MINDY PETERSON, NCTM

Photo by Juja Han on Unsplash

This listener-inspired micro episode is a celebration of holistic cross-training—not for your muscles, but for your life. Just as music thrives on harmony and balance, so do we. I’m sharing my top 5 favorite podcasts across different areas of life—from health and spirituality to productivity and news—all of which support my personal rhythm and help me live more intentionally. Consider it a curated playlist for whole-life wellness.

I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music can make our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.

Today’s micro episode is the result of a listener suggestion, which was to share my top 5 favorites of a particular category, whether it’s in my field of expertise or not. I loved this cross-disciplinary idea; it’s like a form of holistic cross-training—not for your muscles, but for your life.

In sports and fitness, cross-training means using a variety of exercises to strengthen different muscle groups, improve endurance, and prevent injury. But the concept applies far beyond the gym. In life, holistic cross-training means intentionally nurturing all the key areas of your life: your physical health, relationships, emotional well-being, and yes—your professional growth, too. It’s easy to pour all your time into the area where you feel most confident or successful. But just like a one-sided workout routine can lead to burnout or injury, an unbalanced life can throw off your mental, emotional, and even physical homeostasis—that inner sense of balance and well-being. When you cross-train your life, you bring in variety and perspective, leading to renewed creativity, recharged energy, adaptability and resilience, and inspiration for your soul.

One of my favorite things is podcasts, so today – in the spirit of cross-training – I’m sharing my top 5 favorite podcasts.

1. The Resetter Podcast with Dr. Mindy Pelz (Natural Health & Wellbeing): If you’ve listened to my podcast for long, you probably know that, in addition to being passionate about music, I am also passionate about natural health and wellbeing. The Resetter Podcast, hosted by a best-selling author and doctor, is my favorite podcast for enhancing my health journey. It introduces me to experts, resources, and strategies for feeling great and allowing my physical health to support a full life.
   
   
2. The NewsWorthy (News): Staying informed on the news can be depressing and a confusing search for facts as you try to avoid the minefield of extreme biased opinions. Enter broadcast journalist Erica Mandy. Disillusioned by alarmist headlines, she quit her TV news job to create something new, The NewsWorthy podcast, designed to help you stay informed, save time, and feel less overwhelmed and depressed by the news. The show’s tagline is “FAST, FAIR, & FUN;” you’ll get each day’s unbiased news in 10 minutes or less.
   
   
3. The Holy Post (Spirituality): This show features conversations looking at current events, pop culture, media, theology, and politics through the lens of the Bible. As a person of faith, I appreciate how the hosts and guests of The Holy Post challenge me to live out a thoughtful and intentional Christian life. Whether you agree with their perspectives or not, I promise these conversations will make you think – and take a closer look at what the ancient Biblical text really has to say and how it informs our lives today.
   
   
4. Happier with Gretchen Rubin (Habits Formation & Human Nature): This podcast was one of the first podcasts I ever listened to, and I have been a devoted listener ever since! I discovered it through reading the host’s bestselling book, The Happiness Project. The podcast explores topics related to habit formation, happiness, and human nature.
   
   
5. Beyond the To-Do List (Productivity & Intentional Living): I am an efficiency geek – but I don’t want to simply be productive for productivity’s sake. In this podcast, productivity guru Erik Fisher explores strategies, tools, and experts to help elevate your personal and professional life not just by getting more done, but by living fully and accomplishing the goals that make your life meaningful. I was thrilled to have Erik as a guest on my podcast back in Ep. 162, where he presented practical ways to leverage the powerful tool of music for increased efficiency and more intentional living.

I hope this top-5 roundup gives you some ideas and inspiration for your own holistic cross-training, and for making space for what brings balance to your life. Let this be your reminder – and permission – to not neglect the parts of life that don’t seem directly “productive” on the surface. They’re doing the deeper work of helping you stay whole, resilient, and fully alive. A rich life isn’t built in one dimension—it’s composed like a symphony, with each part playing a role in your harmony, and the composite being greater than the sum of its parts.

I would love to hear what your top 5 favorite podcasts are!

You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.

I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.

In-Episode Promo

LIVING WELL WITH DR. MICHELLE: If you’ve listened to this podcast for long, you know that, in addition to being passionate about music, I am also passionate about natural health and wellbeing. So I was intrigued to learn about an all-natural toothpaste developed by a biologic, holistic dentist to effectively clean and protect teeth and strengthen enamel without fluoride or the many chemicals that are ubiquitous in the commercial toothpastes that I’ve always used without a second thought. What really caught my attention was that one of these dentist’s products was specially formulated for sensitive teeth, which I have thanks to gum recession. I was a little skeptical that an all-natural product would provide adequate sensitivity protection, but after trying it for several months, I am a fan. What clinched the deal was going to my 6-month dental cleaning and having my hygienist rave about the whiteness of my teeth. To learn more about the Living Well Sensitive Tooth Powder and other products – and get 10% off your order – check out the link in the show notes (or use Coupon Code: musicenhances10 at livingwellwithdrmichelle.com). (Or buy on Amazon.)

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