How to Zen Through Motherhood with Teresa Palmer and Sarah Wright Olsen

Teresa Palmer and Sarah Wright Olsen are actors, authors, and co-founders of Your Zen Mama, a platform shaped by their friendship and shared journey through parenthood. Through their podcast and books, they offer candid reflections on motherhood that balance honesty and humor, inviting others into a conversation rooted in connection, compassion, and mindfulness.   

You have grown a supportive community through Your Zen Mama, one that embraces a zen-inspired approach to motherhood and life. What does being ‘zen’ mean to you in the context of parenting? 

Sarah: This has evolved for us in many ways over the years, but at the core of our approach is that we try to live in the present with gratitude and love. Trusting our deep knowing and intuition while constantly learning and using that information to make informed decisions. Being informed allows you to feel more prepared, which makes you feel more zen.

Teresa: Being zen is about presence. It is remembering to breathe when the house is wild with noise, grounding into the moment instead of spiraling into stress. Zen in motherhood feels like embracing the messy, the noisy, the unpredictable, but choosing to meet it with openness and grace.

For many parents, the idea of being “zen” can feel unattainable. What would you say to those navigating the inevitable ups and downs of this journey?  How can they stay grounded?

Teresa: You do not have to get it right all the time. You do not even have to feel calm all the time. Motherhood will test you in a thousand little ways, but you can stay grounded by coming back to your breath, your body, your intention. Journaling, meditating, or running a bubble bath and letting yourself actually enjoy it are small anchors. It is okay to wobble. What matters is finding your way back.

Sarah: Building a community can be a massive help. To have other parents to lean on who are going through the same day-to-day experiences is incredible. When we talk about the normal days of our crazy lives or interview other mamas, experts, and individuals who inspire us, people feel seen and held in this journey. It’s so important to share both the beautiful and the hard moments.

You often speak about the importance of pausing before reacting. What small, tangible practices have helped you make that pause when it matters?

Teresa: I will actively stop, pause, slow down, get back to my breath, and walk away if I need to, so I can be back in my body without being reactive toward them. Adults get big feelings too, and it can be scary if we unleash without the self-reflection, pause, and understanding that our kids cannot regulate their emotions as effectively as we can.

There’s a beautiful lightness that infuses your conversations around motherhood. Tell us more about why humor is essential, even (or especially) when things are messy, imperfect, or hard?

Teresa: Laughter is soul food, and without it, the pressure cooker of parenting can take us out. There is so much imperfection in this journey, from spilled food to tantrums in the supermarket to endless laundry. If you can sprinkle humor over those moments, they shift from heavy to light. Humor makes the hard parts more human, and it reminds us to find joy in the ridiculousness of it all.

If being zen isn’t just about staying calm, but about openness and allowing space for the full spectrum of experience, where does one begin?

Teresa: Start small. Notice your baby’s breath, their tiny fingers, the way they look at you. Let those moments be enough. Do not wait until the house is quiet or the to-do list is finished, because you will be waiting forever. Presence is not about perfection.  

Last but not least, is there a piece of wisdom, or a mantra, you find yourself returning to as you evolve through motherhood?

Sarah: Happiness is the journey. Life is fleeting and this time with our kids will fly by. Enjoy all the small moments, and don’t be hard on yourself when days are challenging.

Artwork by Joséphine Klerks