Conversations with imaginary friends

Only these friends don't seem imaginary at all. My favorite podcast hosts sit in my kitchen with me, talking about life, love, divorce, sex, dark nights of the soul and what makes them laugh.

In the past couple of weeks I’ve written about finding the grace in solitude and getting comfortable with silence. Yet the truth is I have a wide circle of imaginary friends that follow me into my kitchen, sit with me at meals, relieve the drudgery of chores and who accompany me on walks.

They’re not quite imaginary, of course. Somewhere in the world my favorite podcast hosts are living, breathing humans, sitting in actual rooms with their actual co-hosts and guests. You may know their names: Glennon, Abby and Amanda; Martha and Rowan; Maya; Barbara and Marrie, Erin and Elise, among so many others.

But as their voices fill my head and often my imagination, they might as well have drawn up a chair and sat across from me at the kitchen table as I poured them a cup of tea for a cozy chat. They don’t feel disembodied. They feel like wise and comforting friends who always have something interesting to say, often make me laugh and leaven the solitude with a special kind of kinship. You should get to know them, too.

So this week I offer you a dozen of my favorite podcasts that expand my thinking and my heart when it comes to the four “Cs” that guide my life—Clarity, Connection, Community and Creativity. Many of these friends are here on Substack, too. They help me navigate major midlife transitions when they hit you all at once.

This second weekly newsletter is for paid subscribers who can scroll down to listen to the audio version of this newsletter. If you would enjoy these curated lists of recommendations and resources, I would love to have you along!