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What if your version of surrender has actually been self-silencing?

In this episode, Rachel explores one of the most socially rewarded forms of self-abandonment: staying quiet in the name of peace, goodness, faith, or “being easy.”

Through deeply personal stories—including the sacred “War Room” she and her husband created for honest conversations—Rachel unpacks the difference between holy surrender and fear dressed up as faith.

She introduces practical tools like Voicing the Story and the tRUSt Framework to help women recognize when they are shrinking, performing, or embodying in relationships—and how to stop betraying what they know just to keep the peace.

This episode is for the woman who has confused silence with maturity, suppression with holiness, or self-erasure with love.

In this episode:

• Why “keeping the peace” can become self-abandonment
• The difference between surrender and silence
• How fear often disguises itself as faith
• The War Room concept: creating sacred space for courageous conversations
• The “Voice the Story” practice for relational clarity
• The tRUSt Framework for grounded, truth-filled communication
• How to recognize whether you are shrinking, performing, or embodying
• Why honesty in safe relationships builds legacy

Reflection Questions:

1. Where have you been calling silence wisdom when it may actually be fear?
2. What story have you been swallowing?
3. What is one pinkie-toe step of courage you can take to voice truth with care?

Permission Slip:

You are allowed to surrender pride without surrendering truth.
You are allowed to speak honestly.
You are allowed to stop calling self-betrayal “peacekeeping.”

Connect with Rachel:

Visit RachelHarrisOnline.com for coaching, Rebel Practice™, and more from The Joyful Rebel Podcast.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

Who are you learning from… even unintentionally?

In this episode of The Joyful Rebel Podcast, Rachel explores the surprising power of role models—not as people we copy, but as mirrors that can reveal forgotten parts of ourselves.

From childhood heroes to literary characters, spiritual mentors, public figures, and even everyday people we admire, the people who deeply resonate with us often hold clues about our own buried desires, strengths, values, and becoming.

This episode dives into how choosing your “mirrors” wisely can help you:

• Identify the traits that genuinely matter to you
• Recognize hidden strengths you may have dismissed in yourself
• Borrow courage when your own feels shaky
• Clarify who you want to become
• Stop idolizing other people’s paths and start uncovering your own

Rachel also shares how her own role-model work became a meaningful part of her personal self-discovery journey—and how admiration can become a roadmap, not for imitation, but for reclamation.

Because sometimes the people who inspire us most?
They aren’t showing us who to be.

They’re reminding us who we’ve been all along.

In This Episode:

• Why role models matter more than most people realize
• The difference between imitation and inspiration
• “Patron Saints” and personal resonance
• What admiration can teach you about your gifts
• Borrowed bravery + identity excavation
• How to intentionally choose voices that expand rather than shrink you

Reflection Questions:

• Who do I deeply admire—and why?
• What qualities in them feel magnetic?
• What if those qualities are clues about me, too?
• Who am I becoming by what I consume, follow, and believe?

Permission Slip:

You’re allowed to admire without idolizing.
You’re allowed to learn from others without abandoning yourself.
You’re allowed to borrow bravery while you remember your own.

Closing:

Stay curious.
Choose your mirrors wisely.
And don’t shrink.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

What if courage isn’t loud, dramatic, or obvious…
but quiet, simple, and deeply internal?

In this episode, I’m sharing a real-life moment that changed the way I understand courage—not because it was big, but because it was honest.

For years, I was the “hype girl.” The one who said yes, showed up, and kept the energy going—even when I was completely depleted.

But this time? Something shifted.

Instead of saying yes out of habit, I paused, listened inward, and chose something different.

Two simple words.
A completely different outcome.

This episode is about the kind of courage that doesn’t look impressive from the outside—but changes everything on the inside.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why most real courage starts internally—not externally
• The hidden cost of people-pleasing and over-explaining
• How to stop abandoning yourself to maintain connection
• The difference between fear-based silence and spirit-led courage
• What it means to choose alignment over approval
• How to say no without guilt, defensiveness, or over-explaining

A Simple Tool You Can Use Today:

-> The Alignment Drop

Next time you feel torn, pause and ask:

If I say yes to this… do I stay with myself or abandon myself?

