Divas That Care Network

Edge Of Reinvention

• Divas That Care Network • Season 15 • Episode 44

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Come and listen to our Host, Candace Gish, as she chats with today's guest, Rachel Gitlevich, for our "Season of Shift: Women on the Edge of Reinvention" Podcast Series.
This series spotlights women who used this reflective season (Oct–Dec) to make major life pivots—career changes, endings, spiritual awakenings, and brave beginnings.

Today’s guest is Rachel Gitlevich: author of “What in the actual fuck” and founder of Ray of Consciousness. Through her writing, podcast, and consulting work, she blends raw storytelling with wellness and strategy, helping people and companies grow with authenticity.

Social: IG: @Rachel.gitlevich

We welcome author and entrepreneur Rachel Gitlevich to explore reinvention through illness, vulnerability, and purpose. She shares how stage four survival, a daring book, and daily practices of intuition and gratitude shaped a life built on presence and impact.

• shifting from coaching to a mission-led marketing firm
• why she kept a bold, honest book title
• surviving stage four cancer and a near-death event
• learning to walk and breathe again with grit and grace
• practical tools for intuition and daily gratitude
• journaling prompts, resources, and self-advocacy
• designing a life aligned with values
• where to find the book and a signed copy

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and via a signed copy link; https://buy.stripe.com/5kQfZh0Wl0gxfuP5f00VO00

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

SPEAKER_04:

It's Divas the Care Radio. Stories, strategies, and ideas to inspire positive change. Welcome to Divas That Care, a network of women committed to making our world a better place for everyone. This is a global movement for women, by women engaged in a collaborative effort to create a better world for future generations. To find out more about the movement, visit divas that care.com after the show. Right now, though, stay tuned for another jolt of inspiration.

SPEAKER_03:

Well, hello everyone, and welcome back to the Divas That Care. My name is Candice Gish. If this is your very first time tuning into the Divas That Care, we are so welcome that you've joined us today. We are listened to in over 30 countries around the world, and we've been doing this now, oh God, 15 years, but we've had an amazing group of hosts and guests, and it's just been so much fun. So I'm so happy that we've been able to continue to do this, and we're so happy about today's series that we are going to be doing. It's called The Season of Shift: Women on the Edge of Reinvention. So this series spotlights women who used this reflective season, which would be from October to December, to make major life pivots, career changes, endings, spiritual awakenings, and brave beginnings. So I'm so excited because I'm going to be welcoming a brand new diva to our family. She's never been on the Divas at Care before, and we can't wait to get to know her. So today's guest is Rachel Giltovich. So welcome to the show, Rachel.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you so much for having me on, Candace. Grateful to be here.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh my goodness. I'm very excited that you've joined us today. Rachel, would you mind introducing yourself to our listeners today?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. So my name is Rachel. I uh recently published a couple months ago the book What in the Actual Fuck? Life's a Hot Mess, How to Find Gratitude Anyways. I'm also the founder of Array of Consciousness. It is a marketing agency firm we utilize that works with health and wellness companies, health and wellness tech. And we are here, or I am here, to help transform people's lives, not only uh from the outside or the inside out, but also how can I help other people in the health and wellness space really grow and expand their reach and have a ripple effect on the world?

SPEAKER_03:

Oh my gosh, that is so cool. I'd like to ask you, because I had a chance to go through your website earlier, and you are a coach and you do all these amazing things. How did you get into that? Because I I was curious how people get into you know coaching.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, absolutely. So I was a coach for about eight years. And I would say in the past year, I have actually transitioned to utilize all of my experience from the past 15 years to utilize my passion for tech, marketing, coaching, helping people to launch this marketing brand. So um, but as far as coaching goes, I got into that because I really wanted to make an impact in the world. And that has always, always been something near and dear to my heart, something that has always been super true to me. Even when I was asked, I think in my teenage years, you know, what do you want to be when you grow up? I would always answer, I want to help people. And so that is, you know, true to my core and the way that I lead my life. And so that's not to say I don't still take on coaching clients. I still have my my clients from before, but now my focus has been on um more so on the the bigger scale of things and um you know how can I just empower other people and so especially I would say especially women um really with my story and uh with my business as well.

SPEAKER_03:

And then from there you decided to write that book.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, exactly. And so about this book idea, not the title, but the book was something that was brewing within me for the past, I would say, I had the idea about four years ago. And I maybe sat down, I wrote like an intro, maybe a few paragraphs, and then I left it. I, you know, I at that point was I think maybe I wasn't serious enough about it, or just maybe didn't have the right accountability in place, but maybe it just wasn't really at the right time. And so I uh kind of let life kind of just go. I let life life. And then lo and behold, I got the ping again a couple years ago, about a year and a half ago, to start writing again. And this time I was absolutely serious about it. I hired an editor to help also hold me accountable. You know, we would kind of dive in every week to work on a chapter or so. And then um about, you know, here we are today. Um, I published in September, self-published, and I really was playing with these different ideas for titles. The first this was what in the actual fuck was the first one that popped. And I kind of would wanted to talk myself out of it. I was like, can I really title my book that? Is that really something that I can do? And does it exist? And it didn't. And um eventually like I would play around with some deeper, uh deeper titles, and I was like, no, this is this is my book, and this is what it's gonna be called, and it's really about like how we navigate these lives, what in the actual fuck moments, and how can we find gratitude along the way. So that's kind of what the book is really about, is my life story, uh, or at least the story of the past six-ish years of my life. So not exactly the entirety, but I kind of flash back in between all of it. But it has been such an honor and blessing to now have the book out there in the world for everyone to read.

