How to Make February 1 Your Real New Year

How to Make February 1 Your Real New Year

Author: Wendi Bergin December 9, 2025 Duration: 13:25
This week on the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, we’re doing something a little rebellious but honestly… kind of necessary. We’re moving New Year’s Day to February 1. January is now officially our recovery month. A whole month to breathe, rest, wander around eating leftovers, and remember where we left our planners. In this episode, I talk about why women need a slower start, how one tiny goal can change your whole year, and why February is the perfect time to actually think about what you want more of in your home and your life. I share the story behind my own long-term goals, including my two-year decluttering journey, what’s finally clicking in my brain, and why gentle steps are more powerful than giant ones. Whether you want more peace, more confidence in the kitchen, or more space to rest, this episode invites you to let January be soft… and let February be your true beginning. One goal. One direction. And a whole lot of compassion for yourself.

Wendi Bergin hosts Homesteading Made Simple I Joyfully Prepared, a space where the romanticized idea of off-grid living meets the reality of a busy schedule. This podcast is built on the understanding that building a self-reliant life happens in small, consistent steps rather than dramatic leaps. You'll hear conversations that dig into the tangible skills of gardening, food preservation, and kitchen efficiency, all framed around integrating them into the life you already have. Wendi’s approach is notably calm and practical, stripping away the overwhelm often found online. Episodes serve as a guide to building a pantry, understanding food storage, and cultivating a resilient mindset without requiring a hundred acres. The focus is always on the achievable, emphasizing that homesteading is less about a location and more about a set of purposeful, daily choices. Tune in for a common-sense companion on the path to preparedness and greater self-reliance, wherever you happen to be planting your roots.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Homesteading Made Simple I Joyfully Prepared
Podcast Episodes
Truth About Your Food (And What To Do) w/ Judith Horvath [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:52
In this powerful and eye-opening conversation, Wendi sits down with regenerative agriculture expert and permaculture designer Judith Horvath to talk about what it really means to become self-reliant in today’s world. Jud…
How Messy Progress Turns Into Real Results [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:36
In this special 4-year anniversary episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi shares a real-life update on what the last six weeks have looked like behind the scenes. From bottle feeding baby goats and kittens to ho…
Why Chickens Are Easier Than You Think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:31
Spring has a way of pulling people into the idea of backyard chickens…those fluffy little chicks are hard to resist. In this episode, Wendi shares what she wishes she knew before getting laying hens, from the excitement…
My Failure Taught Me This About Preparedness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:30
Wendi shares a very real (and slightly painful) lesson from a Caribbean cruise where she forgot one very important thing… sunscreen. Through sunburn struggles, herbal improvisation using tea, and a surprising moment invo…
Stop Assuming Someone Else Will Be Prepared [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:58
In this heartfelt and more direct episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi Bergin tackles a comment she has heard for years: “If something bad happens, I’m coming to your house.” While often said jokingly, Wendi e…
3 Things to Know Before Buying Land for a Homestead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:15
Dreaming about a homestead someday? Chickens, gardens, fruit trees, maybe even goats? Before you fall in love with a farmhouse or a piece of land, there are a few important things to think about. In this episode, Wendi B…
Biggest Canning Mistakes I See Every Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:28
Have you ever thought about entering a canning competition… but talked yourself out of it? In this episode, Wendi pulls back the curtain from her role as Chairperson of the Food Preservation Division at the Florida Straw…
Surviving Survivor w/ Liz Wilcox [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:54
Wendi Bergin sits down with her friend and business mentor, Liz Wilcox, who was a cast member on Survivor Season 46, to talk about the part of the show that fascinates Wendi most: the actual surviving. Liz shares what “C…
How Small Homestead Skills Create Big Confidence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:18
In this episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi shares what the first six weeks of 2026 have looked like on her Florida homestead. From clearing space to become a quilter, to raising and processing 42 meat chicke…
Raising Meat Chickens: Questions People Always Ask [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:51
In this episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi pulls back the curtain on why her family chose to raise and process their own meat chickens. This is not a how-to guide. It’s a conversation. Wendi answers real que…