Podcast
The Contentment Creator
Hosted by Ellen Broen · EN
Welcome to The Contentment Creator Podcast – the ultimate podcast for conscious creators, mindful parents, and visionary entrepreneurs who are ready to embrace courage, clarity, and contentment in every facet of life.
I’m your host, Ellen Broen – a certified life coach, professional singer, mom, and unapologetic fan of clever wordplay, cozy books, and adorable dogs.
This podcast is your daily dose of inspiration to help you:
✨ Find clarity in your life vision and decisions.
✨ Ignite creativity and unlock your entrepreneurial potential.
✨ Cultivate contentment and balance in your personal and professional journey.
✨ Build thriving communities that feel like home.
Each short, impactful episode dives into topics like:
✔️ How to be content with yourself and your life.
✔️ Creating consistency and flow in your business.
✔️ Living consciously while pursuing your passions.
✔️ Building self-care practices that sustain your life and career.
Drawing insights from thought leaders like Dr. Shefali, Brené Brown, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Rick Rubin, we’ll answer questions like:
✨ What does it mean to be creative in everyday moments?
✨ How do you live a conscious life and lead with intention?
✨ How can you find motivation and stay grounded in an ever-changing world?
With actionable tips, inspiring conversations, and relatable stories, The Contentment Creator Podcast helps you balance ambition with presence and purpose.
💡 Follow and rate the show on your favorite podcast app or subscribe on YouTube so you never miss an episode. Together, let’s transform a world of content creators into a world of Contentment Creators – one inspiring episode at a time.
88episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
“The Invite” Perfectly Exposes People Pleasing and Self-Worth
1w ago00:10:52Tap to summarizeSelf-worth, healthy relationships, self-love, and relationship communication. The strongest relationships don't usually end because of one big betrayal—they slowly unravel through the tiny habits we stop noticing.In this episode of The Contentment Creator, I'm continuing my analysis of The Invite, but this time we're looking beyond people pleasing and perfectionism to something even deeper.Self-worth.What happens when two people genuinely love each other... but neither one truly loves themselves?Watching Joe and Angela's relationship unfold felt less like watching a movie and more like witnessing what happens when years of unspoken pain, resentment, and self-criticism quietly replace emotional intimacy.It wasn't one argument that broke them.It was thousands of tiny moments.The dismissive comments.The assumptions.The lack of communication.The inability to believe they were worthy of being loved in the first place.One of the most powerful moments in the film comes when both characters unknowingly reveal the same wound:"I don't believe I'm enough."And that single belief shapes everything that follows.In this episode, we explore:🔹 Why healthy relationships begin with healthy self-worth🔹 How low self-esteem quietly sabotages emotional intimacy🔹 The hidden habits that slowly destroy marriages and long-term relationships🔹 Why communication tools don't work without emotional healing🔹 The difference between seeking validation and knowing your worth🔹 How self-love changes the way we love our partnersRelationships rarely collapse overnight.More often, they fade through countless micro-interactions that slowly erode trust, respect, and connection.Because the way we speak to ourselves eventually becomes the way we speak to the people we love.Healing a relationship isn't just about learning to communicate better.It's about rebuilding your relationship with yourself first.When self-worth becomes your foundation, connection no longer feels like something you have to earn.📌 Subscribe for weekly conversations about personal development, healing, conscious living, creativity, and entrepreneurship.💬 Which small relationship habit do you think has the biggest impact over time? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Transcribe →Life Coach Reacts to THE INVITE