SPEAKER_03:

You know, it it takes a lot of courage to write a book and to write a book about, you know, obviously your life and your journey in itself. And I love that. Can we dive a little bit more into it?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. Yeah, I'm happy to share. And, you know, even what I share on this podcast will be completely different from what you read in the book, even if I cover some of the topics. But um yeah, essentially uh high-level overview. I am a stage four cancer survivor. Uh, I've had three brain surgeries on top of other, a couple other surgeries. Uh, I had a near-death experience in Mexico in 2023, and essentially had to relearn how to walk again, had to navigate, had to relearn how to breathe again and uh navigate the world in this essentially almost like a rebirth in a new body, um, giving a second chance at life, second, third, fourth chance of whatever way you want to look at it. And it was really this culmination of finding this inner strength to show up every single day for this life and the life that I want to lead. And uh as a single mom, as a um person navigating just anything and everything you could possibly imagine. Uh, you know, somebody in, you know, I start like the cancer journey started in my 20s and then, you know, I'm in my mid like lower, mid-30s, whatever you want to look at it. Um, but it was just a very intense process of how can I really navigate this journey? And, you know, what it how can I find the strength to navigate this journey?

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you so much for sharing that and what an inspiration. And I think it's really important what you're doing because a lot of people think that they're alone in the journey, whatever they're part of. And for you to be authentic and to share that, I think is going to impact so many people's lives.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. And that's what I really hope, and that's why I wrote it. And, you know, because it really, really put me in such a vulnerable spot to write this. Even I remember when the the day that I released it and published, it was September 3rd, and I just looked at my mom and told her, I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. I'm I this is I don't pull it out, you know. And um, but I hope that with my share and my vulnerability, that it gives people permission to also allow themselves to feel and be vulnerable and you know, access parts of them that maybe they kept hidden or, you know, take charge of their lives if they've once been dismissed by maybe the medical system or what have you, or and like just really help them feel less alone in this crazy world that I um I'm here for, you know, I'm here for you is really the message that I want to get across and that you're not alone.

SPEAKER_02:

I love that.

SPEAKER_03:

And finding that inner strength, I think that's it's a huge thing. So tell me with your book too. I'm imagining because it's kind of going through a lot of stuff, is this you're gonna be, people are gonna probably be wanting to do some journaling, um, writing things down, kind of reflecting on themselves too at the same time.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01:

So even in the book, I include some journal prompts in the back of the book. Wonderful. Additional resources. And I know some people who have read the book already have mentioned that they took notes in the margins and like highlighted things and came back to certain passages. So that's essentially I I love hearing these things that it it's helped them, or that like they were picking up these little nuggets and gems that they found in the book. So that was really for me kind of validating and acknowledging that I'm I'm glad I did it.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh my gosh, I love that. I'm a real big person on journaling and writing things down and um affirmations and you know, and constantly talking to myself. I have sticky notes all over my house, you know, because I think that that's a wonderful thing. And I've really focused with with my daughters is is telling them what because sometimes, you know, you just it's hard to believe in yourself. It's hard to get through different things, but sometimes you just need that little pick me up and it's it's okay. Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. I love that. So you're out there promoting this amazing book. Uh, what else are you gonna be doing? What other things are you gonna be doing here in the future?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so excuse me. I uh I'm promoting the book. I'm you know, I'm showing up out there on the podcasts, the social medias, and yeah, I mean growing my business and also traveling, traveling with my son or going to Mexico soon. And for me, it's really about creating a life that I love and living life on my my own terms because I think so much of our lives we sometimes spend trying to please others or trying to figure out how to, you know, like I don't want to say like make enemy, but a lot of times we spend our lives living for the sake of other people. And for me, it's really important to create a life that is true and aligned with me and my values rather than what I think is expected of me or expected of us as a as a society as a whole. I think so many belief systems have been put in place of just you have to work hard or this or that. And for me it's really about uh impact, intention, and leading with love.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited that you were you became a guest today on the Deep As I care. I I'm just beyond inspired by you, and I I love your authentic feeling that I'm getting from you. And I I just can't wait to share this with all of our listeners today. Um, where can our listeners purchase this book?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so it is available on Amazon. Um, if you look up my first and last name, Rachel Gitlevich, it it should pop up. And then also, uh, or if they look up, um, the only thing is like what in the actual fuck is spelled just FCK? Um and life's a hot mess, how to find gratitude anyways. You can just look up that whole title. It's on um Barnes and Noble anywhere you can buy books. And also I have uh a separate stripe link that people can um buy a signed copy and I will ship it. I will sign it with a little note and ship it out. So I can always send that and include that in the show notes. But I would say overall, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, wherever you can buy books online.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh my gosh, that's wonderful. And I can't wait to share that with all of our listeners. You know, I will be doing the links after our program too and posting it on all of our social media. So tell me, Rachel, do you plan on writing another book in the future?

