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Rachel Marie Martin

Rachel Marie Martin is the author behind Finding Joy and the book The Brave Art of Motherhood. She is fiercely passionate about living an authentic, joy-filled and driven life and because of that writes powerful truth for others hoping to be the catalyst for change.

four women sitting, only feet shown
Friendship

Be a friend…

by Rachel Marie Martin
written by Rachel Marie Martin

Be a friend who gives back. A friend who understands boundaries. A friend who gives.

Be a friend who decides hours of the day aren’t as important as being there when needed. Be a friend who listens. A friend who forgives.

Be a friend who cares about the details. A friend who remembers. A friend who tries.

Be a friend who loves deeply. Who gets that sometimes time will pass and there isn’t much connection and yet the friendship still matters. A friend who is willing to be there.

Be a friend who lets go of the petty. A friend who believes in dreams and cheers on. A friend who sees the goal.

Be a friend who fixes crowns.
Be a friend who wipes tears
Be a friend who gives hugs.
Be a friend who shares hearts.
Be a friend who stands in the gap.
Be a friend who sees.

Be a friend who is a friend you need.

Sometimes we spend so much time looking that we forget the giving.

Friends are priceless.

And chances are, when you love and give and show up, even in the imperfection, you are that to another soul.

It matters.

Your friendships matter.

Be a friend today.

-Rachel

ps….today, take a moment and think about those friends in your life. And then, let them know just how priceless they have been to you and your story.

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Be the one who sees.
the rest of the story

Be the one who sees.

by Rachel Marie Martin
written by Rachel Marie Martin

Be the one who sees.

Years ago I had to count every single penny I spent. I had to keep a tally in my head while shopping. I would stand there and add things up over and over and over. There was this time during the holidays when I was shopping at Trader Joe’s because way back then they had the most gluten free food and I had a toddler newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and I stood in the frozen aisle adding everything up.

I was over. And back then, when I was over, I couldn’t just check out. I didn’t want my card declined so the smallest edge over couldn’t happen. So I looked through everything trying to figure out what to put back. I kept everything everyone else would have loved – but put back the one thing I loved. It was a simple frozen package of chicken tamales. But that package was what put the total over.

I hated that feeling. Of not being able to afford that $3.29 package of tamales. But that was life and I moved on and forgot about it. It was what I did.

That night our doorbell rang.

It was odd because it was extremely cold and it rang at 8:30. I went to the door, opened it, and on my front steps were bags of food. Food from Costco and Trader Joes.

And on the top of the first bag I saw were those chicken tamales.

The same kind hours before I had put back.

So simple, yet such a profound life-changing moment.

Friends.

I cannot describe the tears, the feeling of realizing that even in my aloneness I wasn’t alone. The feeling that I mattered. The feeling of gratitude.

It is seeing.

I still have no idea who put all of that food on my doorstep. My kids were so excited about all the goodies. I was humbled knowing that even the little things mattered. And whether or not you believe in God like I do, in that moment I knew I was not alone.

Chicken tamales mattered.

So ever since then, that moment, I’ve made it a point to be the one who sees. To be the one who doesn’t chalk things up to coincidence. To see the one struggling. To notice the mom counting groceries in the corner of the store. To smile. To see.

Be one who sees.

Be the one who sees the hurting and gives.
Be the one who sees beyond the shadows and loves.
Be the one who sees the lost and shows up.
Be the one who sees the bags of food for sale for others and buys them.

We need a world of seeing.

We really need a world of seeing in the holidays. It’s so easy to be so busy and to miss the power of seeing.

See.

Change a life.

~Rachel

connect with me on Facebook at FINDINGJOY BLOG

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girl staring in a room
Live Your Brave

Sweet soul, be brave.

by Rachel Marie Martin
written by Rachel Marie Martin

Sweet soul, be brave.

I know that it is easy to forget your heart.

Your heart, that sweet pulse of joy and creativity that makes you, well you.

I know it can fade.

I know it can be hard to find it.
I know that it isn’t even what you planned.

It’s easy to get busy.
It’s easy to lose the flicker of passion.
It’s easy to forget what it’s like to laugh.
It’s easy to worry about tomorrow and forget today.
It’s easy to wake up and just move so fast and lose that joy.

It’s not that it’s planned.
It’s not like it’s the goal.

Life just happens.

And life has within it unexpected.
Loss and challenges and normal.

Unexpected.

