind, insightful, empathetic and understanding – the perfect companion when you need some cheering up.

Listen to... Finding Stillness in a World of Chaos with Ryan Holiday 

5. She's On the Money

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30-minute bite-sized nuggets of gold to get in control of your finances. This empowering podcast is from the team at Shameless Media, so you know you’re in safe hands. Hosts Annabelle Lee and Victoria Devine make finance talk accessible for the average millennial woman. Covering budgeting, investing, debt and more, they intertwine these typically dry topics with listener interaction, call ins and personal money stories. 

Listen to... Your Money Story and A rookie's guide to investing 

6. WILOSOPHY with Wil Anderson

Arguably one of Australia’s top comedians, Wil Anderson, in his words, “asks smart people stupid questions and tries to find out the meaning of life.” So, no biggie. Interview-based podcasts can sometimes fall into repetition, not this one. There’s actual good interview questions and Wil has the ability to dig deep and reach into the guests’ private thoughts. The hosts of big-name guests all bring varied life experiences – it makes for an addictive binge. 

Listen to... Clementine Ford and Hamish Blake 

7. The High Low

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This is probably my favourite podcast – so it sucks that they’ll be on maternity leave until April. The High Low is a weekly pop-culture and news podcast by Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes. Based in the UK, these two incredibly intelligent women are well versed with low and high brow culture, intertwining witty insight with sharp humour. Dare I say it – it’s like Shameless, but more self-aware. 

Listen to... Megan Phelps-Roper On Leaving The Westboro Baptist Church, AKA 'America's Most Hated Family' and An Author Special With Drag Queen Amrou Al-Kadhi

8. Stuff You Should Know

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Close to finishing university, the end of formal education is a bit terrifying. But fear not, learning does not stop there! Stuff You Should Know covers topics far and wide – pick up facts about champagne to satanism. And for the time poor? Listen to their Short Stuff series for bite-sized bits of knowledge, consumed within 15 minutes.

Listen to... Santa Claus Association and The Disappearance of Ambrose Bierce