Hello, 2025
Written By: Courtney Psenicka
Happy Monday, Friends!
Normally, I have a carefully planned newsletter ready to go, but after a round of illness hit our house, I’m feeling a bit worn out from the non-stop hosting, cooking, and cleaning. So, I thought this would be the perfect time to treat this edition of The Mindful Mom like a casual chat between friends! In today’s post, I’m sharing a mix of random bits and pieces—from toddler activities and how I'm navigating life with an 18-month-old, to my goals and plans for the new year. I'll also be talking about some books I’ve loved lately, a couple of go-to recipes that are on repeat, and who knows what else! So grab your coffee, get cozy, and let’s dive in.
2025 is going to be my year—mark my words!
As I reflect on 2024, I can’t help but think what a wild ride it’s been. Turning 25 was no joke. This year, my daughter went from baby to toddler, I found out I’m pregnant with #2, and I’ve navigated some personal challenges—struggling with OCD, experiencing a miscarriage in May, and unexpectedly losing our family dog. It’s been a year full of love, joy, excitement, sadness, grief, loss, and incredible growth. Unfortunately, that’s part of the human experience. But I don’t see this as a "bad" year. In fact, there have been so many wonderful memories and milestones, and I’ve grown more than I could have imagined. If anything, 2024 has planted seeds for me to continue growing as I head into 2025.
Here are some personal goals I’ve set for the new year—both to hold myself accountable and to hopefully spark some inspiration for you, too:
Revisit reading the Bible to strengthen my personal faith and relationship with God, setting an example for my children.
Prioritize hands-on play and activities with my daughter, even during pregnancy, when Mama is feeling exhausted.
Create a stronger postpartum support plan for when baby #2 arrives.
Launch The Mindful Mom Podcast and release new episodes every Thursday.
Focus on whole-food nutrition and well-balanced meals, along with vitamins and supplements to support my pregnancy and postpartum health.
Move my body in ways that feel good, not just to look a certain way.
Continue OCD therapy, stay open to new treatment options, and keep practicing acceptance.
Work toward selling our house and moving into an apartment before baby girl #2 arrives.
Build meaningful connections with podcast guests by reaching out to a variety of fun, educational, and inspiring people to feature on the show.
Keep growing in motherhood and in my relationships with family and my partner, striving to show up as the best version of myself each day—while giving myself grace on the harder days when I don’t meet the standards I unintentionally set.
I could write an entire newsletter on goal-setting, but these are just a few of the things I’m excited to work on as we head into 2025.
They Really Do Grow Fast
Gosh, watching my daughter go from a 4-month-old to a year-and-a-half-old over the past year has been nothing short of incredible. From breastfeeding to weaning, starting solids, crawling, walking, running, and yes, even throwing tantrums—I’ve truly seen it all. The baby stage really does fly by. While I’m honestly terrified at the thought of waking up every two hours to feed a newborn come June, I’m also so grateful I get to experience it all over again.
For those of you navigating parenting with your first little one and feeling unsure if you’re doing things "right," I wanted to share a few "parenting tips" that have helped me along the way.
Here’s a little secret: no one teaches you how to be a parent. They hand you your baby at the hospital, and suddenly, you're responsible for raising this tiny human, making sure they grow up to be functioning members of society (and hopefully, good people, too). Some things that have helped me feel like “hey, I might actually be doing okay” are as follows:
Don’t compare yourself to other parents.
It’s so easy to scroll through social media and see moms posting about miraculous activities they’re setting up for their toddlers every. single. day. But let's be real—this isn’t the norm. I’m not knocking the moms who do this, but for most of us, it’s just not sustainable. Kids don’t need endless fancy activities. Remember that time you bought your niece or nephew a ton of toys for Christmas or their birthday, and all they wanted to do was play with the box? Exactly. Kids just want to connect with you. Instead of setting up a sensory bin every day (this is more of a weekly thing in our house), my daughter is involved in all my daily tasks—folding laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning up. When I do have time to sit and engage with her, we do something interactive—building blocks, reading, playing with magnet tiles, etc.Get them outside!
Kids can be tough, especially when they’re walking and full of energy. I know it’s winter, but trust me—getting your kids outside can work wonders. It reduces tantrums, allows them to burn off steam, and gets us back in touch with nature. When I say my daughter never cries when we’re outside, I mean it. Nature has a calming effect, and it’s been a game-changer for both of us.Don’t make food too complicated.
If I could go back in time and tell myself this when my baby started solids, I would have saved myself a lot of stress. Kids don’t need a fancy diet plan or an app to follow when introducing foods. Take the pressure off and focus on making meals your whole family can enjoy. If you're making tacos one night, make a deconstructed taco plate for your baby with age-appropriate food sizes. Introduce common allergens, of course, but don’t overthink it. When I stopped stressing about feeding my daughter in a “perfect” way and just started giving her what we were eating, not only did I feel less stressed, but I also believe it helped develop her mature palate. While most toddlers are eating PB&J, mine is enjoying garlic-stuffed olives and buffalo chicken dip.
Aren’t You Sick of Figuring Out What’s for Dinner?
I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve asked my partner, “Any dinner ideas for the week?” only to get the dreaded response: “Whatever you wanna make.” While I do enjoy cooking, there are definitely days when I just run out of creative ideas. So, I thought I’d share a few of my go-to winter meals, especially during the sick season. I’ll include some recipes, but keep in mind, I usually take a more flexible approach and make each dish my own.
Thai Chicken Ramen Soup
Chicken Pot Pie
Chili with Cornbread
Marry Me Chicken Pasta
Marinated Flank Steak (Pro tip: I often just use Italian dressing for the marinade—so simple!)
If you try any of these, let me know what you think! These are some of my recent favorites. I’m actually making the Thai Chicken Ramen tonight—my version includes lemongrass, Chinese mushrooms, bean sprouts, and napa cabbage!
Some 25 year olds are out partying, I am in my bed at 8:00pm reading
Yep, you heard that right. I am the kinda girl that would much rather be in bed after my kids go to sleep, fully showered, enjoying a cup of tea and reading some good books. Recently I have been really into romance novels. Here are some of my recent favorites. You can also friend request me on Goodreads to keep up with my favorites and book ratings! I’d love to see what you all are reading!
Part of Your World By Abby Jiminez
Yours Truly By Abby Jiminez
Hello Stranger By Katherine Center
A Cross Country Christmas By Courtney Walsh
Snowed In By Catherine Walsh
As we wrap up this edition of The Mindful Mom, I just want to say thank you for spending this time with me. Whether you’re in the thick of toddler chaos, planning for a new baby, or simply navigating the everyday ups and downs of motherhood, I hope something in this post resonated with you. As we all step into the first few weeks of 2025, I’m sending you lots of love, encouragement, and the reminder that we’re all doing our best—so let’s give ourselves grace when things don’t go as planned. Here’s to growth, connection, and finding joy in the small moments. I can’t wait to continue sharing this journey with you all in the new year. Until next time, take care of yourselves and those sweet little ones!
With Love and Gratitude,
The Mindful Mom
Court