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The Joyful Rebel Podcast

The Joyful Rebel Podcast

By: Rachel Harris
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About this listen

“Why do I feel like I’m disappearing inside my own life?” “Who might I be if I stopped editing myself?” “Is it okay to want more—without feeling ungrateful?” “Do I even know who I am anymore?” And the question that lingers beneath all the others: “Is it too late to change—and is it even possible?”


If this sounds like you, friend, you’re in the right place.


The Joyful Rebel Podcast is a space where women reclaim their story, unlearn what taught them to shrink, and come back to the parts of themselves that were labeled too much—only to discover those are often the very parts God delights in. And the word needs for you to shine.


Hosted by New York Times bestselling author and speaker Rachel Harris, this show blends faith, story, and real life to help women live rooted, radiant, and rebelliously authentic—without hustle, performance, or self-erasure.


Through personal storytelling, practical tools, and embodied wisdom, each episode explores:


  • identity beneath roles and expectations
  • faith without performance or self-abandonment
  • courage that’s lived, not performative
  • emotional honesty and nervous system safety
  • and the legacy we’re creating—not someday, but now


This isn’t a podcast about fixing yourself or becoming someone new.
It’s about coming home to who you already are.


If you’re ready to live fully seen, trust your inner knowing, and stop shrinking to belong—you’ve found your people.

© 2026 The Joyful Rebel Podcast with Rachel Harris
Christianity Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Relationships Spirituality
Episodes
  • Why You React the Way You Do (And How to Start Changing It)
    Apr 9 2026

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    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:
    20 Soul Sparks To Feel Like You Again - a simple list of tiny, doable moments designed to help you reconnect with joy, curiosity, peace, and play
    https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/cd8d06c001

    Hidden Stories Inventory- a guide to help you notice the stories that have been shaping you https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

    My Substack Page, The Petal and The Plot: https://restorystudiorachel.substack.com/

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

    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • The Year I Finally Learned to Listen: My Sabbatical from Busyness & What It Changed
    Apr 3 2026

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    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:
    20 Soul Sparks To Feel Like You Again - a simple list of tiny, doable moments designed to help you reconnect with joy, curiosity, peace, and play
    https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/cd8d06c001

    Hidden Stories Inventory- a guide to help you notice the stories that have been shaping you https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

    My Substack Page, The Petal and The Plot: https://restorystudiorachel.substack.com/

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

    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • The Danger of Outsourcing Your Discernment
    Mar 12 2026

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    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:
    20 Soul Sparks To Feel Like You Again - a simple list of tiny, doable moments designed to help you reconnect with joy, curiosity, peace, and play
    https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/cd8d06c001

    Hidden Stories Inventory- a guide to help you notice the stories that have been shaping you https://rachel-harris-online.kit.com/hiddeninventory

    My Substack Page, The Petal and The Plot: https://restorystudiorachel.substack.com/

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

    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
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