Holly Robinson Peete on ‘Queens Court’ and Self-Care Secrets (EXCLUSIVE)

Year after year, actress Holly Robinson Peete’s resume keeps growing. From her early days on the ’80s classic 21 Jump Street to her latest project producing and hosting the new season of her reality show Queens Court (which premiered October 6th on Peacock), she’s always been booked and busy—and that’s just how she likes it.

On top of her career in entertainment, Robinson Peete has been occupied with her philanthropic work running the HollyRod Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on research and awareness for Parkinson’s disease and autism. She’s also a spokeswoman for Gemtesa and their “Time to Go” campaign, which aims to end the stigma around bladder issues.

With three of her four children out of the house and living on their own, and her youngest son, Roman, heading off to the University of Southern California (her husband Rodney Peete's alma mater), you'd think that Holly's schedule would become a little less hectic. But the star, now 60, is busier than ever, approaching each new project and challenge with gratitude and grace. 

Robinson Peete (who’s the cover girl of our current issue, available here) sat down with Woman’s World to share her secrets for happiness and health.

Woman’s World: What has working on your reality show, Queens Court, been like?

Holly Robinson Peete: Queens Court season two just began airing in October, and now, we’ll begin filming a new series that’s related to this one with a twist! It been great to be working with my husband, Rodney, on the show.  

MUST-READ: Holly Robinson Peete On The Struggle Many Women Won’t Talk About: “You Don’t Have to Be Ashamed”

WW: What is your exercise routine like?

HRP: I use the Power Plate, which is like the I Love Lucy episode when she’s on the weight-loss machine shaking herself to get fit. I do a lot of that exercise, which helps with circulation and helps to jump-start your body. 

Then I pick up free weights. I had shoulder surgery last year and finally, my shoulder has healed, so I’m working on my shoulders and my squats—which I’ve always hated, but now I’m committing to them. 

I do lots of lifting, which I never did on a consistent basis before. I’ve noticed a difference. My doctor said it helps with bone density and building muscles while keeping your skeleton protected. I do all this at least three times a week. Four times is ideal and with three, I pat myself on the back. With four, I give myself a big hug.

WW: How has your charity work been going?

HRP: It’s all about what I call “creative begging.” I’m doing my 26th annual fundraiser for my foundation in a couple of months and we’re a little short on donations, so I’ll be calling some of my very generous donor friends and corporations to help with funding for autism and Parkinson’s. My dad had Parkinson’s and now my 63-year-old brother has it. 

It’s crazy watching how my brother is processing it, as opposed to my dad. My dad was diagnosed in the mid-’80s, and we didn’t know much about the disease, so my brother does boxing and experimental treatments. He’s got the benefit of all the medical advances.

WW: How do you relieve stress?

HRP: I do my seven minutes of meditation on the Calm app and I’ve been exploring other apps as well—BetterSleep is one I like to use. Every morning I put it on and have moments of intentional meditation. I probably should meditate longer than seven minutes, but I can’t calm my mind down for much longer, so I just do the seven minutes and set my intentions for the day, then I get up and take things on. 

That resets me and gets me into a space of getting ready for whatever is going to happen. Within a day, so much stuff happens and it’s such a gauntlet that at the end of the day you go, “Gee, that was a really positive, productive day,” and other days just beat the hell out of you. It helps to start off with good intentions, some nice little affirmations, just giving yourself a break, talking nicely to yourself. We beat ourselves up in our minds, which is very unhealthy. I’m all over my kids about that—”Stop talking badly to yourself.” 

WW: What’s one of the positive affirmations you like to use?

HRP: The one I opened up for today—I have this little Advent-type calendar that I open up for affirmations—says, “Some people add so much beauty to being human.” It’s not so much about “You are kind, you are amazing.” It’s about other people too, and taking the inventory of other people’s goodness and the kindness of other people around you. That affirmation was really nice—I love that one.

WW: What was the last thing you did for self-care?

HRP: I had acupuncture and cupping while on vacation a few weeks ago, and it just relaxed me. I don’t know why Chinese medicine agrees with me so much, but it really makes a difference for me. Acupuncture and cupping is my go-to self-care. I’ve been doing it for years.    

WW: You’ve recently been open about your experience with bladder issues as spokeswoman for the “Time to Go” Campaign. What has that been like?

HRP: It has really helped and changed my daily life. I didn’t know why I had to go all the time. I thought I was getting older and that it was a natural order of events. When I talked to my doctor about it, that’s when I knew overactive bladder was actually a thing. 

Starting Gemtesa treatment has given me freedom to have a much more organized life. There were a lot of things I couldn’t do; I stopped going to concerts because I would be so worried about having a bathroom nearby. It was really a thorn in my side. Overactive bladder was something I didn’t know I had, and when I found out, life became so much easier to process.

WW: What advice would you give your younger self?

HRP: It’s not that deep. I look back, especially at my 20s, to moments when I thought my life was over—everything was the end of the world. So I’d tell my younger self to breathe, remember it’s not that deep and know these moments will bring so much more clarity to the good times. My younger self was a little insecure and had big drama. So I’d tell her to realize that these moments are the things you are going to learn from.

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