2w ago00:16:52Tap to summarizePeople pleasing, perfectionism, self-worth, self-love, and healthy boundaries. Sometimes a movie reveals more about our inner world than years of overthinking ever could.In this episode of The Contentment Creator, I'm doing something a little different.No, I'm not becoming a movie reaction channel.But every once in a while, a story captures something so profoundly human that I can't stop thinking about it. After watching The Invite, I couldn't even drive home before recording pages of notes.Because beneath the awkward dinner party, the uncomfortable conversations, and the brilliant performances lay something much deeper.A portrait of perfectionism.A portrait of people pleasing.And perhaps most painfully…A portrait of what happens when someone quietly believes they aren't enough.Angela's character isn't simply trying to host the perfect dinner.She's desperately trying to earn worth through performance.From obsessing over the perfect soufflé to sacrificing her own boundaries just to avoid making someone else uncomfortable, every scene reveals how people-pleasing slowly disconnects us from ourselves.The more I watched, the more I realized something:Perfectionism isn't really about getting everything right.It's about trying to outrun shame.In this episode, we explore:🔹 Why people pleasing is often rooted in self-hatred instead of kindness🔹 The hidden cost of perfectionism on relationships🔹 How losing touch with your own needs destroys self-trust🔹 Why healthy boundaries actually create deeper connection🔹 The difference between excellence and perfectionism🔹 How healing begins by changing the way you speak to yourselfThe way we love ourselves shapes the way we love everyone else.When our internal dialogue is built on criticism, shame, and self-rejection, no amount of external validation will ever feel like enough.Because perfectionism doesn't heal through becoming more perfect.It heals through becoming more compassionate.Through boundaries.Through authenticity.Through learning that your worth was never dependent on flawless performance in the first place.📌 Subscribe for weekly conversations about personal development, healing, conscious living, creativity, and entrepreneurship.💬 Have you ever recognized yourself in a movie character? Tell me which scene from The Invite stood out to you most.
Transcribe →Rest Is Not a Reward | Self-Care Tips for Creative Entrepreneurs & Conscious Living
3w ago00:06:02Tap to summarizeSelf-care tips for creative entrepreneurs: rest IS the strategy. Being content and conscious living starts when you stop treating rest like a reward you haven't earned yet.In this episode of The Contentment Creator, I'm making the case that vacation isn't a luxury; it's one of the most important investments you can make in your business and your creative life.I share a personal story from a recent family trip where I hit a wall of depletion so deep that I booked myself a solo hotel room in the middle of our vacation. Not to escape my family, but to prioritize genuine self-care for the first time in weeks. We still spent all day together. But having space to wake up, asking what I needed first? That changed everything.Here's what I know: your business can only be as alive as the person leading it. If you're living the depleted creative entrepreneur life, constantly in your business, never leaving it, you stop leading and start surviving. Real conscious living means protecting the source of your creative energy, not just pouring from an empty cup.In this episode, we cover:🔹 Why rest creates the work, not the other way around🔹 The difference between being in your business vs. living inside it like a cage🔹 What happens to your ideas and content when depletion takes over🔹 How to practice self-care in real life, even an afternoon, even one quiet morning, and shift your creative output entirely🔹 Michael Beckwith's "Pain pushes until vision pulls" and what it means for how you build🔹 A reflection + action step to bring into your next breakBeing content isn't about settling. It's about staying connected to the why behind everything you're building. As a creative entrepreneur, that connection is your most valuable resource.Conscious living means choosing rest before you're forced to stop and trusting that stepping away is not falling behind.Self-care tips for the business owner who thinks she doesn't have time: the most strategic thing you can do right now might not be a new launch or a new offer. It might be best to leave long enough for the breakthrough to find you.Being content with where you are doesn't mean you stop growing. It means you grow from a place of wholeness instead of depletion. And the best self-care tips I can offer any creative entrepreneur are simple: take the vacation, take the pause, take the breath. Not because you earned it, but because rest is how conscious creators stay connected to the source of what they create.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personal development, entrepreneurship, creativity, and conscious living.👇 Where are you treating rest like a reward when it might actually be a requirement? Tell me in the comments.
