Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips

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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Motherhood rarely goes according to plan - but what if the interruptions are where God meets us most? In this episode, Diane sits down with longtime friend, Christian writer, and mom of two, Chelsey DeMatteis, to discuss her new devotional, Mercy in the Margin. Together, they explore how the "margin" isn't necessarily extra time we create, but the space God has already given us within our ordinary days. Rather than striving for perfect routines or uninterrupted quiet time, Chelsey encourages moms to encounter Jesus in the unexpected moments, daily disruptions, and beautiful mess of motherhood.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
Chelsey Resource: Makeup Cloth
Chelsey Can't Stop Talking: Mr. Pen | Book: Know Him: A Year of Daily Bible Readings on the Character of God
Connect with Chelsey
Website
Instagram
Podcast
Book: Mercy in the Margin: 52 Devotions to Encounter Jesus in the Mix-Ups, Mess-ups, and Marvelous Moments of Motherhood

About Chelsey |
Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him, Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women's Journey Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two 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 BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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

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

If the question, "What's for dinner?" feels like the most exhausting part of your day, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Diane sits down with cookbook author and recipe developer Caroline Chambers to discuss how we can dramatically reduce the mental load of feeding our families - without sacrificing delicious meals. Rather than chasing elaborate recipes or constantly searching for new dinner ideas, Caroline introduces the concept of recipe minimalism: simplifying your approach to meal planning so dinner becomes one less decision you have to make.
From creating a repeatable meal rotation and maintaining a master grocery list to stocking a pantry that works for you, Caroline shares practical systems that make cooking feel easier - even on your busiest days. She also offers refreshing permission to embrace shortcuts, feed picky eaters without making multiple dinners, and let "good enough" be exactly that.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Connect with Caroline:
Website
Instagram
Book: What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast

About Caroline |
Caroline Chambers grew up in the kitchen on her mom’s hip, learning how to cook in their Winston-Salem, North Carolina, home. Her professional food career began in her early twenties when she worked as a chef and caterer. After a stint in a professional test kitchen, Caro struck out on her own as a freelancer, developing recipes for a host of publications as well as brands such as Boursin Cheese and Kim Crawford Wine, and in 2018, she published her first cookbook, Just Married. In 2020 - at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic - Caro began sharing her recipes and connecting with home cooks on Instagram, and launched her newsletter, What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, which flew to the top of the Substack charts; her podcast, So Into That, followed in 2023. Caro's latest cookbook, What To Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, was released in August 2024. Caro lives in Carmel Valley, California, with her husband, George, and their three young sons, Mattis, Calum, and Cashel—one of whom can almost always be found in the kitchen on her hip. 
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 BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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

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

What if the life you're chasing isn't actually the one you want?
In this episode, Diane sits down with speaker and author Justin Jones-Fosu to explore the subtle difference between chasing success and creating a life of meaning. Inspired by the timeless fable of the tortoise and the hare, Justin's newest book, Stop Chasing, Start Creating, challenges the cultural narrative that fulfillment comes from achievement, recognition, or constantly proving ourselves.
Together, they unpack why so many of us spend our lives pursuing someone else's definition of success - and how that pursuit often leaves us exhausted, disconnected, and wondering why "more" never feels like enough. Justin shares practical ways to move from external validation to internal alignment, embrace purposeful work, and intentionally create a life rooted in contribution rather than comparison.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
Diane's Resource: Mercy in the Margin by Chelsey Dematteis
Previous Episode: [REPLAY] I Respectfully Disagree: The Lost Art of Disagreeing Well | Justin Jones-Fosu
Book: The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success
National Study on Meaningful Work in America
The Meaningful 67 Challenge
Justin's Resource: Man's Search for Meaning by Vicktor Frankel
Justin Can't Stop Talking:
Connect with Justin
Website
LinkedIn
Book: Stop Chasing, Start Creating: A Timeless Fable on Mindset, Resilience, and Meaningful Work

About Justin |
Justin is a meaningful work researcher and the author of Stop Chasing, Start Creating, and has written for Oprah Daily, Fast Company, HuffPost, and Business Insider. You can take a look at his latest TEDx talk here.
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 BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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

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

People think that planning should feel good but it’s actually an anxiety-inducing event that you can develop resistance to in your brain. The trick is to turn planning into a rewarding event that your mind looks forward to. Then execution becomes a bit of a no-brainer. But how? Join me today as I speak with productivity expert and co-founder of the Lifehack Method, Carey Bentley. Carey’s helped more than 50,000 professionals who want to prevent burnout and create more freedom in their lives. Today, she’ll be sharing tips for why planning your week (not your day) is the secret to getting more done (and how to do it in less than 30 minutes), what to do when planning your week doesn’t work, what everyone gets wrong about productivity, and more.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
Connect with Carey
Website
LinkedIn
Youtube
Book: Winning the Week: How To Plan A Successful Week, Every Week

About Carey |
Carey Bentley is a productivity expert and co-founder of Lifehack Method, and co-author of the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller Winning the Week: How to Plan a Successful Week, Every Week.
A former corporate professional and startup founder, she now teaches high performers how to plan a successful week, every week. Since 2015, she and her husband Demir have coached more than 100,000 professionals, including executives at Google, Meta, Uber, Microsoft, and PepsiCo.
Her work has appeared in Fast Company, Forbes and Business Insider. She lives abroad with Demir and their family.
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 BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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

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

Shame has a way of convincing us that we're too much, not enough, or somehow fundamentally flawed. Often, it operates quietly beneath the surface, shaping the way we think, relate to others, and move through the world without us even realizing it.
Joining the show for the second time is author and teacher, Jeff Golden to explore the hidden ways shame influences our lives and how we can begin to loosen its grip. Drawing from his book, Reclaiming the Sacred, Jeff explains why love, wonder, and presence aren't qualities we have to earn - they're already within us. The real work, he suggests, is identifying the barriers that keep us from experiencing them.
Together, they discuss how shame often takes root in childhood, the messages reinforced by culture and social media, and the behaviors that can signal shame is at work beneath the surface.

Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
Previous Episode: Beyond the Pursuit of Happiness | Jeff Golden (EP10)
Connect with Jeff
Website
Book: Reclaiming the Sacred: Healing Our Relationships with Ourselves and the World

About Jeff |
Jeff Golden, M.Ed., was awarded the Grand Prize at the Nautilus Book Awards for his landmark book, Reclaiming the Sacred, Healing Our Relationships with Ourselves and the World, which was was also named Best Environmental Book of 2023 by IndieReader.
Jeff has written and taught about these topics for over thirty years, most recently as a scholar-in-residence at Vassar College. His online course on Reclaiming the Sacred has been transforming people’s lives for nearly a decade (“Like stepping into a whole new world of acceptance and love and growth”).
Jeff was a Fulbright Scholar in sustainable development and was awarded the State Department’s Millennium International Volunteer Award. He has headed several nonprofits dedicated to the environment, education, and social justice, and has worked with numerous Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
A native of Idaho, Jeff resides in the Mohicanituk Valley in New York, with his children, the river, and the stars.
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 BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

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

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