Exactly a year ago, Lauryn was featured in Mini Magazine. The article was filled with thoughtful questions (and answers) and gorgeous pictures of her home and family. We thought the interview would make for an amazing blog post and give you a little more detail on how Lauryn runs her life and why routines matter so much to her.
Most of you are always asking for her to be more specific with how she makes it all work and does it all. And you’ll see from this Mini Magazine article, that she doesn’t. Lauryn is very transparent about having help in all aspects of her life.
Let’s get into her interview with Mini Magazine.
Lauryn’s Interview with Mini Magazine: Routines, Motherhood and Leaning
- We’re thrilled to have you on our fall cover! Let’s dive right into your life as a mom. What does your morning routine look like now with two kids?
Ohhh long form content on a morning routine? Count me in. You know a routine has been fundamental in building a business and being a mother.
Here’s the micro, micro breakdown for you: I love to wake up about 30-40 minutes before my kids, around 6:45 am-ish. If my kids aren’t awake I’m able to squeeze in a meditation which is just a phenomenal way to start the day. So I remove the mouth tape, tongue scrape to get rid of any bacteria, put on my headphones, legs up the wall, perhaps a red light mask, and I will do Joe Dispenza’s morning meditation (about 24 minutes). I’ve been doing this for about 2 years and I look forward to it every day if meditation is even an option. For me, and everyone is different here, meditation is like a strategy session for life and business. It’s a time to sit in silence and envision what I want for my day, week, year, future. It’s a relaxing, invigorating way to start the day.
Immediately after I open the shades to let sunlight pour into the room and I always make the bed. I have this thing where I am the one who has to do it. It sounds weird but I feel like the bed absorbs energy so I like to do it with myself- it’s kind of a ritual. At the point I have it down to a science where the whole production takes like 5 minutes. Usually I am listening to an audiobook (usually something by Louise Hay).
My morning skincare is simple: ice roll, some facial massage and manipulation, a good hyaluronic acid, creamy face serum and my favorite colostrum moisturizer. The kids are typically awake at this point and the second their eyes open they’re READY, you know what I mean?
Then I’ll go downstairs and hydrate right away with water, tons of ice, electrolytes, colostrum, and lemon juice. Simultaneously I’m setting the tone of our day with music, incense, and candles (non-toxic of course). I try to romanticize the morning because it’s a time for me to be really present with my kids, connect with them and enjoy life. I don’t look at my phone unless it’s to turn on music or a podcast. It’s all about them.
Michael always makes me a coffee with raw milk which weirdly is a perfect pre-workout. We make the kids breakfast then as soon as my son is finished eating I take him for a walk. It’s a special time for us to bond and enjoy time in nature (one of my favorite parts of Austin). We get our sunlight in and sometimes I’ll listen to a walking meditation by Melissa Wood and jot down some to-dos for the day on the Notes app on my phone.
When we get home I make my daughter lunch and Michael and I take her to school. The car ride is a nice time for us to connect as a family. After drop off we go to the gym. I prefer to workout in the morning with a trainer– it keeps me accountable and works for me to have standing, recurring sessions in the calendar. The space represents an hour to myself, it’s non-negotiable and allows me to be more effective in the business. I like being told what to do at the gym, HA.
When I get home from the gym I’ll have bone broth, a bowl of meat or poached eggs and sit down with a planner to write out the day. After that I get right to work, and it’s balls to the walls, and I squeeze as much into my work time as possible.
This is what I do every single morning. I think decision fatigue is a real thing. When I plan my mornings like this it takes the guesswork out of it. I know where to stand and what to do. It’s therapeutic, maybe?
When I know what I’m doing every day, I don’t have to think about it. Oh and let’s be fucking real: does this go perfectly every day? No way in hell. Like there’s tantrums and earlier wake-ups some days. I mean I’m a full time working mom with 2 kids under 3 so you have to be malleable. BUT setting the intention to make this the blueprint for every day is helpful. If I can nail it- great. If I can’t- maybe I get 40% there? I also travel a lot so knowing that I have this routine at home is comforting.
- How has your transition been going from a mom of one to two kids? Was it easier or harder than going from 0 to 1?