Transcribe →I Was Furious Packing for Vacation… It Had Nothing to Do With Packing
4w ago00:06:01Tap to summarizeTrusting yourself starts small. Self-trust, self-compassion, being content, and how to forgive yourself. This is what healing actually looks like in the quiet, ordinary moments.In this episode of The Contentment Creator, I'm talking about trust, but not in the big, dramatic, leap-of-faith way. I'm talking about the tiny moments where trust either shows up or doesn't. The duck-feet happenings underneath a calm surface.I share a real-time reflection that came to me while I was packing my daughter's tiny socks for a family trip…angry, resentful, and not entirely sure why. And in that ordinary moment, I found myself untangling one of the most important distinctions I've ever made.The difference between self-sufficiency and self-reliance.Self-sufficiency is fuel. It feels empowering, freeing, alive. But self-reliance? That's the armor I made for myself as a child when I learned I couldn't always trust the people I needed most. In this episode, we explore:🔹 Why self-sufficiency and self-reliance feel similar but come from completely different places🔹 The inner critic that's been narrating your hardest moments🔹 How old wounds show up in the strangest, smallest moments and what self-compassion actually looks like when they do🔹 The connection between trusting yourself, choosing joy, and being content even in the messy middle🔹 Why knowing how to forgive yourself is the foundation of self-trust and how healing really happens🔹 How you can be both self-sufficient AND soft, capable AND seenBeing content doesn't mean everything is figured out. It means you've chosen to trust the process, including the version of yourself still in the middle of it. Self-compassion isn't a destination. It's the practice of how to forgive yourself for being human, over and over, in the small moments that no one else sees.Because self-trust isn't built in grand gestures. It's built when you keep showing up for yourself in the packing-tiny-socks moments. The ones that look effortless from the outside and feel like everything on the inside.Trusting yourself means remembering: you don't have to close off. You don't have to rely only on yourself. You can be strong and seen. Capable and cared for. And being content with that truth, really believing it, changes everything.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personal development, healing, conscious living, and entrepreneurship.💬 What does self-trust feel like for you right now? Tell me in the comments.
Transcribe →The Pivot Comes When You Stop Forcing
Jul 300:07:39Tap to summarizeSelf care, clarity of mind, being content, conscious living, and how to stay motivated are often the missing pieces when life feels impossible. In this episode of The Contentment Creator, we're exploring why the answer isn't always pushing harder—and how protecting your energy can reveal the next right step.After seven weeks of frustration, rejection, and constant problem-solving, I learned a lesson that changed everything: sometimes the breakthrough comes when you stop forcing it.In this episode, I share why self care is not a luxury but a leadership skill, how clarity of mind emerges when we create space, and why being content with the vision while remaining flexible about the path is a key part of conscious living.🔹 Why We Become Consumed by ProblemsWhen we're exhausted, what we call determination can actually be fear, stress, and nervous-system overload. Learn how to recognize the difference between devotion and self-abandonment.🔹 The Difference Between Persistence and DysregulationHow to stay motivated without sacrificing your health, relationships, joy, and well-being in the process.🔹 The Power of Putting the Problem DownThe 24-48 hour practice that helped me finally see what had been hidden by exhaustion and overthinking.🔹 CEO Self Care and Leadership CapacityWhy self care protects your ability to lead, create, make decisions, and pivot effectively when circumstances change.🔹 Creating Space for ClarityClarity of mind doesn't always come from trying harder. Sometimes it comes from stepping away long enough to hear what your intuition has been trying to tell you.Being content doesn't mean settling. Conscious living doesn't mean avoiding challenges. And learning how to stay motivated doesn't require running yourself into the ground.Sometimes the next breakthrough begins with a nap, a walk, a conversation, or simply giving yourself permission to rest.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personal development, entrepreneurship, creativity, self care, conscious living, and building a life rooted in contentment.👇 What would become obvious if you weren't so exhausted? Share your thoughts in the comments.0:00 — Hook: Have you ever become the problem?0:21 — That was me — refreshing apps like a raccoon at 2 AM0:32 — What we call grit is sometimes dysregulation in a blazer0:53 — Focus = fear with a spreadsheet1:14 — Pivoting requires a regulated nervous system1:35 — Clarity doesn't arrive while you're strangling the problem2:05 — The advice: put it down for 24–48 hours2:30 — Rest is not the opposite of commitment3:05 — Self-care for the pivot: we are humans, not machines3:51 — The truth Ellen couldn't hear until she rested4:11 — What CEO care actually means4:29 — Depleted vs. resourced: how pivots feel different4:57 — The goal: know when to step back from the wall5:42 — Closing question: what would be obvious if you weren't exhausted?6:08 — The pivot reveals itself when you create space7:02 — Outro
Transcribe →Do not hire a nanny. Hire a FAMILY ASSISTANT.
