You Keep Calling It Self-Care… But It’s Really Survival Mode
In this episode of Hold My Purse, Rho gets honest about a truth a lot of women are living but not naming: they’re not bad at self-care — they’re stuck in survival mode.
If you’ve been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or like you’re functioning on the outside but not really okay on the inside, this conversation is for you. Rho breaks down the signs of survival mode, why rest can feel uncomfortable, how self-love starts with honesty, and the difference between escape and restoration.
This episode also offers practical first steps for women who are ready to stop simply coping and start healing — from telling the truth about what’s draining you, to choosing restoring practices, setting boundaries, and making one brave change at a time.
If you’ve been searching for support around burnout recovery, emotional exhaustion, women’s self-care, how to get out of survival mode, and healing through rest and restoration, this episode will leave you with clarity, validation, and a path forward.
And if you’re ready for deeper transformation, Rho also invites you to The Awakening: Return to Self — a sacred retreat designed to help women rest, release, realign, and reconnect with themselves.
Key Takeaways
Functioning is not the same as being okay.
A lot of women are not failing at self-care — they’re surviving.
Relief and restoration are not the same thing.
Rest can feel uncomfortable when your body has been living under stress for too long.
Self-love starts with honesty, not performance.
Transformation begins when you tell the truth and respond differently.
You deserve a life that does not require you to constantly recover from it.
Join Me for The Awakening: Return to Self Retreat
If this episode resonated with you, The Awakening: Return to Self Retreat was created with you in mind.
Facilitated by Rhonda Nelson, Susan Kacvinsky, and Devon Cunningham, this one-day retreat on April 25 in Sherman Oaks is designed to help you step away from the noise, calm your nervous system, reconnect with your truth, and return to yourself in a deeper way.
Created with care and intention, this experience offers space to pause, reflect, heal, and reconnect through guided practices, movement, stillness, and community.
🌿 Want to go deeper in your self-care journey?
✍🏽 Love Yourself Journal — a 365-day self-care, self-love & reflection journey
📘 Mastering Self-Care — steps to a resilient and peaceful life
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Download my 15-Minute Self-Care Ritual — quick practices to reset your energy and reconnect with yourself every day.
🎙 Hold My Purse is a bi-weekly podcast that centers healing, wholeness, and the sacred act of putting yourself first. Don’t forget to follow, share, and leave a review if this episode made you feel a little more seen today.
✨ Sponsor Shout-out:
This episode is brought to you by Self Care Shawty 🌿, your go-to for homemade skin products that keep you moisturized, healed, and at ease. Explore their amazing offerings at selfcareshawty.etsy.com.
💼 Remember: Until next time, my fabulous friends and self-care warriors… keep loving you, protect your peace, and hold your own damn purse.
And I’ll meet you right back here in two weeks — same space, same heart, new ways to choose you. 💖
