Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips

I'm especially excited to share this replay episode with you as we are celebrating the release of my friend, Monica Packer's new book: Sticky Habits: A Woman's Guide to Reclaim Happiness, Ditch Perfectionism, and Create Habits that Last. Monica is my go-to for all things habits and I know you'll appreciate this conversation as much as I do.

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Joining me for her second appearance on the show is fellow podcaster, Monica Packer. This conversation is a continuation on the topic of bad habits: today we explore the roots of bad habits and the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for these behaviors. We also discuss the role of support in habit change, how identity influences our habits, practical tools for addressing numbing behaviors and so much more...

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Previous Episode: Why Habit Consistency Looks Different for Women | Monica Packer (EP453)
• Previous Episode: EP255: Small Shifts (& a More Effective Approach) to Bad Habits
• Book: Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter
• Connect with Monica:
• Instagram
• Website

About Monica |

Monica Packer is a recovering perfectionist who uncovered the truest model to lasting growth: it's progress made practical. As a writer, podcaster, and coach, she guides women to find sustainable growth by adopting progress over perfection. 

Monica’s popular podcast, About Progress is a top-rated show with millions of downloads. She has served thousands of women online as a certified habits and identity coach. 

Monica is a mom of five, former middle school teacher, sourdough obsessor, and beginning gardener. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband, Brad, and their children.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

For those who are new here, I occasionally release bonus episodes designed for a specific part of my audience. I have listeners from all kinds of faith backgrounds, and this episode is shared from a Christian perspective. If that’s not quite what you’re looking for today, feel free to explore the other episodes released this week - or join me back here next Tuesday for a conversation you won’t want to miss!

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What happens when the very thing you've been praying for finally arrives... and it isn't what you expected?

Maybe it's the marriage you've longed for, the baby you've prayed over, the career opportunity you worked so hard to achieve, or the fresh start you've been asking God to provide. Instead of feeling only joy, you find yourself carrying unexpected grief, exhaustion, or disappointment - and wondering if something is wrong with you.

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Diane sits down with author Melissa Miller to explore the complex emotions that often follow life's "good" transitions. Inspired by her own experience of moving across the country and growing her family through adoption, Melissa shares how she wrestled with guilt, unmet expectations, and the fear that she wasn't grateful enough for the very blessings she'd prayed for.

Together, they discuss why answered prayers don't always feel the way we imagine, how to embrace mixed emotions without shame, and what it looks like to trust God when the story unfolds differently than expected.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Melissa's Resource: Jelly Shoes
• Melissa Can't Stop Talking About: Prayer Journal
• Connect with Melissa
• Website
• Instagram
• Book: But I Prayed for This: What to Do When Living in God's Yes Is Harder Than You Expected

About Melissa |

Melissa Miller is a writer, content creator, and certified Reboot Retreat facilitator. She is a mother of five and an advocate for vulnerable children in foster care. Melissa lives in Tennessee with her family. She enjoys playing pickleball and is convinced “just one more chapter” is a perfectly reasonable bedtime strategy. 

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of our everyday lives - but where should we draw the line?

In this thought-provoking conversation, Diane sits down with Ben Peterson, Army veteran, founder of Engage Your Destiny, and author of When Intelligence Isn't Human, to explore the growing role AI is playing in our relationships, mental health, and sense of identity. Drawing from his military experience, years of mentoring service members, and his work helping others navigate trauma and purpose, Ben challenges listeners to see AI for what it is: a powerful tool - but a poor substitute for human connection, wisdom, and community.

Together, they discuss why so many young people are turning to technology for emotional support, how social media and AI are designed to capture our attention, and why the ability to think critically, wrestle through discomfort, and build real-life relationships may be more important than ever.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Ben's Resource: The Intentional Father: A Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Courage and Character
• Connect with Ben
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Youtube
• Website
• Book: When Intelligence Isn't Human: Navigating Your Faith in the Age of AI

About Ben |

Ben Peterson is the founder and driving force behind Engage Your Destiny, the most impactful movement bringing faith and the Gospel to the U.S. military. He served in Iraq during the 2008–2009 Surge as a Chaplain’s Assistant, where he lost seven brothers in combat during his first week deployed. Carrying trauma, addiction, and deep brokenness, he turned to God and emerged with a mission to transform the most powerful fighting force in the world through the hope of Christ.

