The Distracted Dreamer
Get ready to confidently and unapologetically go after dreams! Welcome to The Distracted Dreamer Podcast. Today is the day you’re going to pull your dreams off the shelf and bring them to the forefront of your life. You are never too tired, too busy, too old, too young, too anything to pursue your dreams. Imagine… the joy and excitement of doing what lights you up. Your dreams are yours. No one gets to take them from you and no one gets to chase them - except you. Your dreams are there to guide you, to inspire you and to show you that yes, there is something more in store for you. You see, the size of your dreams don’t matter - it could be running a marathon, reading a book series, perfecting that family recipe, traveling the world, or learning to dance. I’m Carlene Bauwens, entrepreneur, Life Coach and now host of The Distracted Dreamer podcast. I’m here to show you how to kick distraction to the curb and grab hold of your dreams. Your happiness matters. You have a big, beautiful, amazing life to live. And you've only got one of them. Welcome to the Distracted Dreamer Podcast.
Episodes
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What if self-care in midlife has nothing to do with face masks or spa days and everything to do with remembering who you are?
In this episode, I'm getting personal and vulnerable, sharing the self-care story I wish I’d heard years ago. The one about hormones, brain fog, feeling “off,” getting dismissed by doctors… and finally finding the kind of support that helped me feel ...
Click here to hop on the Dream Studio Waitlist
If you’ve been circling around that thing you really want to do… but somehow, it keeps getting pushed to “later”? Yeah. This is your sign.
In this episode, I’m walking you through five simple (and surprisingly powerful) ways to start anything — even if you’ve been putting it off for months. These are the same strategies I use with my clients and in my own life whe...
Ever shared your dream with someone you love, only to walk away feeling… smaller?
You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m talking about the surprising (and sneaky) reason you might still be holding back on the dream that keeps calling your name, and how to fix it.
I share a story about a coaching session that stopped me in my tracks and reminded me how powerful (and painful) it can be when ...
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
MY 2025 WRAPPED GUIDE AND PODCAST EPISODE
New year energy can feel exciting. And it can be overwhelming.
I get it. That's why I'm re-sharing one of your all-time favorite episodes, where I talk about not starting the year with resolutions, rigid goals, or pressure to "get it right."
Instead, I'll walk you through the three things I don't ...
Every year, I see the same cycle play out:
New goals in January.
Burnout by March.
Back to self-doubt and people-pleasing by summer.
Sound familiar?
This time, let’s do it differently.
In this encore episode, I walk you through why “I’m too old” is one of the most dangerous lies we tell ourselves—and how to finally let it go.
From real stories of people who started over in their 40s, 50s, and 70s (!) to ...
Have you ever read a book and thought, “This was written for me”?
You see yourself in every story, raising your hand and saying, “Yes, that’s me.”
There’s nothing like picking up the right book at the right time — the kind that sticks.
In this episode, I’m sharing my top 3 book recommendations from the past year.
One changed how I measure progress.
Another taught me to say yes, even when I doubted mysel...
Download the guide: CREATE YOUR "MY 2025 WRAPPED here
It’s that time of year…
The time when Spotify and Apple Music tell you which songs you’ve played on repeat all year.
But it got me thinking—what if we could create a wrap-up of everything we’ve lived this year?
Not just the music and the podcasts, but the full picture.
I’m talking about the version of you who navigated joy, mess, growth, fatigue, love, do...
When we talk about dreams, we usually talk about action — what we need to do, fix, plan, or check off the list. But what if the most important part of dreaming… is becoming?
In this episode, I’m flipping the script — and inviting you to stop obsessing over the to-dos and start focusing on who you need to be in order to actually live inside the dream you're chasing.
Whether it’s motherhood, podcasting, writin...
You’ve done the inner work — now it’s time to manage everything swirling around you.
In Part 2 of this two-part series, we’re shifting outward. From the ever-growing to-do list to tricky family dynamics, from outdated traditions to the pressure to say yes when you know it should be a no — this episode gives you the tools to handle it all with more clarity and calm.