Jul 200:14:23Tap to summarizeFamily assistant, entrepreneur parent, childcare for entrepreneurs, work from home mom, and family assistant job description — if you're struggling to find childcare that actually supports the reality of running a business, this episode is for you.After seven weeks, 136 applications, countless interviews, and more frustration than I thought possible, I finally discovered the problem: I wasn't looking for a nanny. I was looking for a family assistant.In this episode of The Contentment Creator, I'm sharing exactly how I found our dream support person, where I posted the job, the exact family assistant job description I used, and why this approach completely changed the quality of applicants I received.Watch The key to being unstoppable: https://youtu.be/Clw8zr1GZNAThis episode covers:🔹 Why Traditional Childcare Searches Weren't WorkingMany entrepreneur parents and work-from-home moms need a different kind of support than a traditional nanny role provides. If you've felt frustrated trying to explain what you're looking for, there may be a reason.🔹 The Difference Between a Nanny and a Family AssistantI break down the responsibilities, expectations, and mindset shifts that helped me realize I was recruiting for the wrong role entirely.🔹 The Exact Job Ad That Changed EverythingI'll share the actual family assistant job description I posted, the platform I used, the compensation range, and the small details that helped attract higher-quality candidates.🔹 Creating a Role That Supports Your Family and BusinessAs entrepreneur parents, our lives don't fit neatly into traditional boxes. Learn how I designed a role that supports childcare, household management, personal assistance, and creative business operations.🔹 How to Attract the Right CandidatesThe goal isn't finding someone willing to do everything. The goal is creating a position that aligns with the strengths, interests, and goals of the right person.If you're tired of trying to force your family's needs into a traditional childcare model, this episode may save you weeks—or months—of frustration.Because sometimes the solution isn't finding a better candidate. It's getting clearer about the role you're actually trying to fill.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on entrepreneurship, conscious parenting, creativity, personal development, and building a life that truly works for your family.👇 If you're an entrepreneur parent, what kind of support would make the biggest difference in your life right now? Let me know in the comments.0:28 — Context: link to Tuesday's episode0:51 — Where to search for childcare in your area1:13 — Research your local market2:07 — If you just want a nanny, this video isn't for you2:33 — Why work-from-home parents scare off nannies3:15 — Nannies vs. work-from-home parents explained3:23 — The Mrs. Doubtfire nanny problem3:57 — Where things got spicy: wanting a true partner4:54 — The reframe: you need a **family assistant**5:22 — Caveat: quality support = quality compensation6:10 — The creative twist: content creation support7:09 — The dream role: family + creative ops assistant7:22 — The actual job ad (verbatim)11:24 — Posted on Indeed — how it worked13:21 — Closing encouragement13:47 — Outro
Transcribe →3 things you NEED to know before pivoting
Jul 100:09:04Tap to summarizeHow to pivot without giving up on your vision — If you're wondering how to stay motivated when every strategy seems to hit a wall, this episode is for you. Successful pivoting isn't about abandoning the dream—it's about changing the approach while staying committed to the outcome.In this episode of The Contentment Creator, I'm sharing the essential advice for successful pivoting that I've used in entrepreneurship, parenting, marriage, and coaching. Whether you're building a business, navigating a major life transition, or trying to create an outcome that feels just out of reach, these principles will help you move forward with more clarity and confidence.This episode covers:🔹 Clarify and Expand the VisionMany people struggle because their vision is either too vague or too narrow. Learn how to define what you truly want while remaining open to different paths that could lead you there.🔹 How to Pivot Without Losing MomentumSometimes the problem isn't your goal. Sometimes you're simply looking in the wrong place, using the wrong strategy, or calling the solution by the wrong name. I share the childcare search story that taught me this lesson firsthand.