Transitioning from 1 to 2 was not as complex for me as transitioning from 0 to 1. After Zaza I struggled with a lot of postpartum depression. What was complex was that I was so grateful and happy to have Zaza, but at the same time I was not feeling like myself. So it was confusing. Now I have found that it’s ok to simultaneously feel grateful and feel off.
When I had Townes, I was more prepared for the postpartum situation. I set up my life with all the tools that I needed before Townes came into the picture. It included a lot of weightlifting, tons of protein (I eat a lot of grass-fed meats), cold plunging, sauna, meditation, self-care, books and research. With my first baby, I didn’t realize really anything about the importance of taking care of yourself post-birth, I was more focused on the pregnancy.
All of it is a major transition, no matter what way you look at it. You truly have to adjust your life to be present for another human being 24/7. I don’t think I really took time to acknowledge the responsibility until the babies were actually here. It’s definitely a juggling act to maintain running a company of 12, showing up as a mother and wife, podcasting, and maintaining a peaceful home environment.
I feel like I lay my head down at the end of the night and I’m either going to nail being a business woman OR a mom. A lot of other moms have agreed with this sentiment on the podcast. To be real it’s really hard to nail both. I actively give myself grace and when I’m around my children- I just really try to be as present as possible. For instance the boundaries that I have with my phone are unreal now. Being a working mother has its challenges, just as being a stay at home does- you have to be flexible.
- What has surprised you most about motherhood?
The one thing that has been funny but also eye-opening is the fact that you can literally take your kids to Disneyland, ice cream, the movie theater, and then they will come home and say they’re bored and ask what’s next.
It’s honestly so wild that a lot of the job is just keeping them entertained. I’ve gotten really purposeful and strategic about the distractions (every Mom needs some distraction) I provide for them. For instance, I’m always looking for interactive crafts, baking ideas, TikTok games to DIY at home, puzzles- you get it. Recently “Elsa froze Zaza’s toys.” SHE LOVED IT. Elsa froze all her figurine toys and she had to chop the ice to get them out. We got her a little toolbox and she went to work for 30 minutes trying to save her frozen toys. That was fun.
As far as TV, the screen time thing is tricky. I feel like I just use it as a tool only when it’s absolutely necessary and try to focus on brain games.
By the way, personally my favorite craft in the world is coloring with water– lol, it’s not dirty and keeps things creative.
Another thing that surprises me about motherhood, and I feel like everyone can say this, is how I literally feel like my husband and I have created a built-in tribe. It’s so interesting how you immediately feel connected and how it’s like you found your people with your kids. The conversations that I have with my daughter are the most enriching part of my day. She’s witty, funny and has a very unique, independent perspective on a lot of things I never thought about.
- How did you prepare your oldest to welcome a new baby? What are her feelings about having a baby brother now?
Truly, I didn’t overthink it. I’m the type of person that tries to be flexible and fluid in my approach. My energy is that I’ll see how it goes when it happens. I also didn’t want to set up a lot of these crazy expectations for the welcoming.
Ultimately, when my daughter met my son, she was completely unaffected and aloof and went back to playing with her toys. It wasn’t like this crazy moment, it was natural to us.
Of course I got her books about the process, but I try not to put too much pressure on the situation overall. I did not over complicate things.
- What do you think is the greatest challenge of motherhood or has been for you so far?
By far the greatest challenge has been making sure that I show up in a purposeful way. I have so much going on with the business and podcast that I don’t want to bring that distraction into my interactions with my children.
What I’ve done every single day is create moments.
For instance, every single morning I walk for 30 minutes with my son to a walking meditation. We’re outside getting fresh air in daylight and it’s become a really important part of my day to connect and show him the neighborhood.
In the mornings and at night with my daughter, I make sure there’s no distraction when I wake her up and when I put her to bed- I’m all in it. Her favorite thing right now is for me to tell her stories of when I was little, so every night we do three stories about when I was little and she picks the plot. Like she designs and creates the plot of MY childhood stories- she’s a little boss.
For me though, there’s always some element of guilt. It’s interesting, I asked my husband if he felt any guilt when it comes to the kids and he said no. That motherfucker didn’t even flinch! For me, there’s this heavy expectation to show up as Suzy Homemaker and also a mother and wife of the year while also maintaining a business. I think the guilt is totally natural, especially as a woman. A lot have societal pressure in different ways.
