Rising Strong: Finding Gratitude, Courage, and Reinvention After Life's Messiest Moments

Today's episode features Rachel Gitlevich, author of What in the Actual Fck: Life's a Hot Mess—How to Find Gratitude Anyways* and founder of Ray of Consciousness. Through her writing and consulting work, Rachel fuses raw storytelling with wellness and strategy, helping people and organizations grow with authenticity. Her story is one of resilience, transformation, and radical gratitude—even in the face of unimaginable challenges.

 

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💫 Episode Overview

In this episode, Rachel shares her extraordinary journey through multiple cancer diagnoses, near-death experiences, and the powerful process of reclaiming her life. Together, we explore what it really means to find strength, surrender, and joy when everything falls apart—and how to rebuild from a place of courage and truth.

 

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🔑 Top 3 Takeaways

1. Adversity Is a Wake-Up Call for Alignment
   Hardship can be the catalyst that strips away illusion and reveals what truly matters. Rachel's story shows how pain can crack us open to purpose, presence, and self-compassion.
   
   

2. Healing Requires Both Science and Spirit
   She learned that holistic healing doesn't mean rejecting medicine—it means embracing every form of support available, from faith and therapy to immunotherapy and inner work.
   
   

3. Gratitude Is the Gateway Back to Life
   Gratitude doesn't deny the hard—it invites grace into it. Even in the storm, finding small glimmers of gratitude restores hope, patience, and possibility.
   
   

 

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🕰️ Key Moments & Insights

1️⃣ [04:17–07:29] — The Awakening: When "Holistic" Meets Reality

"I was trying to pretend like this was mutually exclusive rather than inclusive… you need all of it—throw everything into the fire."

Rachel

When healing becomes a spiritual competition, we forget that medicine and mindfulness can coexist. True healing is not choosing between worlds—it's weaving them together.

 

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2️⃣ [11:17–13:50] — From Victimhood to Victory

"Yes, there are so many situations that have been horrible and horrifying… and I'm still here. I'm clearly meant to be here."

Rachel

Finding humor and meaning in suffering doesn't minimize it—it transforms it. Choosing to see life's absurdity as proof of resilience helps reclaim power from pain.

 

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3️⃣ [30:05–32:22] — Riding Out the Storm

"Storms always pass. Maybe you wanted sunshine, but Mother Nature said, 'Not today.' You just have to sit where you are and know the sun will shine again."

Rachel

Every storm teaches surrender. Instead of resisting what's unfolding, staying grounded in the present moment builds trust in life's natural rhythm—chaos, calm, and renewal.

 

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💬 Notable Quotes

• "It's not about finding gratitude for every little thing—it's about finding gratitude anyway."
  
  

• "Even when it's not okay, it still will be."
  
  

• "We can't stop the waves, but we can learn to watch them—and trust they'll settle."
  
  

 

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💥 Closing Reflection

Rachel's story reminds us that life rarely unfolds as planned—but within every detour lies the chance to redefine strength and rediscover joy. Whether you're healing, rebuilding, or standing in your own messy middle, remember this: storms pass, gratitude grounds, and reinvention is always possible.

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