Vee Rivera Felt Burnt Out After Teen Mom. Now She’s Done Pretending (Exclusive)

Vee Rivera is focused on being unapologetically herself.

The influencer, 33, is now five years removed from her time on Teen Mom and is ready to reintroduce herself as a wife, mom and podcaster.

Speaking with PEOPLE about her new podcast — The Chisme Corner with Vee Rivera, in partnership with Sonoro — Vee says she’s excited to step into this project, bringing her truest self to the table.

“It’s [about] not having to apologize for how I feel or the things I say. I think I’ve always been such a people pleaser. Being in the public eye, I think you sometimes have to take a step back and reevaluate the things you say,” Vee explains.

“You don’t want the people to take things the wrong way, but I think I’m at a point in my life where I’m like, ‘F— it.’ I just want to say the things that I want to say and how I feel and not have to worry about anybody else. I can’t constantly try and mute how I feel and not be me.”

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Vee’s return to podcasting comes nearly a year after stepping away from her previous podcasting ventures. That time has allowed Vee a “reset” that was crucial in shaping her current mindset.

“It’s actually been amazing because I feel like it’s given me some time to get more aligned with things that are meant to be for me and what I really have been trying to pivot it to, especially as far as my career,” she shares.

“I think being able to take that step back and breathe and also just relax and spend time with my family was important. I was podcasting for a very long time with no breaks. Everything was pretty much nonstop work, all the time, so I felt like I was getting burned out. It was having those boundaries and saying, ‘Hey, I need a break and I need to realign,’ I think that helped so much. I’m learning how to do that in life with everything. I’m not trying to burn myself out anymore. And in that time I took, I was also able to get a plan in order. So I think it was the perfect thing for me to do. I’m very happy with where I’m at right now.”

Boundaries are central to Vee in this era, explaining that taking stock of her life “opened my eyes to realize what I can’t compromise anymore.”

“I feel like having boundaries and letting people know, ‘Hey, I’m not okay with talking about X, Y, Z,’ or about my family or people who don’t want to be talked about in the limelight. I know this is my career and what I’ve signed up for but, my family, they didn’t. There’s things that I’m very careful about talking about and it’s just about respect.,” she explains.

“If people can’t respect your boundaries or they don’t get it, then those aren’t my people. I would respect anyone who had the same thoughts as me. People who set boundaries really respect themselves and the people around them. Especially in the public eye… sometimes I look back and just cringe because I feel like when I started, I had no boundaries. And that’s just not where I’m at now, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back.”

Having taken time to prioritize her peace, Vee is interested in engaging people in conversations about mental health.

“Over the past few years, I’ve had so many things pop up with my mental health — dealing with depression and anxiety and not [feeling like] myself. In real time, I had to learn how to balance that and going to therapy and learning boundaries. That’s not something that I really dealt with when I was younger and it was very taboo to talk about therapy and mental health and things like that. Now, I’m very open about my anxiety and people know exactly how I am with all of that. We need to talk about these things and be open to a point where people feel comfortable,” she shares.

“Once I did start talking, I realized there was a whole audience waiting for it. Now, I don’t feel alone, and a lot of times I did feel that.”

While Vee is “excited” about these conversations, she’s also aware of how so many in the Latino community still struggle to discuss matters of mental health.

“I think when you’re growing up Latina, in a Latino household, a lot of things get swept under the rug. You’re not supposed to talk about certain things. You’re just supposed to deal with it and you’re just supposed to be strong. I think the strength comes from dealing with your s–t and not avoiding it and that’s something that I’ve had to learn, that I don’t have to be strong all the time. I can crumble and I can bend and I can crack. I’m learning and I’m growing and I’m evolving and the glow up is right around the corner. It’s okay to feel and go through those things even as a Latina; it doesn’t make me any less strong to be going through something or because I’m talking about mental health issues.”

She also hopes to inspire women, both inside and outside of the Latina community, to prioritize self-care.

“I’m never going to stop talking about mental health and how women need to put our self-care first. I think it’s very important for us. A lot of the time, we neglect ourselves or the things that we need. I think it’s okay to give yourself what you need and you don’t need to feel guilty about it, so that’s something that I’m always going to be an advocate of.”

Vee is more comfortable behind the mic than ever before and hopes to bring an intentionality that makes for content that really resonates with her listeners — women who value that feeling of catching up with your girlfriends.

“I feel like The Chisme Corner is so near and dear to my heart because it’s so me — it’s every facet of who I am. I remember being young and always sitting at the table with my grandma, my sister, and my mom, just talking about everything that we could think of. I feel like it’s just going to be me and the listeners and I’m just so happy to bring that to life. It’s going to touch on everything — not just pop culture, but motherhood and navigating life in your 30s and friendships and marriage and so many different things. I feel like there’s so much to me and so many different levels of me as a person, as a friend, as a wife that I really want to put out there and be more open with.”

She continues, “Now that I have The Chisme Corner, I’m able to actually really be intentional with what I’m trying to bring to the table and how I want to get my point across to people. And I just want to uplift women and be a voice that people can listen to and be like, ‘Damn, I learned something from this today,’ or ‘It uplifted me in a way where I feel more positive,’ and I feel like this has pushed me in the right direction.”

The podcast host is excited to engage with her community, from those who have followed along since the beginning to people stepping into her world for the first time.

“There’s going to be people that love it and there’s going to be people that hate it. It is what it is. My audience knows me and they know my personality. They ride with me through everything so there’s no other place that I feel more comfortable being me. It’s nice that I don’t have to live a double life and try and pretend to be something that I’m not. Whether it’s online or on the podcast, what you see is what you get.”