SPEAKER_01:

I will say that I do leave it on quite the cliffhanger. So I did, so I could write another book. And so another book is definitely on the horizon, and I very much look forward to writing it. And right now I'm just kind of soaking in the post-book uh release bliss, um, but definitely on the horizon for book number two.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, that's wonderful. So, Rachel, would you mind what maybe send a tip or tool to inspire our listeners in their journeys?

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. So, something that I write about, uh there's quite a few things, but is trusting your intuition and how to really tap into that space because hardly our intuition hardly screams at us or yells at us. It's usually comes in in the form of a whisper or it comes in like a like a gut feeling. And so trusting yourself and trusting that you have all the answers within you before we turn to other people. Uh, a lot of times we like to pull our friends, our family before we make a decision. And there's no right or wrong there. It's truly just about um but tuning into yourself first before you turn to others. And a lot of times they will then come out with different decisions or different choices for you. So trusting your intuition is definitely one of them. And then also starting your days with gratitude, finding a space to just quiet the mind and reflect on something super simple, like, you know, grateful to have woken up another day, grateful for, you know, the people that I get to talk to today, and it, you know, make it true for you. And, you know, grateful for the leaves changing colors, anything. Um, but finding a space of gratitude and also just trusting your intuition, being your own best advocate, whether it's, you know, in daily life, health life, whatever that might be.

SPEAKER_03:

That's beautifully said. Thank you so much. That was wonderful. And um, I as I said, I really have enjoyed this conversation. It's just amazing. Is there anything else you would love to share with us, Rachel? I'm we're all ears today.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, absolutely. Um, and thank you for asking that and opening it up because I will say uh everyone has a story within them. Um, you know, it doesn't have to be some grandiose story that like, you know, some hero's journey that you overcame, like some crazy, crazy obstacle. But I think we can all relate that we have all uh overcome something and have grown from it in one way, shape, form, or another. And my and so my words of insight is that just take some time to write. Write about anything, something, something that you went through as a child that you overcame, or even like in the past few years, but just making time to just journal or write. Uh, because sometimes we can forget things, or we just get lost in the day-to-day, and suddenly we look back on our lives and like five years have passed, and we're like, well, where did that time go? And so when we take time to write and reflect on the things that we've overcome or gone through, we really recognize the strength. And a lot of times when we are um when we get lost in the shuffle of routines and life, we forget to be present. And I think this word presence is so often overlooked, or it's this elusive word that we don't really sometimes grasp what it means to be present. Sometimes, you know, we hear it in a yoga class or we hear it um from some guru or meditation teacher, what have you, but we can find uh little moments of presence when it's you know, time with our kids or loved ones. Like, how can we actually take this time to um really reflect and be with ourselves like in this way? Because another concept that I I talk about is this idea of home and coming home to ourselves and um feeling safe in our own bodies because a lot of times, yeah, when we do get lost in that routine or day-to-day, we forget to actually just come home and check in with our our body, our being, what's here right now. And so I think in the process of writing, in the process of breathing or moving our bodies, we uh have this presence, and I think it's really important to practice it as often as we can. That was so beautifully said.

SPEAKER_03:

Thank you so much. Thank you. I absolutely love this conversation. Oh my gosh. Risha, I really did have a great time, and I really do hope that you come back on the Diva Zat care.

SPEAKER_02:

Absolutely. I am happy to come back anytime. Oh, wonderful.

SPEAKER_03:

And to all of our listeners, I just want to say, you know, this podcast series has meant so much to me. I've had the opportunity to really chat with some extraordinary women. And the season of shift, women on the edge of reinvention, um it means a little bit different to all of us. You know, whatever journey that we're on, it it unites us in a way because we're hearing different stories. Like Rachel was saying, everybody's got a story. And I just feel so honored that we're able to collaborate and share these with you. So I hope that all of you have an amazing day, that you remember to check out all of our other podcasts in this series if you are you know going through something, you know, career changes, ending, spiritual awakenings, or like some of our guests, a brave new beginning. I hope that you share them and you collaborate with these extraordinary women. And until next time, everyone, take care.

SPEAKER_04:

Thanks for listening. This show was brought to you by Divas That Care. Connect with us on Facebook, on Instagram, and of course on divas that care.com, where you can subscribe to our newsletter so you don't miss a thing.