This one question can shift everything.

Ready to Stop Holding Yourself Back?

If something in you is ready for more—but fear, doubt, or old patterns keep pulling you back—this is for you.

I created a resource to help you recognize where you might be playing small and take your next step with courage and clarity.

👉 Download it here: https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Because you were never meant to shrink to stay safe.

Let’s Stay Connected:

If this episode resonated, I’d love to hear from you.

Where are you being invited to choose yourself right now?

And if you haven’t already, follow the show so you don’t miss next week’s episode—we’re diving into how courage becomes a practice, not just a moment.

Final Reminder:

Courage doesn’t always roar.
Sometimes it sounds like a quiet, honest no.

And that still counts.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever caught yourself reacting in a way that feels bigger than the moment—and wondered, “Why am I like this?”

In this episode, we’re diving into something that changes everything once you understand it:

Your Nervous System.

Because here’s the truth:
- You’re not overreacting.
- You’re responding exactly the way your body was wired to survive.

We’re talking about how your past experiences—especially from childhood—can shape your present-day reactions, and why patterns that once protected you might still be showing up… even when you don’t need them anymore.

This isn’t about fixing yourself.
It’s about understanding yourself.

And from that place? Everything begins to shift.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

• What your nervous system actually does (in real-life terms)
• Why your reactions aren’t random—they’re patterned
• How survival responses get wired into your body
• The connection between childhood experiences and adult triggers
• Why “just calm down” doesn’t work (and what does)
• How awareness is the first step to rewiring your responses

Key Truth:

Reactions that made sense in one season of your life… can keep showing up long after you’ve outgrown them.

And that doesn’t make you broken.
It makes you human.

A Simple Practice to Try: Next time you feel triggered, pause and ask...

• What am I feeling in my body right now?
• What does this remind me of?
• Is this about the present moment… or something older?

Awareness creates space.
And space creates choice.

Let’s Stay Connected:

If this episode resonated, I’d love to hear from you.

What’s something you’re starting to notice about your own patterns?

And if you haven’t already, follow the show so you don’t miss what’s coming next—we’re continuing this conversation around rewiring old stories and stepping into something new.

Final Reminder:

You’re not too much.
You’re not overreacting.
You’re responding from a system that learned how to survive.

And with awareness… you can learn a new way forward.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

What happens when you stop trying to manage your life… and start listening to it instead?

In this deeply personal episode, I’m sharing the story of the year I stepped away from constant doing, producing, and striving—and into what I now call my “Joyride” season.

It wasn’t a dramatic sabbatical.
I was still a mom, still a wife, still living real life.

But internally? Everything shifted.

This was the year I:
✨ stopped outsourcing my discernment
✨ learned to listen to my body, emotions, and inner voice
✨ wrestled with silence, doubt, and old patterns
✨ and discovered that joy and struggle can exist at the same time

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the “right” things but still feel disconnected from yourself—or from God—this episode is for you.

🌸 In This Episode, We Talk About:

• The space between being called… and actually responding
• Why obedience doesn’t always happen instantly
• What a “Joyride season” really feels like (and why it’s not all easy)
• The difference between childlike joy and childish behavior
• How your “inner storyteller” shapes your reality
• Why your emotions are not problems—but invitations

A Tool to Help You Process What You’re Feeling:

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now…”
I created something to help.

Download the free Harmony Bloom Emotion Map™
A simple, faith-rooted framework to help you:

• notice what you’re feeling
• understand what it means
• and respond with intention instead of overwhelm

** I’m putting the finishing touches on this and will link it soon—stay tuned! **

Your Practice for the Week:

Try this simple 4-step check-in:

1. Notice — What am I feeling in my body and emotions?
2. Name — Put words to it (without judgment)
3. Normalize — “This makes sense. I’m human.”
4. Next Step — What is one small, honest response?

