Elizabeth Carlile of Atlanta on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Elizabeth Carlile and have shared our conversation below.

Elizabeth , really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Honestly, the first 90 minutes of my day are my little sanctuary before the chaos of emails, hockey practices, and “Mom, where’s my…?” kicks in. I start with my morning pages, just me, a pen, and whatever jumble is rattling around in my head. It’s not always profound; sometimes it’s just me writing “I need more coffee” three different ways, but it clears the cobwebs.

Then I move into scripture study because I need that grounding and bigger-picture reminder before the day tries to tell me what’s important. After that, I’ll read a book or flip through a magazine, something tactile and real, not glowing at me.

The one non-negotiable? No phone. Zero scrolling. If my phone even glances at me before those 90 minutes are up, I give it the same look I give my kids when they suggest ice cream for breakfast, loving but firm.

It is my way of filling my cup so I can actually pour into others without running on fumes.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Liz Carlile, the host of Motherhood Unstressed, a top 1% globally ranked podcast where I get to have deep, meaningful conversations with some of the most fascinating people on the planet. I started the show as a way to serve other moms who were feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or just craving something more for themselves. Over time it has evolved into a brand centered on curiosity, resilience, and helping women create lives they don’t need to escape from.

In 2019 I gave a TEDx talk that set the tone for the work I do now. Since launching the podcast, I’ve also stepped into acting and modeling, which has been a beautiful extension of my storytelling work. Most recently I had a guest-starring role on Paramount’s True Lies, which was such a fun and unexpected adventure.

These days you can find me homeschooling my youngest son, cheering from the stands at my boys’ travel hockey games, and staying ready for whatever the next opportunity might be. Life is full, unpredictable, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a wild military kid running all over bases, making friends with anyone who would talk to me, and turning every corner into a new adventure. Life felt big and open, and I was always ready to explore it. That sense of wonder, curiosity, and freedom has never really left me. It’s the thread that’s run through every chapter of my life, from motherhood to podcasting to acting, and it’s probably why I’m still chasing new stories and experiences today.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Losing my older sister, Kate, to breast cancer after she was exposed to burn pits in Iraq changed me in ways I’m still coming to understand. She was my first best friend, my compass, and the person who could always make me laugh until I cried. I’m not fully healed, and I don’t think I ever will be, because love that deep doesn’t disappear when someone is gone. I will always love her and grieve her death, and that grief has become part of the lens through which I see the world. It’s made me more present, more tender with the people I care about, and more determined to live a life she would be proud of.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
One person I deeply admire for their character is Vani Hari, also known as the Food Babe. She has been a guest on Motherhood Unstressed multiple times, and every time I talk with her I’m reminded of just how much grit and heart it takes to do what she does. Vani is working tirelessly to protect our kids from a broken food system, often in the face of coordinated character attacks meant to silence her. It would be so much easier to walk away and avoid the criticism, but she keeps going because she cares more about people’s health than about her own comfort. That kind of conviction and resilience is rare, and I respect it deeply.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Motherhood Unstressed has been going for seven years now, and the truth is, there are long stretches where I get very little interaction or feedback. Creating art, whether it’s a podcast, a piece of writing, or a performance, is often just sending something out into the world and hoping it makes a positive difference. You can’t control how it’s perceived, if it resonates, or if people will love you for it.

I’ve learned to keep going anyway. I do it because I have to, because it’s part of who I am. For me, creating and sharing ideas is like breathing. The praise is wonderful when it comes, but it’s not the fuel. The fuel is the need to put something out there that might help someone, even if I never know it did.

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