Over the last decade, more than 300,000 service members, veterans, and families have heard Peterson’s message. He has been trusted to train and speak across elite units including the 101st Airborne, 3rd, 5th, and 10th Special Forces Groups, the 75th Ranger Battalion, Navy SEALs, Recon Marines, Space Force, the 11th Arctic Airborne, and the 4th Infantry Division. In 2022, he produced the Heroes Honor Festival - which drew more than 40,000 attendees and became the largest Gospel outreach to veterans in American history. He has personally raised more than $15 million for nonprofit causes and advises nonprofits, companies, churches, and senior leaders on building cultures of emotional intelligence, resilience, and bold vulnerability.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When did technology stop being a learning tool and quietly become the learning environment?

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Early Childhood newsletter signup: https://hechingerreport.org/earlychildhood/
• Reporting on school technology: "IPads in kindergarten, YouTube videos at snack time: Parents are pushing back on screens in the early grades"
• "Schools try to block kids from accessing dangerous content and games online. Little kids are outsmarting them."
• "Many game sites evade school web filters"
• All stories: https://hechingerreport.org/author/jackie-mader/
• Connect with Jackie
• Instagram

About Jackie |

Jackie Mader is a senior early childhood reporter at The Hechinger Report. She previously worked as a special education teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina, and trained new teachers in Mississippi. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, USA Today, TIME, and NBC News, among others, and has won several awards, including the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Nellie Bly Award from The New York Press Club, and a Front Page Award from The Newswomen’s Club of New York. She has been a fellow at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma and a Spencer Fellow at Columbia University. She received a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University and a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you've ever reached the end of the day wondering how you stayed busy but still didn't accomplish what mattered most, this episode is for you.

Diane sits down with time management coach and CEO of The Pink Bee, Megan Sumrell, to challenge one of the biggest productivity myths many women believe: that a longer to-do list will somehow make us feel more in control. Instead, Megan explains why traditional task lists often leave us feeling overwhelmed, behind, and stuck in a cycle of "time debt."

Together, they explore a more intentional approach to planning - one that starts by recognizing your actual capacity instead of trying to squeeze more into every day.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Diane's Resource: Easy No Bake Protein Balls
• Megan's Resource: A Better Share by Morgan Cutlip
• Megan Can't Stop Talking About: Plan-A-Palooza
• Connect with Megan
• Website
• Instagram
• Podcast

About Megan |

Megan Sumrell is a Time Management Expert and creator of the TOP Program who helps overwhelmed women create harmony through planning systems built specifically for how women's brains work. With over 20 years of corporate process improvement experience, she teaches women to turn their unrealistic to-do lists into realistic, flexible plans that actually work with their lives, not against them.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, Diane shares about Weeknight Winners, Family Dinners by Jack and Emmy Zhang, the parents behind the wildly popular @cookingforlevi account featuring their five-year-old son, Levi. What began as a simple way to spend time together in the kitchen has become a family mission: raising a curious eater while creating lasting memories around the table.

Rather than focusing on perfect meals or picky eating battles, Jack and Emmy encourage families to see cooking as an opportunity for connection, confidence, and curiosity.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Previous Episode: How to Get Dinner on the Table When You Don't Feel Like Cooking | Caroline Chambers (Bonus Episode)
• Connect with Jack + Emmy
• Website
• Instagram
• Book: Weeknight Winners, Family Dinners: Kid-Approved, Adult-Loved Recipes

About Jack + Emmy |

Jack Zhang is a chef who has cooked at casual and upscale restaurants and for NFL players in the Buffalo, New York, area. With his wife, Emmy, he launched Cooking for Levi (@cookingforlevi), the wildly popular online cooking channel featuring their now five-year-old son, Levi. Jack was born in Guangzhou, China, and raised in Brooklyn. 

Emmy Zhang earned her Ed.M in English Language from the University at Buffalo, where she also earned an undergraduate degree in applied linguistics with a special focus on child language development.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, I’m joined by clinical psychologist and Stanford adjunct faculty member Dr. Celeste Birkhofer for a conversation about a powerful truth: the mental health your child will have as an adult is being shaped right now.

But this isn’t about perfect parenting. It’s about understanding the everyday experiences and relationships that help children develop the internal resources they’ll rely on for the rest of their lives.

We also explore: what “good enough” parenting actually looks like, the five essential capacities children need for long-term mental health, supporting versus rescuing - and why children need opportunities to struggle, building tolerance for boredom, frustration, and discomfort, how parenting strategies may need to shift for children with ADHD and much more...

