We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lauri Stern. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lauri below.
Lauri, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about the best advice you’ve ever given to a client? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
The best advice I ever gave to a client came as a spontaneous download in the middle of our session, which is something that happens a lot when working with clients, groups, etc., and why I named my businenss: Custom Designed Wellness. She was feeling overwhelmed and helpless, stuck in the highs and lows of a manic boss who made her days unpredictable and stressful. She often felt like she had no control over her day and dreaded heading into work. When I asked her if there was anything positive to find in her day, despite how she described its environment, she said, “Well, when I get home at the end of the day, I try to think of something that went well.” And the download came right in making me blurt out, “Well that’s too f-ing long to wait to find joy!” On the spot, I gave her homework, a simple yet powerful practice: setting an alarm five minutes before every hour to pause and notice what was bringing her joy every hour at work. This shifted her perspective from waiting until the end of the day to reflect on happiness—when it was often buried under stress—to actively seeking and creating joy throughout her day.
I likened this practice to the way news stations provide weather and traffic updates at five minutes to the hour. If we can tune into external conditions so regularly, why not also check in with our internal state and make room for joy? Imagine a world where, in addition to being reminded of traffic congestion and storms, we were reminded to feel good, to notice something beautiful, or to appreciate a small win. This simple shift created a ripple effect in her life, giving her a sense of control and empowerment in a situation where she previously felt stuck. More than just a habit, it became a tool for self-care, helping her cultivate joy in real time rather than as an afterthought.
This experience deeply inspired me, reinforcing why I do what I do, and our work together was the catalyst to finally getting my website off the ground as well as my podcast. My mission is to help people feel better from the inside out, to remind them that they matter, and to guide them toward more joy. In fact, within every podcast episode, I include a segment called, “Joy on the 5”s” and my client even created a hashtag, #joyonthe5s. Until she posted her posts of joy with that hashtag, I’d never been the inspiration for one! That one moment of intuitive guidance not only changed her life but also shaped the way I share my work with the world, proving that joy isn’t something we wait for—it’s something we create, moment by moment.
Lauri, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For those who may not have come across my work before, and how I foundd my way into this beautiful journey of healing, coaching, and wellness, here you go! I am a proud mom of four grown children, celebrating 36 years of marriage, and embracing life as a devoted dog mom, passionate singer, dancer, and lifelong learner. Words, knowledge, and fun are at the core of who I am, true to my Gemini nature! My path has always been guided by a deep desire to positively impact the lives of others. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats, but at the heart of it all is my love for sharing wisdom, connection, and transformation. As the chapter of raising children takes a step into the background, I’ve leaned fully into my passion for coaching, intuitive energy healing, and holistic wellness, helping others cultivate vitality and uncover their highest potential.
Through my brand, Custom Designed Wellness, I offer a highly personalized approach to healing and transformation by creating unique, customized experiences tailored specifically to each client’s or group’s needs. My work includes energy healing, intuitive coaching, yoga, chakra balancing and discussion and more to empower individuals on their journey toward balance, clarity, and mattering. My goal is to help people feel better from the inside out. I believe in crafting solutions that honor each person’s uniqueness rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, which is what truly sets me apart. My training includes certifications in yoga, Reiki, Traditional Chinese Medicine for yogis, and chakra healing, allowing me to blend multiple modalities into transformative healing experiences.
What I am most proud of is the four amazing humans my husband and I have created. Our kids are truly inspiring, authentic, kind to each other and to themsevles and their world. Beyond that, I am proud of the impact I’ve made on the lives of those with whom I’ve taught and assisted. Seeing my clients and students find joy, clarity, and empowerment fuels my purpose every day. My mission is for anyone guided to work with or listen to me, to feel and know my work is rooted in authenticity, intuition, and deep care. I am here to remind people that they matter, that they are capable of profound transformation, and that healing is not only possible, but accessible. My podcast, coaching, and healing work are all extensions of my mission to bring more light into the world and empower people to find their own inner light and external brilliance.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The transition from working full-time, immersed in productivity, projects beginning and ending, and the tangible rewards of paychecks and pats on the back, to being placed on full-time bed rest during pregnancy was a pivot I never saw coming. I had envisioned working right through my pregnancy, just as I had attempted to do before, enjoying the welcome attention of coworkers fawning over my growing belly or the knowing smiles of strangers on the street. Instead, after losing my first pregnancy with a set of twins, I found myself confined to bed, my world shrinking overnight. I went from being seen, active, productive, and confident to feeling like a frightened houseplant: fed, watered, and only leaving the house for doctor’s appointments, all while praying I wouldn’t lose this pregnancy, too. The contrast was stark: from full-time work and teaching aerobics on the side to not even taking walks or engaging in the simplest acts of daily life outside my home. I had gone from visible to invisible, from movement to stillness, from doing to seemingly doing nothing.
