27% of women in the U.S. aged 12 and older have listened to a podcast in the past week, according to The Infinite Dial 2023 [1]. What do they listen to? Among the top themes of motivational podcasts for women are love & relationships, news and entertainment, and self-improvement [2].
Indeed, podcasts can be a great source of inspiration and practical advice for women who are building a business, balancing careers and families, or seeking personal growth.
So, are you looking for career advice, mindset changes, or the boost of motivation to keep going? Here, you can find the best motivational podcasts for women that can inspire you to achieve your goals.
Self-Help Podcasts for Women: Top Picks
- The Goal Digger Podcast
- Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations
- Moms Who Create
- The Michelle Obama Podcast
- Unlocking Us
- The Guilty Feminist
- We Can Do Hard Things
- How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
- Call Your Girlfriend
9 The Best Motivational Podcasts for Women
Women in business, creativity, achieving goals, motherhood, activism, and self-discovery are among the topics that concern female listeners all over the world. These are all covered in the best motivational podcasts for women:
1. The Goal Digger Podcast
Host: Jenna Kutcher, a popular entrepreneur, educator, known for her expertise in marketing, online business, and personal development.
Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creative professionals who want practical business advice. If you’re a woman looking to launch or scale a business, increase your online presence, or improve your marketing skills, this show may become one of the most useful female motivational podcasts for you.
The Goal Digger Podcast is all about helping women build businesses and lives they love. Jenna shares advice on entrepreneurship, marketing, and time management. She focuses on empowering women to take control of their careers and finances.
At the same time, Jenna’s down-to-earth, accessible approach makes complex topics easy to understand.
She talks about the mindset needed to reach goals, manage imposter syndrome, stay motivated, and dealing with self-doubt.
Along with her solo episodes, Jenna also interviews entrepreneurs, celebrities, and experts about their journeys, what they’ve learned, and their advice.
Studies show that emotional intelligence really matters when it comes to achieving your goals [3]. It helps you stay on track, deal with setbacks, and communicate better with people.
The stronger your EQ, the easier it is to get out of your comfort zone and keep moving forward, even when things get tough. Take our quick test to find out how your EQ measures up!
2. Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations
Host: Oprah Winfrey, a well-known talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is also one of the most influential women in the world.
Perfect for: Women interested in spirituality and self-reflection. If you enjoy deep, inspiring conversations with thought leaders and want to discover more about personal growth and transformation, this podcast is a must-listen.
Being a true icon in the world of personal development, it’s no surprise that Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations has become one of the best motivational podcasts for women.
SuperSoul Conversations reveals the journey of self-discovery and personal transformation. Oprah’s guests share their own life lessons and breakthroughs.
Oprah often has interviews with spiritual leaders like Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Marianne Williamson. Together, they discuss the power of presence, awakening consciousness, and finding inner peace.
Another common subject in SuperSoul Conversations is the pursuit of purpose and fulfillment. The host invites famous guests like Tony Robbins, Brené Brown, and Elizabeth Gilbert. They share their experiences of finding their calling and how others can do the same.
What else makes this show one of the best self-help podcasts for women is that relationships are also key themes in many episodes.
Using her gift for connecting with people on a deeply emotional level, Oprah speaks with couples, relationship experts, and people about love, forgiveness, and meaningful connections.
3. Moms Who Create
Host: Kelli Heil, a creative entrepreneur and coach.
Perfect for: Creative moms who are looking for inspiration and support in balancing their family life with their creative passions. Moms who just need advice on managing their time and staying productive. It also may be the best self-help podcast for women who want to start or grow a creative business while raising children.
Kelli’s mission is to help moms find balance, build confidence, and develop the mindset and skills needed to succeed in both their creative pursuits and family lives.
Kelli also draws upon her own real-life experiences as a mother. With her background in both creativity and business, she’s the perfect person to help other moms who want to start or grow their own creative businesses.
Moms Who Create provides advice on topics like marketing, branding, monetizing creative passions, and staying productive while raising children.
4. The Michelle Obama Podcast
Host: Michelle Obama, a former First Lady, bestselling author, and advocate for women’s rights, social justice, and helping communities grow stronger
Perfect for: Women looking for inspiration from a role model and interested in personal growth and leadership, particularly from a woman’s perspective.
In her motivational podcast for women, Michelle Obama shares stories about her life and the lives of her guests.
Her podcast often focuses on a central theme rooted in defining and accepting one’s identity. Michelle talks about her experiences of growing up, managing public life, and understanding her role as a woman, wife, mother, and First Lady.
Whether she’s speaking with her husband, Barack Obama, or a celebrated guest like Oprah Winfrey or Lin-Manuel Miranda, each episode features Michelle’s beliefs in building community and growing together in harmony.
As a former First Lady, Michelle is committed to public service. That’s why her inspirational podcast for women often brings up themes related to social impact, the importance of giving back, and how people can make a difference in their communities.
5. Unlocking Us
Host: Brené Brown, a research professor, author, and thought leader in the areas of vulnerability, courage, empathy, and leadership.
Perfect for: Women passionate about personal growth and self-improvement. It may also be helpful for parents and caregivers as many episodes focus on relationships, parenting, how to work on yourself, and build deeper connections with loved ones through empathy and vulnerability.
Brené Brown’s ability to weave together personal stories with research-backed insights has made this podcast for women inspiring and deeply practical.
Her research on shame is a key focus of the podcast, and many episodes explore how shame impacts our behavior, relationships, and self-esteem.
Unlocking Us also wonders what makes a great leader, focusing on how vulnerability and courage play a huge part in leading well.
6. The Guilty Feminist
Host: Deborah Frances-White, a British comedian, writer, and feminist activist.