I try to acknowledge it, and reframe it. Instead of letting those feelings of guilt overtake moments, I reframe my thinking to something positive. The book that really helped is by Louise Hay called You Can Heal Your Life. This book teaches you that the way you talk to yourself in your head is the design of your life. Big believer that you are the creator of your life and too many negative thoughts can detract from the good.
Also!!! This photoshoot was challenging. The most challenging. I don’t know how anyone shoots all these pictures with their kids everyday. This photoshoot involved exactly 5 cookies, 3 lollipops, an iPad, a promise of toys, specific Cocomelon music, a craft, and 2 tantrums. MY GOD IT WAS…not easy. Send help.
- Tell us how you decided on your kids’ names. Were there some names that you liked and your husband didn’t, and visa versa?
Ever since I met Michael, I’ve been very much into Zsa Zsa Gabor. I had read all her autobiographies and watched all the things on her. I kept telling my boyfriend at the time (Michael) how much I loved her attitude- in her time she was unapologetically herself and a total disruptor. She also had been married like seven times which I thought was amazing because at that time it was so taboo to get a divorce. She didn’t care. I liked that. She lived life on her own terms.
Anyway, I told Michael that I wanted to name our daughter Zsa Zsa BUT I kept pronouncing “Zaza.” One day he told me that’s not how you pronounce it. I’d been pronouncing it wrong the whole time. Immediately I was like “I need my daughter to be named Zaza.”
It’s a sparkly name- I love short names that are unique and easy to pronounce. So I guess you could say we kind of made up her name? She’s the most Zaza ever too- it’s the ideal name for her.
Townes came to us because again, we wanted something unique but simple. Townes Van Zandt is one of my and Michael’s favorite musicians- his music has depth. The name has been really fitting for Townes.
Also like so many moms, I have 180 random nicknames for both of my kids. The most random names in the world? Michael thinks I’m nuts.
- How was your second pregnancy and birth different or similar to your first?
I set myself up for the second pregnancy. I didn’t realize the importance of that when I was pregnant with Zaza. I just thought you were pregnant, birthed the baby, then got back to normal. With Townes I had practices in place to help me feel my best post birth.
As for the actual pregnancy, I’m fortunate to say that they were pretty easy. Zaza was very calm, whereas Townes was kicking and punching me constantly.
Overall the biggest difference was the postpartum experience.
Pregnancy though? It’s no joke. My GOD. From the weight, to the body changes, to the hormones, it’s a journey.
- The postpartum stage can be hard. How did you feel going into the “fourth trimester” after welcoming your kids? What things helped you get through that postpartum whirlwind?
With my first, postpartum was challenging. I had postpartum depression and anxiety but I didn’t really know it at the time. I didn’t feel like myself and I wasn’t expecting it. I was focused so much on the pregnancy and birth, and didn’t pay much attention to the fourth trimester. You don’t feel like you, you don’t look like you, you have a new baby to take care of- it’s a mind fuck. Eventually I got my hormones and thyroid levels checked and it changed everything for me. I gained over 50 lbs so that was a trip too.
Like I said after the birth of Townes, I was so prepared that it was a totally different experience. After he was born, and as soon as I could, I was weightlifting, eating tons of protein, using the sauna and cold plunging and making space for myself every single day. I didn’t have those tools when Zaza was a newborn and so it was a very different experience.
- How do you feel motherhood has changed you?
I’ve gotten very aware of my capacity.
I’m very aware of the fact that I only have a thermometer of time and energy for each day and I’m VERY thoughtful about where I deploy that time and energy.
For me to do something it has to be worth being away from my children. I’m cut throat and brutal with time. If there’s a way to be doing 2 things at once, I take it. If I have to walk while I do calls or get hair and makeup done while I answer interviews, I’ll do it. Whatever I’m doing, if I can be purposeful about it, then I will. And I consider that a positive.
I’ve surprised myself too. To be honest I never really thought about what motherhood would look like on me, until it happened. It’s surprising how much it’s softened me, made me hyper aware of being present with distractions.
When I’m with them I don’t want my phone or my career near us. I don’t want to pull out my phone and capture every moment, I just want to be in it and enjoy every second. In a way it’s made me more private and guarded.
