Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Friend.
Rachel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started with my first communications class in college. Call it timing or fate, but I learned a lot about myself and who I was in that class. Most importantly, that I had a choice in how I lived my life; I wasn’t defined by my past, or bound to an inevitable future, but instead, could choose who I wanted to be and what I wanted to stand for. All of this through communication with myself & others. It was mind blowing.
That first class became the reason I majored in Communication Studies and went on to get my Masters Degree. What I learned along the journey changed my life and gave me the opportunity to discover my purpose–to help others find more joy in the journey by teaching them new ways of thinking and being. Fast forward to today, and I’ve been able to fulfill my dream of teaching others how to better their life and relationships with others through communication & perspective. I recently took my teaching method online, which has been an exciting shift! This allows me to reach more people than I could in a typical college classroom.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have absolutely been struggles along the way, but I have learned to be grateful for them. As my husband Kevin would say, “I love the hard times, only then do I know exactly what it is that I am made of.” I couldn’t agree more as I have discovered my strengths through the struggle and have become very resilient & flexible as time goes on.
Most of my struggle has been internal, as are most struggles anyways. There were times when I thought I had found myself and knew what I believed in, only to be blindsided by an unexpected circumstance/event that would cause me to question everything. I remember a few years into my teaching career when I finally accepted myself, fully, for the first time—it was as if I had freed myself from a self-imposed prison.
I literally had a conversation with myself that went, “I am tired of fighting with you, I want us to be on the same team. I accept you… all the good and all the bad, I accept all of you.” It was the first time I had experienced what inner peace felt like. I was lucky enough to bring this acceptance into my marriage where I could truly be myself.
It wasn’t until I became a mother that my inner peace went into hiding. My first born has a rare genetic disorder and learning to navigate the world of special needs parenting was a whole new journey for my husband and I. It was as though I had to re-learn how to love myself again and discover what being a special needs parent meant for me.
It took some time and a lot of self-forgiveness, but I soon got back to that place of acceptance and haven’t looked back. I am grateful to be able to share the importance of self-love with my children now by being that example. My conclusion: Self-adversity is the hardest to endure, but the most rewarding to overcome!
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
One of my greatest joys is seeing others come alive again after being STUCK for so long and not knowing there was another way!
As human beings, we are hardwired to connect. Social connection is our brain’s life long passion. Yet many people feel disconnected to others and even themselves as a result. My mission is help foster this connection with yourself & others by helping people learn how to communicate more effectively so that they can understand themselves and others better. It is through our connection with others that we experience joy on this journey. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that they have a choice in how they see and experience their life. We are the only ones holding ourselves back, but we can’t do better if we don’t know better. That’s why I am here to spread that awareness and help move others to toward taking action on their lives.
I’m all about sharing the tools needed to become more empowered and find more joy in the journey through inner and outer connection. I do this through my online course where students discover the life-changing magic of shifting their perspective. I give participants a roadmap and guide them through this self-discovery process. I believe that consistency, accountability, and my unwavering enthusiasm plays a huge role in the success of my online program.
I am proud of the success I’ve had in the following areas: bringing family members closer together with my unique approach to conflict & forgiveness; getting clients’s past their fears of opening up and sharing how they truly feel; teaching parents specific communication skills to promote bonding with their spouse & children; & teaching others the tools to overcome self-defeating thoughts & practice self love.
Aside from what I teach, what sets me apart as well as what I am most known for would be my polite, sailor mouth (oxymoron I know), crying when other’s cry, advocating for special needs as well as online dating (it’s a great tool for connection), & always seeing the good in others.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I think success comes from within; it starts with you and how you see yourself. Many people think of success in terms of failure. I believe that if you don’t accept yourself or think you are not good enough, no amount of success will ever satisfy you.
In essence, you will always feel like a failure as It will only ever be something you measure yourself against-if I am not successful then I am a failure, etc… If, on the other hand, you love and accept who you are, what you have to offer, and you truly believe that you are good enough, then that will set the tone for how you view success.
I believe one of the biggest struggles for human beings is overcoming self-adversity. Self-acceptance is at the root of nearly everything. I believe that when you reach this place of self-love, it is one of the most important forms of success.
From this place-a place of inner acceptance- you will experience success differently and never fear failure since you know that it is a part of life and necessary for growth. It is something that I have learned and have put into practice—it’s been life changing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itsrachelfriend.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @itsrachelfriend
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsrachelfriend/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsrachelfriend
Image Credit:
Nola Fontanez Photography
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