Story & Lesson Highlights with Angel Theodore The Self-Care Catalyst

Angel Theodore The Self-Care Catalyst shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Angel, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I’ve been watching a lot of comedy lately, from skits to satire, and it’s honestly been the best medicine. Comedy helps me switch my brain from work mode to joy mode, which is so important because sometimes I work 12 to 16-hour days while still juggling my 9-to-5. Those moments of laughter remind me to slow down, enjoy life, and celebrate even the small wins.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Angel Theodore, a dyslexic author who turned my challenges into my calling. Now, I am a passionate International Speaker, International Author, Certified Life Coach, and Founder of My Self-Care Catalyst, a global movement dedicated to helping women prioritize their well-being and embrace their authentic selves.

My work has been featured in USA Today, NBC, and Business Innovator, but what truly defines me is my heart for helping women heal. After experiencing my own burnout in 2019 and struggling to keep up with societal pressures, I realized that true success means nothing without self-care and inner peace.

Through my devotionals, journals, and global coaching experiences, I’ve reached women all around the world, offering practical tools for self-care, self-love, healing, and mental wellness.

Whether I’m writing, speaking, or leading my elite self-care experiences, my mission is to create a safe space where women can reclaim their confidence, embrace their truth, and thrive without performance. My work isn’t just about healing, it’s about igniting transformation that ripples far beyond borders.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was fun, free, and lighthearted. Over time, I became anxious, overthinking, and hyper-vigilant after facing many hardships in the life I lived. I experienced heartbreak, loss, and challenges that tested me in ways I never imagined. Those experiences shaped me, but they also pulled me away from the joyful, carefree person I once was. Now, I am slowly reconnecting with that fun, free girl and learning to embrace life with lightness, laughter, and confidence again.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain when I realized that the very thing I was trying to bury was the thing that could set me and others free. My pain became a turning point when I saw that I wasn’t alone. I met other people who had walked through similar things and made it to the other side. Their resilience showed me that survival is possible and that healing is real.

I was speaking to a friend the other day, and when she heard everything I’ve been through, she told me I’ve lived a lot of life, especially for someone in their early 30s. That moment reminded me just how much I’ve carried and how much strength it took to make it through.

The more women I spoke to, the more I understood how needed this work is. I’ve talked to hundreds of women who are craving self-care but don’t know where to start. They want peace, grounding, and a way back to themselves, but no one ever gave them the tools.

My own story of burnout and recovery gave me those tools. I had to learn how to rebuild from the inside out, and now I get to share those same keys with the women I serve. My pain became my power the moment I chose to stop hiding it and started using it to help others rise with me.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Interview Question: What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?

One of the biggest misconceptions in the self-care and personal development industry is that self-care lives on two extreme ends of the spectrum, and both are misleading.

Lie #1: “Self-care is light, fluffy, and indulgent.”
There’s a narrative that self-care is all about getting your hair or nails done, buying a new candle, or taking a bubble bath. While those things can feel good, they don’t address the deeper emotional, mental, and spiritual needs women are carrying. Those activities create momentary relief, but they don’t create real restoration, alignment, or inner healing.

Lie #2: “Self-care requires a complete life overhaul.”
The other extreme insists that real self-care means hour-long workouts, cold plunges at sunrise, 30-minute journaling sessions, meal-prepped superfoods, and a hyper-structured morning routine. For many women, especially those already experiencing burnout, overwhelm, or emotional exhaustion, these demands are unrealistic and even discouraging.

The truth sits somewhere more humane and sustainable.
Self-care is neither surface-level nor extreme. It is not fluff, and it is not a punishment disguised as personal growth. True self-care is often quiet, compassionate, and intentional. It looks like emotional regulation, boundary-building, mindset work, mirror work, healing old wounds, and learning to feel safe inside your own body and life again.

My work focuses on helping women step back into themselves through a process that validates their experiences, honors their humanity, and guides them into alignment without requiring perfection, pressure, or a complete lifestyle transformation.

This is the conversation the industry needs to have more often. Self-care is not about performing wellness. It is about practicing wholeness.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Yes, I am absolutely doing what I was born to do. My work is centered on helping women learn how to take care of themselves, live authentically, and align with their gifts. I did not step into this by accident. I got here by paying attention to the things that make me who I am.

One of my greatest gifts is my emotional intelligence. I feel deeply, I listen intuitively, and I can recognize what someone is experiencing even when they cannot yet put it into words. That gift helps me meet women where they are, validate their pain, and guide them into healing with compassion and truth.

I also learned to embrace what I once thought was a limitation. Being dyslexic has actually become one of my strengths. It taught me to think creatively, see things differently, and find solutions outside the traditional box. The way my mind works allows me to offer a coaching style that is unique, innovative, and deeply supportive.

I know I am doing what I was born to do. I am using my gifts, making an impact, and helping women return to themselves. And I cannot wait until this grows even more, so I can reach and support more women on their healing and alignment journey.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photo 1: Tanya. She is Awakened Summit
Photo 2: Take by Me
Photo 3-4: Photographer at DFWBCC New Year New You

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