The Real Mother Effort Podcast

Why I Just Hired a Coach for Something I Could Figure Out Myself

If you're someone who typically skips straight to "I can figure this out myself," this episode is for you. I just hired a macros coach, and it's not because I didn't know what to do. I've had years of experience and know a lot about nutrition. I hired a coach anyway, and in this episode I breaks down exactly why, and how that decision reflects the way I approach every area of my life. I'm a firm believer that capable and optimal are not the same thing. We'll talk through the mindset shift that changed how I think about getting help, and why the women who seem like they have it all figured out are usually working with someone behind the scenes. Episode Highlights: * The health journey that led me to hire a macros coach * Why being capable of something doesn't make you the best person to do it * The sports coach analogy that reframes how we think about getting help as adults * The way I utilize coaches in lots of different area of my life * The one question that replaced "Can I do this myself?" * Why we cheer other people on for hiring coaches but judge ourselves for it Connect with Lauren: · Instagram: @itslaurenmora [https://www.instagram.com/itslaurenmora] · Website itslaurenmora.com [https://itslaurenmora.com/]

Europe with Kids: Here's the Details Nobody Posts on Instagram

We just got back from 10 days in Europe with our three kids under 11, and I am spilling everything: the real cost, the real planning process, and what it actually looks like to move a family of five through two countries where nobody speaks your language and the coffee shops sometimes don't open until 1pm. If you've been dreaming about a trip like this but have been telling yourself it's too expensive, too complicated, or that your kids are too young, this episode is going to change how you think about it. I break down how the cost compared to our Disney trip (the answer genuinely surprised me), how I planned three cities in under a year with help from one very smart resource, and what I would do completely differently next time. The trip was exhausting, occasionally chaotic, and absolutely worth every bit of it. Episode Highlights * Why we kept getting "must be nice" reactions * How a European family trip compares in cost to Disney * The family of 5 hotel problem in Europe and how we solved it in every city * Why I booked a one-hour call with a Paris-based trip planner and why it was the best money I spent * The mindset I went in with that saved the trip from falling apart * What it really looks like when someone in your family of 5 is having a moment, all day, every day * The grace I gave my husband (and myself) when things didn't go the way we planned * What I'd do differently on a long trip next time * What we're taking home from the trip and what we're happily leaving in Europe * Why I'd book another big family trip tomorrow Resource Mentioned: The Petit Guide [https://www.instagram.com/the.petit.guide/] (follow Zoe for family-friendly Paris trip recs!) Connect with Lauren: · Instagram: @itslaurenmora [https://www.instagram.com/itslaurenmora] · Website itslaurenmora.com [https://itslaurenmora.com/]

Making Networking Events Worth the Babysitter

You have zero energy left, the babysitter has been arranged, and you are already negotiating with yourself about whether you actually have to go. Whether it's a professional conference, a work happy hour, or a retreat you signed up for with the best intentions, showing up to events when you're already running on empty is genuinely hard. Lauren gets it, and she still goes anyway. In this episode, she's sharing the one simple shift that changed how she approaches every event she walks into, whether she wants to be there or not. It's not a strategy; it's an energy. And it takes about 30 seconds to set before you walk through the door. Episode Highlights: * Why moms are so quick to opt out of events, even ones they were excited about * The post-COVID hangover affecting our social lives more than we realize * Why networking feels so exhausting (and what's actually making it that way) * The single intention Lauren sets before every event instead of a list of goals * How dropping the "needy energy" changes the entire experience * The retreat Lauren attended and what showing up with this mindset actually gave her * What she does the morning after an event to lock in what she got from it * Why in-person community matters more right now than ever Connect with Lauren: Join the weekly newsletter [https://affd23d9.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAA-4axd9A2aMymaRqBKnQtWEbJDylTpUtuwLZQzW-2kC_qvGAXcCZWzonE75MfHOK6GXfe0F89lEUE4LLoc2MW3K74j5gUVQboXc9RuOETYmW9dSUm1l0rTR80fHWaQTLZVX9AnXY2cdWUPF3-T4UKJy8k-gvn5I3Eyr8vzE5B85lnWCZpy5CeMYDLEibSfIh2VUnzyBRODN] Instagram: @itslaurenmora [https://www.instagram.com/itslaurenmora] Website itslaurenmora.com [https://itslaurenmora.com/]

Working Mom Summer: A Behind The Scenes Look

If you've ever gone into summer feeling genuinely excited about all the fun you're going to have, all the things you're going to do, and all the projects you're finally going to tackle, and then reality hit you like a truck somewhere around the second week of June…this episode is for you. The truth is that summer looks really different when you still have a job to go to. Working mom summer comes with shorter days for camps vs school, multiple drop-offs and pick-ups, vacation prep that makes the weeks before you leave absolutely brutal, and a side of guilt that nobody asked for. It's a lot. This episode is about going into summer with a plan so that it doesn't just happen to you. Because your kids deserve to look back on this summer and remember something, and so do you. * The honest difference between working mom summer and moms who have more flexibility * Why the guilt hits even when you're happy to be working * Why the camps deserve more credit than we give them * What you actually want summer to feel like, for your kids and for yourself * The macro calendar review to do before summer starts * Why time blocking in summer might be the short-term solution to having more fun * The pre-vacation crunch reframe that makes the hard weeks feel worth it * Why your summer bucket list needs a calendar appointment * How communicating your summer plan to your kids changes everything Connect with Lauren: · Instagram: @itslaurenmora [https://www.instagram.com/itslaurenmora] · Website itslaurenmora.com [https://itslaurenmora.com/]

The Podcast Makeover Is HERE + The Story Behind It

The RME makeover is officially here, and Lauren is getting into the real reason she did it. This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at the ownership decision-making that drove the whole thing, and why this way of thinking applies to way more than just having a business. Show Highlights: * The RME podcast makeover is live! * Nothing was broken. So why did she do it anyway? * What happens when you build a business in pieces and never step back to look at the whole picture * Working IN the business vs. working ON the business, and why that distinction matters * The CEO move: making a decision before anyone else notices there's a problem * Why "not broken" is not the bar * You are the CEO of your business, your home, and your life. You get to decide how direction you're heading. Connect with Lauren: Join my mailing list [https://affd23d9.sibforms.com/serve/MUIFAA-4axd9A2aMymaRqBKnQtWEbJDylTpUtuwLZQzW-2kC_qvGAXcCZWzonE75MfHOK6GXfe0F89lEUE4LLoc2MW3K74j5gUVQboXc9RuOETYmW9dSUm1l0rTR80fHWaQTLZVX9AnXY2cdWUPF3-T4UKJy8k-gvn5I3Eyr8vzE5B85lnWCZpy5CeMYDLEibSfIh2VUnzyBRODN] Instagram: @itslaurenmora [https://www.instagram.com/itslaurenmora] Website itslaurenmora.com [https://itslaurenmora.com/]