
The Power of Grown Woman Energy
Rlynda on Falling for Every Chapter of Her Life
At 49, Rlynda is standing tall, not because the road has been easy, but because she has chosen, again and again, to rise. Every wrinkle, every reinvention, every step forward or backward is part of her story, and right now, she’s falling for all of it.
Rlynda’s story is not an ode to change as loss, but as power and it echoes the theme for this issue; Falling for You: every chapter, every change, every age. From her childhood in Cape Verde to the runways of New York, from divorce to rediscovering love, from surviving an accident to building new dreams, she has embraced every chapter not as an ending, but as an opportunity for reinvention.
There are people whose lives inspire you, and then there are people like Rlynda, women who remind us that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges, but about rising after each fall with more grace, wisdom, and strength. As she tells Hope+Wellth, her mantra has carried her through every chapter: “Rooted in love, rising in light.”

Falling for Resilience
Rlynda was born in Lisbon in 1976, the daughter of Cape Verdean immigrants. Her childhood, however, took a dramatic turn when her parents divorced and her father invited her and her brother to Cape Verde for what was meant to be a two-week visit. Instead, they stayed for five years.
“In Portugal we had everything,” she recalls. “But in Cape Verde, we had nothing; no electricity and not even running water. At just 11 years old, I was cooking, cleaning, carrying water so we could bathe, even gathering wood to make fire for meals.”
It was a jarring shift, but one that gave her a foundation for everything that followed.
“That was one of the biggest transformations of my life. I understood early that life can change overnight. We don’t always control what happens, but we do control how we adjust.”
When she returned to Portugal as a teenager, she carried with her resilience and gratitude; two qualities that would shape her career, her artistry, and her outlook. She poured herself into school while also dancing, modeling, and exploring creative expression.
“After Cape Verde, I didn’t take anything for granted. I wanted to live fully, without regrets.”
“We don’t always control what happens, but we do control how we adjust.”
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The Power of Grown Woman Energy
Rlynda on Falling for Every Chapter of Her Life
At 49, Rlynda is standing tall, not because the road has been easy, but because she has chosen, again and again, to rise. Every wrinkle, every reinvention, every step forward or backward is part of her story, and right now, she’s falling for all of it.
Rlynda’s story is not an ode to change as loss, but as power and it echoes the theme for this issue; Falling for You: every chapter, every change, every age. From her childhood in Cape Verde to the runways of New York, from divorce to rediscovering love, from surviving an accident to building new dreams, she has embraced every chapter not as an ending, but as an opportunity for reinvention.
There are people whose lives inspire you, and then there are people like Rlynda, women who remind us that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges, but about rising after each fall with more grace, wisdom, and strength. As she tells Hope+Wellth, her mantra has carried her through every chapter: “Rooted in love, rising in light.”
Falling for Resilience
Rlynda was born in Lisbon in 1976, the daughter of Cape Verdean immigrants. Her childhood, however, took a dramatic turn when her parents divorced and her father invited her and her brother to Cape Verde for what was meant to be a two-week visit. Instead, they stayed for five years.
“In Portugal we had everything,” she recalls. “But in Cape Verde, we had nothing; no electricity and not even running water. At just 11 years old, I was cooking, cleaning, carrying water so we could bathe, even gathering wood to make fire for meals.”
It was a jarring shift, but one that gave her a foundation for everything that followed.
“That was one of the biggest transformations of my life. I understood early that life can change overnight. We don’t always control what happens, but we do control how we adjust.”
When she returned to Portugal as a teenager, she carried with her resilience and gratitude; two qualities that would shape her career, her artistry, and her outlook. She poured herself into school while also dancing, modeling, and exploring creative expression.
“After Cape Verde, I didn’t take anything for granted. I wanted to live fully, without regrets.”
“We don’t always control what happens, but we do control how we adjust.”