You’ll walk away with practical ways to prote...
This time of year can bring so much beauty… and so much pressure.
So many of us are trying to hold it all together — deadlines, family dynamics, holiday expectations, and a to-do list that just won’t quit. You’re not imagining it — it’s a lot.
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we’re turning inward — it’s all about calming the swirl inside you before you try to calm everything around you. If you’ve been s...
This is the time of year when everyone’s telling you to plan your next big move. But you can’t imagine thinking about that now with the busy holiday season so near.
What if 2026 didn’t start with a plan… but with a dream?
What if you knew what you wanted for yourself next year?
What if you could have the clarity in 15-30 minutes?
You don’t need a goal or a plan yet. But this tiny pocket of time right now i...
Ever wonder why some people seem to actually bring their dreams to life—while yours stays stuck in “someday”?
Here’s the secret: it’s not about being the smartest, most disciplined, or most "together" person in the room. It’s about how you think, feel, and show up—especially when things get hard, boring, or uncertain.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through the 7 powerful pieces of - think of it as a code...
When’s the last time you really gave yourself credit, really celebrated yourself? Not just for what you did, but for what you overcame — or how much you’ve grown.
I used to think that celebrating myself would come after I did something “big enough.”
But what if celebration isn’t a reward for results — what if it’s actually fuel for the next step?
Today I’m sharing some of the quiet ways I used to downplay my grow...
I’ve been flooded with messages from you since last week’s episode — so many of you said, “This is me. This is what I’ve been feeling. And I had no idea what to call it.”
You’re not alone.
If you’re in your 40s or 50s, and your brain suddenly feels foggy, unmotivated, or like it’s just… off — this episode is for you.
We’re talking about what’s actually happening to your brain in midlife, and why it’s not about agin...
Brain fog? No motivation? Can’t remember anything? You might be wondering — is it ADHD… or menopause? And what does either one have to do with chasing a dream?
In today’s solo episode, I’m unpacking what happens when estrogen drops, dopamine crashes, and your once-focused brain suddenly can’t finish a sentence — much less a creative project. I’ll also share my own experience with breast cancer and what it means to...
I used to think recovery meant sleep, a long walk, or a girls’ weekend — but even after all that, I still felt drained. It didn’t make sense… until I learned what was actually happening in my nervous system.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the real science of recovery — how your body toggles between go mode and rest mode, and why so many of the things that look restful still keep you stuck in performance mode.
...
Your dreams deserve more than scattered energy and half-finished to-do lists. They need your focus.
In this episode, I’m sharing the exact 7-step focus routine I use behind the scenes to move my dream work forward — even when life gets full, messy, or distracting (which, let’s be honest… is most of the time).
This isn’t about being more productive just for the sake of it. It’s about creating a rhythm that actuall...
Your companion guide for this special episode 👇
Start Dreaming Again: 3 Gentle Steps to Rediscover What You Really Want
Here’s the thing no one tells you about “figuring out your dreams”…
You don’t actually think your way there.
You feel your way back.
This episode isn’t about setting goals or chasing productivity.
It’s a gentle, coaching-style mini-workshop designed to help you wake up the part of you ...
Click here to hop on Dream Studio Waitlist and get founding member perks!
What if chasing your dream didn’t have to feel so heavy?
For a long time, I thought if I was serious about a dream, I had to make a Big Plan and then follow it perfectly. You know… map it out, get it right, make sure I really knew what I was doing before I even started.
But the truth? That pressure kept me stuck.
What finally helped me move for...
What if all your “research” is actually a really sneaky form of procrastination?
Let’s be real — I’ve spent way too much time thinking I was making progress just because I was learning. I had tabs open, courses saved, notebooks full of ideas… and still felt totally stuck.
At one point, I even signed up for a course on how to code my own website. (Yep. Coding. Me.🙃)
But here’s what I’ve learned — and am still learni...
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