Episode 027
Burnout, Boundaries, and Building a Life That Fits with Rachelle Collins
She was taking care of everyone – her parents, her child, her career, and someone with cancer. Then she realized she was disappearing.
Rachel Collins was juggling a demanding HR career, raising a son, and helping care for her aging parents – when someone else in her life was suddenly diagnosed with stage 3 cancer.
With zero warning, she became the full-time caregiver for a full-time crisis. She held it together like only an oldest daughter can – but beneath the to-do lists and doctor visits, Rachel felt herself vanishing. Until a moment of clarity (and a good cry with girlfriends) led her to reclaim something she hadn’t prioritized in years: herself.
In this episode, Rachel shares the mindful productivity practice that helped her rebuild her identity, the art ritual that became her sanity anchor, and what it really takes to go from barely surviving to intentionally living.
This one’s for every woman who’s ever tried to carry too much – and thought she had to.
“I could keep it all going – but there was no time left for me. And that had to change.”
Connect with RACHELLE:
- Website: passionpurpose.today
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/rachelcollinstalent
Timestamps:
00:00 – From family picnic to stage 3 cancer – the curveball that changed everything
02:25 – Becoming the designated “see-it-through-er” (and forgetting herself)
05:50 – The breakdown moment with her girlfriends that sparked a reset
08:03 – Inventing her mindful productivity practice – meditation, then momentum
09:50 – Why creativity became a lifeline (and how mandalas helped her heal)
12:08 – From survival mode to intentional living – the shift that changed everything
14:15 – Learning to say no (without guilt, without overthinking)
17:50 – Journaling as truth-telling – finding her “why” on the page
20:09 – Observing herself with compassion – how mindfulness cracked things open
24:27 – Small steps, big clarity – and writing a book she never planned
29:50 – The soul of the piece – turning “mistakes” into beauty
32:54 – Simple mindfulness for non-creatives (yes, it’s still for you)
34:39 – Her free and paid offers – how to get started with Rachel’s work
35:56 – Why community is the real success hack