Further Faster with Joseph McClendon III

S1 E8 Cure For The Common Life - From Pain to Purpose: Turning Tragedies into Triumphs

Jun 23, 2020

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“Life is not a fairy tale, and the minute that we decide it's not going to be and we're still just going to think of it as beautiful and look for the good stuff, then we can have a great life!” – Rebekah Gregory

We can’t avoid experiencing the uncomfortable, we can’t predict the tragedies that will knock on our doors, and, for sure, we can’t change what has already happened. No matter the challenges that are thrown at us, what matters is our attitude toward them and our capability to embrace them and turn them into successful adventures that can change our lives and those around us.

Rebekah, my guest today, epitomizes the phrase, ‘turning tragedy into triumph’ and in this episode, I invited her to share the painful story of surviving a bombing attack that actually turned out to be one of her greatest blessings in life.

Rebekah Gregory is a nationally recognized public speaker & author, whose life was forever changed due to the bombings at the Boston Marathon on April 15th, 2013. This act of terrorism may have claimed her leg, but it could not claim her spirit, and since then, Rebekah has become a force to be reckoned with. She has inspired audiences across the spectrum, including the Ambassador of the Holy See in Rome, Italy, the United Nations, Asics, ESPN Women’s, and hundreds more.

In 2017, Rebekah had published her first book, “Taking My Life Back”, and shortly after, she launched Rebekah’s Angels Foundation, which she and her husband created to aid in the treatment of childhood trauma and PTSD. As you can see, she’s a woman that doesn’t give up in the face of adversity, so listen to Episode 08 of Cure For The Common Life because this one might be exactly the nudge you need to get up, stand tall, face the challenges you’re going through, and be bold!

Some questions I ask:

Could you tell us a little bit about your journey from the bombing attack up to the point where you realized that your calling really is to help other people move beyond their tragedies?
Where did you learn the concept of counting your blessings instead of looking at the problems? (14:08)
What advice do you have for somebody facing whatever challenges, that will help them move forward with their lives, especially now, in times of COVID-19? (15:54)
What is your book about? (21:26)
Tell us about your future podcast: when will you launch it, and what will it be about? (27:57)

In this episode, you will learn:

The tough story on how the Boston Marathon Bombing has affected Rebekah’s life. (02:29)
How emotional scars can oftentimes hurt more than the physical ones. (08:41)
The mindset that made Rebekah embrace the tragedies she has experienced throughout her life, and turn them into opportunities of helping other people. (12:48)
The importance of stopping, in the midst of a crisis, to listen to the thoughts inside your head. (18:09)
The changes that happen in our lives when we embrace the uncomfortable situations. (20:05)
Rebekah’s attitude toward the person responsible for the bombing & the promise she made the day she faced him. (23:33)

Connect with Rebekah:

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