Perfect for: Anyone interested in feminism and wanting to explore gender equality or who is just looking for a mix of humor and serious conversation.
Deborah has become a leading voice in the feminist movement with her sharp humor, smart insights, and passion for social justice. She embraces comedy to tackle tough topics like gender equality, social norms, and women’s rights.
A central theme of this motivational podcast for women is the idea that being a feminist doesn’t mean being perfect. Deborah and her guests discuss the “guilty” part of the podcast title. They accept that they may not always live up to every feminist ideal but are committed to learning and growing.
Generally, the podcast discusses the pressures and contradictions that women may face in trying to live up to feminist values.
The Guilty Feminist tackles important social themes, such as gender inequality, racism, LGBTQ+ rights, and body positivity.
At the same time, Deborah’s witty style and her guests’ funny stories create a relaxed vibe, making it easy to talk about tough topics with a sense of humor. With that, the podcast’s mix of fun and reflection makes it engaging and thought-provoking.
7. We Can Do Hard Things
Hosts: Glennon Doyle, a bestselling author and activist, her sister Amanda Doyle, and her wife Abby Wambach, a retired soccer legend and Olympic gold medalist.
Perfect for: Anyone facing a difficult time, looking for personal growth, or passionate about social justice.
The show’s blend of humor, raw honesty, and activism has made it one of the best motivational podcasts for women looking for inspiration, guidance, or simply the courage to take the next step in their personal journey.
A major theme of the podcast is the idea that life’s difficulties can be rich opportunities for growth. Glennon, Amanda, and Abby discuss how facing hard things can lead to greater self-awareness, resilience, and empowerment.
The hosts encourage listeners to accept discomfort as part of the journey toward becoming their truest selves.
Glennon and her co-hosts frequently talk about how everyone can make a difference in social justice causes. They discuss how personal growth and activism go together and how to get involved in the things that matter.
8. How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
Host: Elizabeth Day, British author and journalist.
Perfect for: People who may have difficulties dealing with perfectionism, want to learn how to turn failures into opportunities, or are looking for inspiration and hope.
How to Fail with Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates failure as a fundamental part of success and personal growth.
What made this show one of the most popular inspirational podcasts for women? The podcast features in-depth conversations with celebrities, experts, and everyday people about their biggest failures and how they can teach important lessons, lead to new opportunities, and shape them.
Through these honest and often humorous talks, How to Fail shows that failure isn’t something to hide from but a step toward something better.
Eventually, Elizabeth’s thoughtful and empathetic interviews can make the audience feel like it’s okay to fail and that there’s always something valuable to learn from it.
9. Call Your Girlfriend
Host: Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, two long-distance best friends.
Perfect for: Fans of TV shows, movies, and celebrity gossip admirers who are interested in the latest trends and happenings in pop culture; women interested in feminism, gender equality, and women’s rights; people wondering how to be a better friend.
The hosts describe the show as a “podcast for long-distance besties.” At its core, Call Your Girlfriend is about the bond between Ann and Aminatou, who have been best friends for more than a decade.
In this inspirational podcast for women, they talk about anything and everything, from politics and activism to self-acceptance. They even share how they saw a couple’s counselor to save their friendship. That’s how much these two care about each other and value their connection.
The chemistry between Ann and Aminatou is a big reason why the show became one of the best motivational podcasts for women that resonates with so many listeners.
Their friendship, with its cute moments and inside jokes, feels real. This, in turn, makes listeners feel like they’re talking with their own best friends.
In addition, Ann and Aminatou often discuss the latest pop culture trends, TV shows, movies, music, and viral moments. They also touch on current events, focusing specifically on topics that impact women.
5 Benefits of Listening to Inspirational Podcasts for Women
Podcasts can enrich people’s experiences. They also leave listeners feeling productive and empowered that they learned something new, researchers found in 2022 [3].
Here are a few more reasons why you should consider listening to podcasts:
1. Inspiration from diverse voices
Inspirational podcasts for women mix things up with voices from various people—entrepreneurs, artists, activists, scientists, and more. They may give you new ideas, help you think bigger, be creative, and inspire you to be the best version of yourself.
We asked Nicole Arzt, LMFT, about the benefits of listening to motivational podcasts for women.
Listening to podcasts is a great way to stay informed on current topics and feel inspired in your daily life. Podcasts also offer something deeper: a connection to people and messages that transcend beyond your personal circumstances. Furthermore, on a practical level, podcasts can enhance how you move through your typical routine, including while commuting, going for a run, or just doing chores around the home.
2. Feeling part of a supportive group
The audience of motivational podcasts for women may be encouraging and caring. As these people have common values, they tend to support each other. They also share personal stories and discuss the unique obstacle-filled situations women face.
3. Expert advice
Some of the best motivational podcasts for women often talk about careers, relationships, self-care, money, and health. As a result, advice from hosts and guests can help you learn, develop new skills, set goals, and make smarter choices – both personally and professionally.
4. Breaking down barriers and stereotypes
Self-help podcasts for women often discuss topics like juggling work and life, dealing with gender inequality, or the pressure to fit in. These talks can make the audience feel heard and help build a more equal and inclusive world.
5. Motivation to speak up and take action
Podcasts may encourage you to speak up for yourself and others—whether it’s at work or about causes they care about. They give tips on how to get more involved, whether through activism, giving back, or just supporting other women.
Bonus Tip: Top Motivational Podcasts for Women from Breeze Expert
“How to Fail with Elizabeth Day is all about acknowledging the many mistakes we make and learning along the way. Life Kit on NPR showcases practical insights for strengthening real-life competence in all domains. Mental Illness Happy Hour features a variety of interviews with people experiencing all types of difficult human emotions,” – Nicole Arzt, LMFT.