- Let’s talk about careers for a minute! You’re really doing it all— with The Skinny Confidential and your HIM & HER Show podcast! Can you tell us about how The Skinny Confidential came to be? The inspiration, the process of starting the brand?
When I launched The Skinny Confidential 14 years ago, I built it with the intention of making it a multifaceted brand. Yes, it launched as a blog, but it was always going to be a brand to me from the get-go. I’ve always tried to make it bigger than myself. I’m interested and curious about other people’s favorite way to moisturize, their habit stacking hack or how they built their business. To have longevity in the space you need to be curious and bring other people up and showcase them regularly.
As for the product line, The Skinny Confidential community was 100% behind it. Through the blog and social media, reading DM’s and comments, I knew that a line of daily habits was it. Currently we specialize in high quality, aesthetically pleasing tools that are effective and innovative.
There was never an ‘aha’ moment. Everything with The Skinny Confidential was steady-paced and strategic. We made sure we were thoughtful about every single product we launched, which is why it took 4 years to launch the Ice Roller. Each additional product will be with the community in mind.
- Since you work so closely with your husband, tell us how you make a great team— both in business and in parenting.
Michael and I have gotten laser focused on the vision for our life and how it’s laid out. Sometimes couples can get disjointed from that vision. We are committed to exactly what we want out of life and building it together. We map out how we want the next 2 months to look, the next year to look and what life looks like when we’re older. It helps that we’re both entrepreneurial but very different with our approaches.
We have the ability to work together on the podcast but then have our separate businesses to run. The podcast allows us to come together, interviewing incredible people but then have our own leadership roles in different spaces. He owns Dear Media and I own The Skinny Confidential.
There’s also a mutual respect for each other’s strengths. I know when he is the better person to ask for something, he knows when I’m the better person for something, and we lean into those strengths. Michael is also very quietly confident which is helpful to me and the key to our relationship.
If he was trying to push me into a Jack in the Box, I’d feel really stifled. He’s comfortable letting me be me. Whatever that looks like.
Michael and I are very aligned in the way we parent and the way we run a business. I’m not sure if that’s because we worked together for so long before we had kids, but we’re aligned in our approach to raising kids. We’ve been clear about our values. We spent a lot of time talking and planning and visualizing and going over our vision for our life, and we’ve done that with our kids too.
My advice is to set a map of where you want to be in 6 months as a couple, in a business and a parent, and where you want to be in 1 year and 10 years. We spend a lot of time planning, and that goes for all aspects of our life.
Because we get the opportunity to talk to so many smart, savvy people from all walks of life it’s been really good for our marriage.
- TSC is all about self-care. What is your idea of the perfect self care routine?
I am very thoughtful about my self-care routine, because to play at the level I want to play at in business you have to have a really strong self-care routine. It’s almost like an athlete. An athlete wouldn’t just go to play a game and I look at my business like that. I have a lot of things in place to help me perform at the level I want to perform at. I’ve been in this game for a long time, and now I know that if you just hustle your face off and you don’t take care of yourself, you burn out.
There are severe (I mean SEVERE) boundaries around my phone and breaks from social media. It looks like scheduling a workout everyday and it’s non-negotiable. It looks like a walk in the morning and doing anything to get outside and move my body. For me absence is just as important as presence, and leaning into the fact that there’s a way to use your absence to your advantage. You can put your head down and do the work, and then when it’s time to show up you show up 100%.
Little things too: everything from supplementation to hydration to movement to meditation to reading is self-care. I do this by setting an hour in my calendar to read, workout, walk, think, and I don’t beat myself up anymore if I can’t return every text message or email.
I’m constantly trying to find pockets of time where I can learn, so while I make my bed I listen to a podcast, while I walk I listen to a meditation, while I’m on the treadmill I’ll listen to an informative book. Purposefully using little pockets of time can really help with your self-care. I love being creative with time.
- From the face massager to the ice roller, what inspires you to create new products? What’s up next for the brand that you’re particularly excited about?