But, sweet sweet soul, you are worth letting your heart matter again.

You are worth fighting for your heart.
You are worth looking in the mirror and simply being proud.
You are worth standing up for what you believe in.
You are worth being proud of your story.
You are worth it.

You can do this.
You can find that passion, that soul.

It’s brave to fight for your heart.
It’s brave to admit you’re lost, too.
It’s brave to give and to try.
It’s brave to be you.

It’s brave.

And friend, you are brave.
You know what? You are more than brave.

You are enough.
~Rachel

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Sister, you can’t run on empty.
Live Your Brave

Sister, you can’t run on empty.

by Rachel Marie Martin
written by Rachel Marie Martin

I have this weighted blanket.

Some nights I need that extra weight to rest on me. It’s almost as if can chill out my racing mind and heart. Life is so crazy lately. Between covid and politics and normal everyday things there are moments where it feels too much, too heavy.

And yet, the heaviness of the blanket stills me. It calms my heart and lets the tension unravel, just for a bit. Maybe you can relate. In fact, I’m sure you can – so much extra unanswered energy in the world and so many new places to navigate.

So tonight as I intentionally calm my heart I’m writing to you to do the same.

Maybe it’s deep breathing, maybe a walk, maybe stillness, maybe meditation, maybe a weighted blanket like me, maybe reading a book, maybe watching the sunset or sunrise – whatever it is make sure you take that moment where you have back to yourself.

Sister, you can’t run on empty.

You just can’t.

But you are the only one responsible for filling your tank.

You.

Not your spouse or partner or friend or kids or parents or whom ever – you. And it starts with giving yourself permission to catch your breath.

You have done well.

Trust me, you have.

And you are worth this moment.

Give yourself permission.

-Rachel

find me on Facebook at FindingJoyBlog

get me book The Brave Art of Motherhood HERE

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Be a kind-speaker
perspective

Be a kind-speaker

by Rachel Marie Martin
written by Rachel Marie Martin

Today tell a friend or someone you know or a random person a kind thing.

“I am proud of you.”

“Thank you for your help.”

“You matter to me.”

“I appreciate you.”

“You are wonderful”

“Thank you for all you do.”

“You are brave.”

“I love you.”

This world, especially now, especially during years that are unexpected, needs kind-speakers. It’s kind of my own made-up phrase, but think of it like truth-tellers.

Kind speakers are those who decide to share kindness into the lives of another.

It doesn’t mean you agree with everything.

It doesn’t mean you always have the right answers.

It just means that even with differences or the busy or the crazy of life that for this moment you will speak kindness into the heart of someone else. And sometimes being a kind-speaker means deciding that in this moment instead of speaking, you listen. And sometimes it means that you decide to leave words of love more than words of needing your perspective being heard.

Listen, they might not even receive it. But you have put it into the universe, added that layer, that ripple of good.

It is showing up, creating a ripple.

Those ripples change lives.
Those ripples break the chain of loneliness.
Those ripples add joy.

Create a ripple today.

Bless others with kindness.

~Rachel

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You are seen; you are enough.
onward brave mother

You are seen; you are enough.

by Rachel Marie Martin
written by Rachel Marie Martin

Breathe, sister, breathe.
You are seen.

If you are alone, you are seen. Thank you for all you do, how hard you try, how much you give.

You are enough.

If you are missing family, you are seen. Thank you for your heart, for your emotions.

You are enough.

If you are dealing with hardship, you are seen. Thank you for your tenacity, for your faith, for your endurance.

You are enough.

If you are worried, you are seen. Thank you for caring so much, for your giving, for your trying.

You are enough.

If you are wrestling with loss, you are seen. Thank you for giving, for trying even in the hard.

You are enough.

If you are anxious, you are seen. Thank you for your bravery, for your fight, for your heart.

You are enough.

If you are overwhelmed, you are seen. Thank you for keeping on, thank you for your real, thank you for your vision.

You are enough.

If you are struggling with finances, you are seen. Thank you for budgeting, for working hard, for hoping.

You are enough.

If you are tired, you are seen. Thank you for giving, thank you for trying, thank you for showing up.

You are enough.

If you dealing with emotions, you are seen. Thank you for making it the best you can, for letting emotions emerge, for trying.

You are enough.

Sister, you are enough.

You are seen.

Especially today.

You are seen.

Breathe.

~Rachel

#findingjoy

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