Social skills take time and effort to develop, but there is one thing you can do today to improve your social skills just a little bit. You may not become a public speaker overnight or anything but it can “spice” up your conversations by providing you with an array of ideas and new perspectives that you can discuss among your peers.

So what can you do today to increase your knowledge, which you can draw upon when talking with your peers?

You can start listening to podcasts.

A podcast is defined as a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically by dictionary.com

Podcasts can be streamed from many different apps.

If you own an iPhone, you have access to iTunes which has an array of podcasts that can be directly streamed or saved to your phone.

As for Android users, you have Play Music which recently started streaming podcasts. Others apps include Spotify, Podcast Addict, and Stitcher. All these options provide downloads and streams, but, ultimately, the user interface may be the biggest determining factor for you. Take your time to assess your available choices since what you choose can affect your steaming enjoyment. A suggestion is to begin with Podcast Addict because downtime rarely occur.



Now that you have an app for streaming podcasts, you need to know that podcasts come in different shapes and sizes and here are just a few suggestions to assist you on the path of new found knowledge, which you can use for your own personal growth or as a way to connect and share ideas with friends, family, or coworkers. If you have any other suggestions, leave a comment with your suggestions.









1. Serial

Serial is an investigative journalism podcast hosted by Sarah Koenig who narrates a nonfiction story over multiple episodes.

2. Freakonomics

Host Stephen Dubner has conversations that explore the riddles of everyday life and the weird wrinkles of human nature — from cheating and crime to parenting and sports. Dubner talks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, social scientists and entrepreneurs — with the help of his Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt.

3. Planet money

The economy, explained, with stories and surprises.

4. Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.

Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! is NPR’s weekly hour-long quiz program. Each week on the radio you can test your knowledge against some of the best and brightest in the news and entertainment world while figuring out what’s real news and what’s made up. On the Web, you can play along too.

5. Unfilter by Jupiter Broadcasting

We’re living in historic times. Don’t waste it on TV. Unplug from the distractions, and unfilter your life! Jupiter Broadcasting’s weekly media watchdog.

6. Snap Judgement

Dramatic tales, killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly radio hour hosted by Glynn Washington.

7. This American Life

There’s a theme to each episode of This American Life, and a variety of stories on that theme. Most of the stories are journalism, with an occasional comedy routine or essay. There’s lots more to the show, but it’s sort of hard to describe. Probably the best way to understand the show is to start listening.

8. KERA Think

Kera Think is a daily, topic-driven interview and call-in program hosted by Krys Boyd covering a wide variety of topics ranging from history, politics, current events, science, technology and emerging trends to food and wine, travel, adventure, and entertainment

9. Fresh Air

Fresh Air from WHYY, is a Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio’s most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross, the show features conversations with today’s biggest luminaries from varying backgrounds.

10. Inc Uncensored

Inc. Uncensored is a lively weekly podcast exploring the fast-moving world of startups, entrepreneurship, technology, and high-growth businesses—all through the eyes of the veteran business journalists of Inc. and Inc.com. They’ll keep you up to date on industry trends, best practices, and cool companies.

11. Motley Fool Money

Motley Fool Money airs every week on radio stations across America, including top-10 markets Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston and Washington, DC. The show features a team of Motley Fool analysts discussing the week’s top business and investing stories, interviews, and an inside look at the stocks on our radar.

12. Criminal

“Criminal is a true­ crime podcast that understands crime as something sociological, historical, even anthropological — that crime is a function of people, time, and place. With incredible sound design, marvelous writing, and a boldness in the way it makes its choices, there are few shows that feel more alive.” -­ New York Magazine

These podcasts can assist in developing new topic ideas when talking with others. Choose some or choose all, but get ready to take your conversations to another, potentially more enjoyable, level.