I’m inspired by the community’s input. Every product we create needs to fit into their routine as a daily habit. The product needs to make sense to the community’s schedule. Every product we create needs to also have a unique approach. I like to enter the category, whatever that is, and make it more beautiful, more effective and just better. From the packaging design to the unboxing, to the product, there’s a lot of points I want to make sure I’m hitting so the audience has the best experience from A to Z. I would rather grow strategically and slower than just throw a bunch of products at the audience. I want them to feel like The Skinny Confidential is improving their life.
Entering the body category with Le Spoon Body Sculptor has been surreal too. Seeing my own results when it comes to sculpting and cellulite, and now seeing how much the community loves it for sore muscles and detoxing has been so exciting. So very exciting that we’re launching another body tool in early December. It’s something I’ve been using for years and I know the audience is going to love it because they’ve asked for it.
- What has been your proudest career moment to date?
Proudest was bringing products to market. It did take us so long to get the products here, and actually having something tangible for my audience to unwrap was exciting. I felt like the audience helped me build the product, so seeing the ice roller come to life was emotional. Actually seeing the community engaging with the product after they received it was such a big moment. Seeing that on a day to day basis is still incredible to me. Seeing them actually use it on TikTok and engage and showcase their interpretation on how to use it has been unreal.
- You’ve recently moved to Austin! Tell us about what sparked the relocation. What do you love about living in Texas now and what has been an adjustment?
We moved to Austin because our jobs were so crazy and chaotic- we wanted space to create a sanctuary. Austin was perfect for that.
It’s totally surrounded by nature. I feel like we wake up in a treehouse.
Ultimately it’s eliminated a lot of distraction and a lot of surface relationships. When we do take time to have people over it’s close family and friends. When we’re here we’re working and with our kids, then when we go to LA or NYC we cram in work but it’s more of a playground- so we get a really nice balance of both.
It has been a seamless transition- I think it’s because we were ready for it. We had lived in San Diego, then LA for so many years it just got to the point where we were craving something different. It’s set up to support our self-care and wellness and we have a cold plunge and infrared sauna, a barrel sauna, red lights, we eat well here, we don’t drink much in Austin, and we’re in bed so early.
The adjustment feels good on my nervous system. I feel regulated and focused on what’s important and cutting out the noise. Peace is key.
- What are you most looking forward to about raising your kids in Austin?
I’m not sure if they’ll be raised in Austin. What I love about my husband is that he’s open to movement in life.
We have decided that we don’t want to sit in one place and stay there for the rest of our lives. We want the ability to move. We like the idea that our life might not always be where it is right now. In this moment our goals and our vision are aligned but where we live, I don’t know, we have a fluidity around it.
Maybe that’s a new city or another country or just another house, we don’t know, and that’s what we like. The unknown is fun.
FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS
- Before kids, I never thought I would… have so little capacity for time wasters.
- If there were more hours in the day, I would… spend more time reading.
- Favorite kids movie… Cinderella, the evil cat to the mean stepmom to fairy godmothers, the mice’s costumes- my God I love it.
- Favorite kids book… What do you do With an Idea by Kobi Yamada and the Claris the Mouse series.
- Favorite place to shop for kids…Bonpoint in NYC
- Show(s) I’m watching…Curb Your Enthusiasm, it’s light, funny and he’s just so in on the joke.
- Can’t stop listening to… Joe Dispenza’s morning meditation and Stan Getz on Spotify.
- Favorite local restaurant… Commodore Perry is my favorite place. Food is insane, drinks are phenomenal, the vibe is immaculate.
- Typical coffee order… frothed coffee with an inch of raw milk and cinnamon.
- Guilty pleasure… a bougie ranch water, 1.5 inch of blanco tequila, Pellegrino, an inch of lime juice and a lemon wedge.
- Always in my fridge… Ground beef. I eat so much meat and my hair growth has been insane from it.
If you want to get serious about your wellness, self-care and staying present it requires some serious boundaries, as you can see. Also, life with kids is no joke. Whether you think Lauryn’s life looks perfect or not, rest assured she’s no stranger to tnatrums and bribes like the rest of us.
What was the most valuable part of the interview for you? Let us know below.
x, The Skinny Confidential team
+ A roundup of all Lauryn’s pregnancy posts and podcasts.
++ Check out her specific routines and hacks.
{photos by Arielle Levy}
EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