At first, I fought it. I wrestled with the loss of identity that came with stepping away from my job, my exercise routine, my interactions with people, and my usual sense of purpose. For so long, I had defined myself by what I did. By the work I contributed, the energy I put into it and into my classes, and the validation that came with a paycheck and recognition. And then, there I was, asked to do nothing but rest. It felt so unnatural, and even unfair. I felt guilty for resenting my circumstances while also understanding the profound responsibility I had: to grow my child for as long as I could. Initially, I cycled through anger and frustration, but thankfully got over myself. While to some, prolonged bed rest might seem like a prison sentence, the business-minded part of me saw it differently. If I thought about it in terms of ROI, the short-term sacrifice of months in bed could lead to the long-term health and well-being of my child. My body, which I had first seen as defective and betraying me, became something sacred—a protective incubator. My ego, once deeply tied to my career and external validation, took a back seat to what I didn’t fully grasp at the time, but would later understand once my daughter was born: that life was no longer just about me. I had become a mother long before I ever held my child in my arms.
The pivot from overdoing and frankly, over-working, to the internal work of undoing and unraveling my old definitions of success, self-worth, and identity, became an unexpected gift. What had first felt like suffocating stillness transformed into my realizing that being was just as valuable as doing. I didn’t have to prove my worth through movement or achievement because I was proving it through love, patience, and resilience. The surrender, though not easy, was necessary. And in many ways, this shift laid the foundation for the work I do now—on and off the yoga mat through helping others redefine their own worth, embrace their inner strength, and find purpose in the moments that ask them to pause rather than push forward.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
The story I shared above is one example of resilience, but what followed after my daughter’s birth became an even deeper testament to it. Spending weeks in the NICU, navigating the overwhelming fears that came with having a premature newborn, all while recovering from a C-section, fighting off an infection, and committing to breastfeeding through relentless pumping schedules, didn’t feel particularly monumental at the time. I was simply doing what needed to be done. But looking back, I am in awe of the strength it took. Not just the physical endurance, but the emotional resilience to navigate so many new things in the face of exhaustion, uncertainty, and pain. Much like my experience with bed rest, I found that my growing sense of intuition guided me, much as it had helped me understand how to embrace bedrest.
Before pregnancy, I had always been a go-getter, burning the candle at both ends. If you had asked a coworker, they would have described me as unstoppable. If you had asked one of my students, they might have wondered where I found the energy to teach back-to-back classes while maintaining my own rigorous workouts. But after childbirth and major surgery, along with the physical toll of recovery, something shifted. Just as bed rest had humbled me into surrender, postpartum recovery did the same. I no longer felt the need to push myself back into my old routine, despite the external pressure of seeing celebrities “bounce back” within weeks. Instead, I let my inner wisdom take over, allowing myself the grace to heal at my own pace. In many ways, I mothered myself just as I mothered my child with more empathy towards myself than I ever had before. I had to once again get out of my own way, my old ways, to embrace the new version of myself and listen to my own body’s needs.
To some, discussing weight loss or body changes after pregnancy might not seem like an act of resilience. But for those of us who once equated success with appearance or who found worth in relentless achievement, the transition from self-criticism to self-compassion is a profound shift. Resilience, I’ve learned, isn’t just about bouncing back—it’s about how we come back. My recovery was not just about physical healing; it was about recovering from the mindset of overachievement, from the self-imposed pressures to meet impossible standards. I became a woman who could embrace change with more flexibility, who could honor patience over perfection, and who could build a new way of being—one that prioritized my well-being as much as my ambitions. Resilience is often associated with grand acts of strength, but sometimes, it’s found in the quiet decisions we make to honor ourselves in new ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.customdesignedwellness.com/
- Instagram: @sternlauri and @customdesignedwellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauri.f.stern and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557984732036
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauri-fleischmann-stern-28417a58/
- Youtube: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557984732036
- Other: My Podcast: The Real and the Woo with Lauri Stern https://www.buzzsprout.com/2385110 andhttps://open.spotify.com/show/5ZZJcPgVmOZJxoyvcUu8um?si=65861a5f288847c0
Facebook page also:https://www.facebook.com/LauriSternYoga/
Image Credits
Lee Ross Photography
Brenda Robles Photography