🔹 What to Do When You Feel Like Giving UpIf you've reached the point where you're exhausted, discouraged, and ready to quit, there are three things you must do before making any major decisions:✔ Put the goal down for 24–48 hours✔ Prioritize self-care and recovery✔ Seek support from trusted people🔹 Don't Change What's WorkingOne of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs, creators, and parents make is tearing everything down too soon. Learn how to identify what's already working and build from there instead of constantly starting over.Successful pivoting requires a unique balance of commitment and flexibility. Stay committed to the vision. Stay flexible about the path.Because sometimes the breakthrough isn't found by trying harder—it's found by seeing the problem from a completely different angle.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on entrepreneurship, creativity, personal development, conscious living, and building a life that feels as good as it looks.👇 What's a pivot that completely changed the outcome of something important in your life? Share your story in the comments.0:32 — Tip #1: Clarify & expand the vision1:33 — Childcare story as illustration2:24 — Allow yourself to learn what you don't want4:14 — The pivot: "family assistant" reframe4:35 — Tip #2: When you feel like giving up — 3 things to do4:44 — Step 1: Put the goal down 24–48 hours5:16 — Step 2: Prioritize self-care5:49 — Step 3: Seek support6:33 — Tip #3: Don't change what's working8:10 — Wrap-up & call for comments8:27 — Outro
Transcribe →The key to being unstoppable
Jun 3000:06:01Tap to summarizeThis episode is a part of this week’s series on how to stay motivated when nothing is working. Being unstoppable isn't about never struggling—it's about refusing to stop. In this episode, I share a deeply personal story about persistence, self trust, resilience, and how to stay motivated through one of the most frustrating seasons I've faced as a parent and entrepreneur.After seven weeks of searching for childcare, 136 applications, 33 interviews, countless disappointments, and more setbacks than I could count, I was forced to learn what being unstoppable actually requires.This episode explores:🔹 What Being Unstoppable Really MeansMost people think persistence means pushing harder. What I discovered is that being unstoppable often means trusting yourself when everyone else is telling you to quit, settle, or lower your standards.🔹 How to Stay Motivated Through SetbacksWhen nothing seemed to be working, I received one piece of advice that changed everything: stop trying to solve the problem for 24–48 hours. Giving my nervous system a break created the clarity I needed to finally see what I had been missing.🔹 Self Trust During Difficult SeasonsOld versions of me might have believed the criticism, the rejection, or the people telling me what I wanted didn't exist. This experience became a powerful reminder that self trust means honoring what you know to be true, even when evidence seems to suggest otherwise.🔹 The Breakthrough That Changed EverythingAfter weeks of frustration, one simple pivot changed the entire outcome. The solution wasn't abandoning the vision—it was changing the approach. Within days, we found exactly what our family needed.If you're currently facing rejection, delays, uncertainty, or a season where every door seems closed, I hope this story reminds you that persistence doesn't always look like pushing harder. Sometimes it looks like resting, listening, and trusting yourself enough to keep going.Because there is no wrong move you can make besides stopping.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personal development, entrepreneurship, creativity, self trust, and conscious living.👇 What's a time when your breakthrough came after you stopped forcing the solution? Share your story in the comments.0:00 — Intro / Hook: Have you ever hit wall after wall?1:08 — Back to the story1:18 — The childcare search begins1:41 — The struggles: bullied, rejected, ghosted2:07 — "The past seven weeks have been hell"2:33 — The shift: feminine & unflappable fierceness3:26 — The breakthrough realization3:50 — New traction & hope returns4:17 — She found her person4:41 — The lesson: trust yourself & keep going5:14 — Closing message & inspiration
Transcribe →How to Stay Motivated When Everything Falls Apart | Self Care, Clarity & Conscious Living
Jun 2900:34:42Tap to summarizeSelf care, clarity of mind, being content, conscious living, and how to stay motivated — these five things saved me during 7 weeks of hitting wall after wall.In this week's episodes of The Contentment Creator, I'm sharing the full story of my seven-week childcare search. 136 applications, 33 interviews, ghostings, insults, and one 3am breakthrough and the real lessons it revealed about pivoting without giving up on your vision.This week covers four connected episodes:🔹 The Key to Being UnstoppableMy personal story of persistence. Being content with your vision while staying unattached to the exact path — that's what kept me going. After 7 weeks of walls, one piece of advice gave me the clarity of mind I needed: put the problem down for 24–48 hours. What happened next changed everything.