Let’s Stay Connected:

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you.
Send me a message or share what’s been coming up for you lately.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to follow the show so you don’t miss next week’s episode—we’re diving into what happens when old stories try to pull you back into hiding.

💛 Final Reminder:

You’re not doing it wrong.
You’re becoming aware.

And that changes everything.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

Have you ever realized that you might be trusting spiritual advice more than God Himself?

In this episode of the Joyful Rebel Podcast, Rachel Harris explores the subtle but powerful way we sometimes outsource our discernment—handing authority over our spiritual decisions to mentors, leaders, or voices that sound wise.

Through the story of Hagar in Genesis and a deeply personal moment during a spiritual retreat, Rachel shares the question that stopped her in her tracks:

"When will you stop trusting man over Me?"

This episode explores what happens when God interrupts the voices we’ve relied on and calls us back into direct relationship, trust, and discernment.

You’ll also learn a simple reflective practice called The Authority Check, designed to help you pause before reacting and reconnect with God’s voice within you.

If you've ever second-guessed something you felt God telling you…
If wise counsel has ever made you doubt your own discernment…
If you're learning how to trust God more deeply…

This conversation is for you.

In This Episode

• The hidden danger of outsourcing spiritual discernment
• What Hagar’s wilderness encounter reveals about being truly seen by God
• The moment Rachel heard God ask: “When will you stop trusting man over Me?”
• Why StoryShift™ moments change everything before circumstances do
• A simple practice called The Authority Check

Try This Practice This Week

Before reacting, deciding, or responding, pause and ask yourself:

• Who am I letting have the final word right now?
• Is this voice moving me toward clarity or contraction?
• What would it look like to return authority to God?

Permission Slips From This Episode

You are allowed to:

• Trust what God told you
• Stop disappearing in the presence of authority
• Remember that you are seen

Next Episode

Next week we explore what happens when the Joyride™ stage of the ReStory Arc™ gives way to resistance—and how to stay rooted when the roar gets loud.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

There’s a version of “faith” many of us were quietly taught.

Be smaller.
Be quieter.
Be easier to love.
Call it humility.

But what if some of what we’ve labeled obedience… is actually shrinking?

In this episode, we explore the subtle but powerful difference between true obedience and self-erasure. Because they feel similar on the surface — both can look gentle, compliant, even spiritual.

But they produce very different fruit.

Obedience — the kind rooted in alignment — produces clarity, groundedness, and peace.

Shrinking to meet external expectations produces anxiety, resentment, and a slow fading of your voice.

We’ll look at:

• Why shrinking can masquerade as maturity
• The nervous system cost of editing yourself to belong
• Esther’s story — and the difference between courage and compliance
• How joy might be more spiritual than you were taught

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re being faithful… or just afraid — this episode is for you.

Because obedience should bring you home to yourself.
Not disappear you.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel

Send us Fan Mail

Who Were You Before the World Told You Who to Be?

Before expectations.
Before comparison.
Before learning which parts of you were “too much.”

Who were you?

In this episode of The Joyful Rebel Podcast, Rachel explores identity through memory, story, and what she calls the Wonder Window—the part of you that existed before performance, pressure, or self-editing took over.

In this conversation, we look at:

• how early joys and curiosities hold clues to your true self
• why losing touch with yourself isn’t failure—it’s adaptation
• how shrinking begins, often quietly and relationally
• what it looks like to orient yourself again without forcing change

This episode isn’t about going backward or romanticizing the past.
It’s about recovering orientation—so you can move forward aligned.

If you’ve ever wondered whether the real you is still in there somewhere, you’re not alone—and you’re not too late.

Resources:
How to Choose You In Real Time - Practice Your First Rebel Moves
https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/stopplayingsmall

Hidden Stories Inventory- Discover the Stories Quietly Shaping Your Choices https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

The Moment You Abandon Yourself - Catch the Exact Moment You Start Shrinking—and Learn How to Interrupt It In Real Time https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/costofpretending

Are YOU A Joyful Rebel? https://rachelharrisonline.com/joyful-rebel