I am a (trying not to be busy) mama of two now. But before I had kids, I read a lot of books - both for fun and for self-improvement. These days, I find that I get a lot of the same enjoyment I did with books, in podcasts. I listen to them EVERY DAY! If you’ve ever joined me in a yoga or birth class, or even on a yoga retreat, you’ve undoubtedly heard me reference a podcast (or five!) Listening to them feeds that part of me that wants to remain a student forever and the mama part of me that falls asleep reading books when I finally get time at the end of the day.
But what I love most about podcasts is that I can listen to them while I drink my coffee or take them with me wherever I go - on a walk, at the grocery store, en route to appointments, in the school pick up lane or while I cook dinner.
Don’t get me wrong….I have a lot of quiet time in my day, too. I need that as well. And I love that my screen time is cut down and I’m able to feel inspired to make a shift somewhere or have a new awareness in just 20-30 minutes!
The following podcasts are my favorites right now as I continue to shift my life to embrace simplicity and explore minimalism. I am seeking a more simplistic version of motherhood and my work life. As I implement what I learn and adopt the new mindset shifts that come from regularly listening to these podcasts, I realize how helpful it is to have this option as a mom.
Minimalist Moms - Diane Boden (http://www.minimalistmomspodcast.com/)
Diane Boden is a mama with a mission! When I listen to her podcasts, I feel inspired to make some shifts to my home and heart. Her topics range and her interviews are so interesting - they truly hold my attention and I learn about so many other amazing people who embrace Simple-living and Minimalism.
Minimal- ish: Realistic Minimalism (https://www.desiraeendres.com/minimalish)
Desirae Endres is a very down-to-earth mom of a toddler, former teacher turned Podcast host, who shares SO much amazing wisdom about shifting your mindset to a life embracing the “less is more” philosophy. She has great interviews and her topics are always so interesting and helpful: like how to find friends in whatever season of motherhood you’re in or minimalism for moms or how to declutter your home as a mama with all.the.toys. I feel like she speaks directly to me as a mom who is trying her best to cut through the programming around things having to look a certain way and have more time to just BE with my family, myself and my community. I love Minimalism and I know first-hand the challenges I face implementing it as a lifestyle as a mom. And Desirae’s useful tips and conversations acknowledge those same struggles while also giving me new ideas that are so DOABLE. Go listen to her! She’s so easy to relate to!
Simplicity Parenting - Kim John Payne (https://www.simplicityparenting.com/)
Based on the book, Simplicity Parenting, this podcast has quick, supportive, non-judgmental episodes that have helped me shift the way I interact with my children. And it feels good! We don’t get very much support for parenting when we have children. And the advice we get can often feel judgmental. But this podcast is not that! From mindset tools to tips on shifting after school melt-downs, I feel like I get so much useful parenting advice and tools from Dr Payne. Now I give myself permission to be proactive vs reactive, parent more simply, and engage as a better listener to my children. I also like that the episodes are typically shorter so I can zoom in on a topic I am struggling with and implement it with ease pretty quickly. I can listen to it in my car and still hold the main ideas. Podcasts don’t have to be long to be really helpful!
Simple Families - Denaye Barahona, Ph.D (https://www.simplefamilies.com/)
I love listening to this podcast because the topics are geared toward families! I remember when I first started this journey toward Minimalism, I was so unsure how to implement it in our home and lifestyle. This podcast also discusses Minimalism and Zero Waste and the link they have with family life.
The Kate and Mike Show (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kate-mike-show-life-love-business/id1160960959?mt=2#episodeGuid=97a5735541dde2621eaa2522135a5400)
A few years ago, I was looking for a way to balance my personal life and my career, as I needed to step back into teaching but was also home with both of my young children. I was all over the place with my work! I had no semblance of schedule. I even did it with my daughter asleep on my lap and my son watching TV because that’s when I had time. But I was never focused and always frazzled. I had no idea how much easier my work-life world could be until I joined The Origin Collective with Kate Northup. It changed my life! I learned so many time-saving, simplicity-promoting systems that also spoke to my woo side from Kate’s program. I now implement them on the daily and feel so much more balanced! And I love THIS podcast because it continues to teach me how to DO LESS with MORE.
I hope you find them helpful, too! Please share your favorites in the comments!