🔹 Essential Advice for Successful PivotingThe practical framework I use with my coaching clients: clarify and expand the vision, know how to stay motivated when you feel like giving up, and never change what's working. Pivot what's not. I share how I went from 136 wrong applicants to finding our dream hire in 48 hours.🔹 How to Find a Family Assistant as an Entrepreneur ParentThe exact ad — word for word — that I posted on Indeed.com. If you're an entrepreneur who works from home and needs more than a traditional nanny role, this is your episode. Conscious living as a parent and business owner means reimagining what support looks like for your real life.🔹 The Self-Care Required to PivotCEO self care is how we protect our capacity to lead. When we're depleted, every pivot feels like a threat. When we're resourced through intentional self care, pivoting feels like possibility. Knowing how to stay motivated long-term means knowing when to pause and tend to the human carrying the dream.Being content doesn't mean being passive — it means trusting yourself enough to keep going AND knowing when to rest. Clarity of mind doesn't come from pushing harder. It comes from putting the problem down long enough to let the answer find you.📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personal development, entrepreneurship, creativity, and conscious living.👇 What would become obvious if you weren't so exhausted? Tell me in the comments.Chapters:0:00 – Introduction: When you hit wall after wall pursuing a goal5:25 – Story: 7 weeks of childcare hell (136 applications, 33 interviews)9:18 – The Key to Being Unstoppable: What "keeping going" really requires9:58 – Part 2 intro: How to Pivot Successfully10:15 – Pivot Tip #1: Clarify AND expand your vision19:58 – Pivot Tip #2: What to do when you feel like giving up (3 steps)27:02 – Pivot Tip #3: Don't change what's working13:42 – Part 3: Finding a Family Assistant (not a nanny) as a work-from-home entrepreneur35:28 – Part 4: The self-care required to pivot (nervous system & CEO care)1:13:28 – Closing: What would become obvious if you weren't so exhausted?
Transcribe →Raw Life Update: Postpartum, Burnout, and Finally Asking for Help
Jun 100:19:50Tap to summarizeA raw postpartum life update from an overwhelmed mom and life coach navigating mom burnout in real time. I'm sharing the honest truth about survival mode, why I'm asking for help, and why something has to change.In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on what life actually looks like right now. A nine-month-old, a threenager, a business in transition, and a support system that keeps falling through. If you've ever felt like you were doing everything right and still drowning, this one is for you. This postpartum season has stretched me in ways I didn't expect, and as an overwhelmed mom trying to hold a big vision alongside real life, I finally hit a wall.As a life coach, I talk about contentment, joy, and building a life that works…and right now I'm living proof that even the person teaching those tools has to keep choosing them, especially through mom burnout and seasons that just feel impossibly hard. This is me practicing what I preach by not doing it alone.I'm crowdsourcing wisdom, lived experience, and real resources from this community. If you've navigated postpartum overwhelm, found incredible childcare, or figured out how to build a support team as a mom entrepreneur, I want to hear from you in the comments.This life update is a reminder that contentment is a choice, not a destination. Drop your wisdom below, and if you made it to the end, you know what to do. 🐛🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on personal development, entrepreneurship, and authentic creativity. Try the AI Life Coach chatbot for yourself: ellenbroencoaching.kit.com/elleninmypocketJoin the Contentment Creator email list for exclusive, early-bird updates at https://tinyurl.com/thecontentmentcreatorConscious Partnership Starter Kithttps://ellenbroencoaching.kit.com/4ebe129567Growth Without Burnout Blueprint download link: https://ellenbroencoaching.kit.com/b51104bb4dThe Creative Parent’s Companion:https://ellenbroencoaching.kit.com/creativeparentscompanionCEO Capacity Creator:https://ellenbroencoaching.kit.com/ceocapacitycreator The Creative Parent’s Companion:https://ellenbroencoaching.kit.com/creativeparentscompanionKey Moments:0:00 – I'm Drowning: Postpartum Survival Mode & Why I Made This Video3:29 – Competing Commitments: Being a Mom AND a Business Owner10:20 – How Do You Get Support When You Need It RIGHT NOW?13:01 – Joy Is Not the Product of a Well-Lived Life16:54 – "Being in the Goo" A Metaphor for Transformation17:56 – Contentment Is a Choice (The Reminder I Needed)
Transcribe →