Purpose, Not Pity
Grief changes everything. But it doesn’t get the final say.
Welcome to Purpose, Not Pity—a podcast born from loss and rooted in love, healing, and the hard conversations we don’t always know how to have.
I’m Erika Hernandez: storyteller, bonus mom, grieving mother, and healing human. After losing my son Jovan in 2023, I found myself searching for meaning in the middle of heartbreak. Not answers. Not pity. Just something real to hold onto. This podcast is that something.
Here, we talk about what happens after the world stops spinning. About life beyond the “How are you?” texts. About rebuilding identity, navigating motherhood, holding space for joy, and finding purpose through pain.
You’ll hear solo episodes, raw stories, letters from my heart, and honest conversations with people who’ve also walked through fire.
This isn’t a podcast about having it all figured out. It’s about showing up, cracked open but still standing—with purpose, not pity.
💛 You belong here. Even in the middle of the mess.
Purpose, Not Pity
Learning to Live Again: One Brick at a Time
What does it really mean to live again after loss?
In this episode of Purpose, Not Pity, I open up about the reality of rebuilding after Jovan’s passing, not in the big, dramatic moments, but in the daily ones. The first time I had to drive a car without him. The first time I showed up to work after crying in the parking lot. The first time I cooked, cleaned, or shopped for one less person.
We’ll talk about the pressure people put on us to "move on," and the even heavier pressure of daily life that doesn’t stop when your world does. And then, I’ll share the turning point that helped me realize survival isn’t the same as living, and why joy after loss isn’t betrayal, it’s survival.
This episode isn’t just about my story. It’s about all of us who’ve been cracked open by heartbreak, whether it’s death, divorce, addiction, lost friendships, or broken dreams. Together, we’ll explore how rebuilding doesn’t start with a blueprint, it starts with just one brick.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in your grief, your heartbreak, or your own "first normals," this conversation is for you. You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re rebuilding, even when you can’t see it yet.
🧡 Stay connected:
TikTok: @by.erikahernandez
Instagram: @byerikahernandez
🎧 New episodes drop the 1st & 3rd Tuesday of every month
📬 Want to share your story or connect?
Email: byerikahernandez@gmail.com
💛 Thanks for listening. Keep choosing purpose, not pity.