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1 week ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
Last month, Scott and I went to our first Braves game of the season. I squirmed excitedly in my seat like a little kid. I couldn’t wait to hear the sharp crack of the bat, hear the players’ walk-up songs, or see happy fans dancing on the jumbotron. Although I love the energy at the games, my favorite thing to focus on is what happens right next to me: the quiet peace on my husband’s face. Scott always buys a bag of peanuts.
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1 week ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford |Meagan Francis
Get more from Rachel Macy Stafford in the Substack appAvailable for iOS and Android
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2 weeks ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
“Even the best fall down sometimes.”That’s my favorite song lyric of all time. It’s from the song Collide, released in 2003—the year my first child was born. I can still remember the monumental exhale that poignant line produced as I held Natalie to my chest. That lyric was my first exposure to the concept of choosing self-compassion over shame in the face of failure. As a lover of words, I took Howie Day’s suggestion and ran with it.
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2 weeks ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
Dear ones,On Friday afternoon, we gathered in our virtual Treehouse for a tender and nourishing time of reflection—holding space for the moments in life that turned out so differently than we imagined. If you couldn’t join us live, I invite you to watch the replay.
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3 weeks ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
This is a loving reminder that you are invited to climb the ladder today! At 1:30 pm Eastern (4-25-25), we’re gathering in our cozy space for a conversation that I believe will be both nourishing and uplifting—and maybe even gently eye-opening. Today’s theme is: “This Wasn’t Supposed to Happen.”We’ll be reflecting on thos…Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to Rachel's Treehouse to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
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3 weeks ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
I’ve had May on my mind. It’s a month full of milestone moments—ceremonies, social gatherings, award nights, and beautiful announcements arriving in the mail. It’s a season of endings and new beginnings, joyful transitions, big shifts, and emotional goodbyes. But even beautiful things can feel heavy. Especially when life doesn't look the way we thought it would.
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4 weeks ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
I interrupt our Plant a Pause Spring Series to bring you an important message…Earlier this week, I posted a story from my past on the Notes feature of Substack. In mere days, it has reached over 100,000 people and is still going strong. This response indicates to me that we, as humans, need this self-compassionate message. I share that with you today, as well as how I am coping with the unexpected pain of reopening a wound I thought had healed. This is my story… then and now.
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1 month ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
Avery in 2020, one year before the music stoppedWhen you get to the other side of a difficult life event, rarely do you experience a singular moment where you can fully recognize all that you’ve overcome. Or maybe that moment happens, but it is missed in all the distractions of life. Because I’ve been diligently Planting Pauses throughout a tumultuous spr…
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1 month ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
One of my all-time favorite pictures of Avery, who reminds me a lot of Little RachI didn’t second-guess myself before sticking my hand in the fountain. I was out for a walk in an unfamiliar place when the shimmery, flowing water caught my eye. “Go ahead. Rest your hand here,” the soothing sound seemed to say. “Let the cool water softly flow over your hand…
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1 month ago | 
rachelmacystafford.substack.com | Rachel Stafford
Dear ones,It brings me joy to provide you with this recording of last night’s treehouse teaching. Thank you to those who were able to be with me live and offered such positive feedback at the end. I went to sleep feeling like I’d helped in some small way, and that fills me with peace and gratitude.