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Dr. Birkhofer's Resource: Kristen Neff | Self-Compassion Institute
• Connect with Dr. Birkhofer
• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Book: Beyond Quick Fixes: Essential Ingredients for Better Mental Health and a Fulfilling Life

About Dr. Birkhofer |

Dr. Celeste Birkhofer is a licensed clinical psychologist and adjunct clinical faculty member at Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She maintains a private psychotherapy practice, teaches and supervises Stanford psychiatry residents, and is on the clinical advisory board for the Jed Foundation - a nonprofit dedicated to promoting emotional well-being in teens and young adults and reducing suicide risk. Her holistic approach to patient care integrates extensive experience and training in contemporary psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies, grief counseling, couples therapy, dialectic behaviortherapy (DBT), and mindfulness and self-compassion practices.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Many moms assume that back pain is simply part of motherhood. Between pregnancy, carrying babies, nursing, lifting toddlers, and juggling the physical demands of everyday life, aches and pains can feel inevitable.

But what if they aren't?

In this episode, Diane sits down with spine surgeon Dr. Amir Vokshoor to discuss why so many women experience back pain during pregnancy and postpartum - and why accepting it as "normal" may keep them from finding relief. Together, they explore how the small, repetitive movements of motherhood can quietly impact long-term spine health, the connection between core strength and spinal stability, and practical ways moms can care for their bodies before pain becomes chronic.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Connect with Dr. Vokshoor
• Website
• Instagram

About Dr. Vookshor |

Dr. Amir Vokshoor is a highly rated, board-certified neurosurgeon based in Santa Monica, California, who specializes in minimally invasive and motion-preserving spine care. Practicing at the Neurosurgery and Spine Group, he focuses on advanced, non-fusion surgical techniques designed to target the root cause of spinal disorders while preserving natural mobility and accelerating recovery.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if creating a peaceful home didn't require getting rid of everything you love?

In this episode, Diane is joined by New York Times bestselling author Myquillyn Smith - known to many as The Nester - to discuss her newest book, House Hushing. Together, they explore a refreshing middle ground between minimalism and maximalism, proving that you don't have to sacrifice beauty or personality to create a home that feels calm. Instead, Myquillyn introduces the idea of "house hushing" - turning down the visual volume of your home so the pieces that matter most can truly shine.

From her unique "backwards decluttering" method to quiet decorating and embracing seasonal rhythms, Myquillyn shares practical ways to simplify your home without stripping it of warmth or character. If you've ever felt caught between wanting a peaceful space and wanting your home to still feel like you, this conversation will leave you inspired to create a home that's both restful and deeply personal.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Diane's Resource: Book: Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt
• Previous Episode: Creating a Space That Reflects YOUR Personality | Myquillyn Smith
• Myquillyn's Resource: Touch Lamps
• Connect with Myquillyn
• Website
• Instagram
• Podcast
• Book: House Hushing: The Simple Method to Declutter and Decorate for a More Peaceful Home

About Myquillyn |

For the past ten years, Myquillyn Smith, also known as “The Nester,” has been encouraging women to embrace their homes - imperfections and all. Her lived-in, loved-on home has been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal and Cottages & Bungalows. Myquillyn is the author of The Nesting Place and Cozy Minimalist Home and was chosen by Christianity Today as one of the top twenty creatives in 2016. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and three boys.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You crawl into bed exhausted… and suddenly your brain decides it's the perfect time to replay conversations, plan tomorrow's to-do list, and worry about everything you didn't finish.

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone.

In this episode, Diane sits down with Kathryn Nicolai, creator of the wildly popular Nothing Much Happens sleep podcast, to explore why so many of us struggle to quiet our minds at the end of the day. Drawing from years of teaching meditation and helping millions of listeners fall asleep, Kathryn explains why our brains aren't broken - they're simply doing what they've been trained to do in a world of constant urgency and information overload.

Together, they discuss how simple evening rituals can help create a gentler transition from productivity to rest, why our minds feel busiest when we finally slow down, and practical ways to give our brains a calming place to land before sleep.

Links Discussed in This Episode |

• Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
• Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
• Kathryn Resource: Vipassana
• Connect with Kathryn
• Website
• Instagram
• Podcast
• YouTube
• Audio Novel: On the Street Where You Live

About Kathryn |

Kathryn Nicolai is the creator and host of Nothing Much Happens, one of the most listened-to sleep podcasts in the world, where millions of listeners use her stories to calm anxiety, fall asleep, and feel more at ease in their bodies. With over 20 years of experience as a yoga and meditation teacher, Kathryn is a trusted voice in self-care, focusing on sleep hygiene, nervous system regulation, mindfulness, and storytelling as medicine. Through her work, she helps people cultivate rest, creativity, and emotional resilience in a culture shaped by overstimulation and burnout.

Episode Sponsors |

The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!

Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.

You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out 1-800-GOT-JUNK and use my code 1800gotjunk.com for a great deal: https://www.1800gotjunk.com
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Cure Hydration and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://www.curehydration.com
* Check out DeleteMe and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://joindeleteme.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy