We sat down with Rachel, the visionary behind Of It All, a brand dedicated to nurturing mindfulness, self-awareness, and personal growth. What began as a series of personal journal prompts has blossomed into a collection of guided journals, workshops, and meditations designed to help others reconnect with their true selves, including a pregnancy journal for the conscious mama.
What inspired you to start "Of It All," and how does it align with your personal journey?
Before Of It All was a brand, it was a collection of personal journal prompts created as a way to connect back to myself.
Eventually, the idea that these prompts could be translated into guided notepads, journals, meditations and workshops to support others began to bloom in my mind as what I nicknamed “the middle thing.” I couldn’t quite yet envision it in its entirety but as the brand concept developed I came up with the name “In The Midst” as a testament to both the often unclear creative process and to the feeling of existing amidst the unfolding of our days.
Ultimately the name evolved to be Of It All, speaking to the higher perspective– not just the messy middle, but encompassing the genesis, the journey and the destination. The root of it all; the heart of it all. The long and short of it all. The thread that runs through it all.
Today Of It All continues to be what it has always been- the throughline from my past through my present and to my future– leading me somewhere I can’t see yet while assisting others in doing the same.
You recently just put out “9 months of wonder” for the conscious mother to be - you describe this book as “the fourth baby I needed” - could you speak more to this decision, process, and its completion?
I’d always envisioned myself having 4 children but after 3 we knew we were done– and it was at this time I happened to be chatting with my publisher about writing a new book. I proposed several ideas, and wasn’t expecting the one they’d be most interested in to be my pregnancy journal concept! But it turns out it was the exact project I needed.
Once the agreement was signed, the words poured out of me– the memories of my experiences with each child, the wisdom I’d garnered from others, the tricks and tips that come with being in the trenches of it all, my favorite bits of advice offered to friends over the years, it’s the one I wish existed while I was pregnant—a journal to support the conscious and creative mama who yearns to stay connected to herself and her babe throughout pregnancy and beyond.
In this way, I think of this book as my last baby— a beautiful way to close the chapter of young motherhood and pay it forward to new moms everywhere.
The word “self-care” gets tossed around so loosely these days, it’s hard to know what real “self-care” generally looks like. From your offerings of “Vessel” and other works, this concept of “self-care” seems to be intrinsically linked to self-awareness - can you speak more to this?
To me, self-awareness and self-care are intrinsically related as they both have to do with mindfulness; of noticing in the moment. One of the taglines for my brand Of It All is “Pause, Listen, Act, Become.” It’s not only the formula my offerings support but I’d say it’s also my general life’s approach. The Pause is most important. When we’re always moving so fast and doing so much, it’s hard to catch the nuances of life. Taking the time to regularly Listen allows us to integrate the messages of our inner wisdom.
From there, we have the choice to Act on our intuition’s requests–or not, although I’ve found that to ignore them just makes them louder. (I should mention that Acting is less about making rash decisions and more about honoring whatever needs you know to be true.) Through taking these actions, we become changed in some way big or small, and the cycle begins again. Taking the time to pause is self care. Listening is Self Awareness. Supportive actions are self care. And through it all, we are continually becoming.
Speaking of self-awareness, how do you define self-awareness? How do you help your audience define it for themselves?
I’ve always loved Carl Jung’s quote: “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” To me, self-awareness is all about understanding how your actions resonate with the larger mission you're creating.
Before launching Of It All, my background was in brand strategy. And while a mindfulness company may feel like a departure from branding, in my experience, branding is the perfect process for exploring one's authentic identity and inner landscape.
At some point along the way I realized that inner awareness and outer awareness are actually two sides of the same coin: how well we understand ourselves directly relates to how we express that and how well others can receive what we’re trying to share.
I actually am currently in the process of launching my newest offering– a mindful branding course! – as I believe its power so fully.
What role does intuition play in the self-care practices you promote?
I always say I have a very decided plan A and Plan B is whatever else comes up that sounds or works better. In this way, I am definitely a planner, scheduler and visioner, but don’t mind letting it all go if it doesn’t align with the energy or mood of the moment. The Undo List is a perfect tool for navigating daily life intuitively as it offers an opportunity to check in and see what’s needed/ desired, rather than going on auto pilot or sticking with a previously made plan.
Can you share how themes like reflection, intention, and integration influence your creative process?
Similar to self care, my creative process also follows that Plan A / Plan B approach. I keep an intentional seasonal strategy plan that I check-in with each morning, but then I follow where my energy intuitively leads me. If I’m feeling especially inspired to do outreach, write newsletters, post on social or work on one of my projects, do that.
But on days when I’m not feeling particularly inspired, having that strategy plan already laid out is so helpful for staying motivated and keeping things moving. Reflection is a huge part of my process too. I use the end of every week, season and year to reflect on how things have been going and how to plan and pivot for what’s next.
What are the tools or practices you recommend for fostering personal growth?
Journaling! I really do believe its the most powerful practice for introspection, reflection, integration and release. I’ve also found holotropic breathwork and mushrooms to be incredible for deep dives, and having a regular support person- mentor, therapist, healer, etc- for week-to-week accountability and support.
Can you describe the process of guiding someone through self-reflection using your tools?
The OIA collection seems to find people right at the moment they’re needed. For example, someone might buy a journal at a market or receive one as a gift and then not pick it up for a month or more– but when they do, it’s exactly the right medicine for the moment. I hear this all the time! Even for myself, I don’t use all of my products every single day- I rotate based on what I’m needing- more structure, more joy, more intuition. Because the tools themselves include guided prompts, by nature they’re meant to serve as physical reminders for what we’re needing in the moment- just choose the one that’s calling to you most and the prompts will guide you <3
Being a momma of three, have you or do you intend on implementing self-awareness practices into your kiddos day to day? If you have, how? If you intend to, what does that vision look like?
For myself, right now this often looks like taking responsibility for my own actions or the energy I’m contributing to the moment. Meditation, journaling, or sitting in silence with a warm drink are some of the ways I take space throughout the day so I can reset.
With my partner, self-awareness means holding space for open communication, shared reflection and taking turns tapping out when one of us needs a break.
And with the kids, at their current ages (4, 6, 9) there’s a lot of narration of what emotions we’re feeling or recognize that they’re feeling in order to normalize both the feeling and expressing of them. Holding a neutral container for any unhappy feelings without trying to fix or change them is my biggest work right now I’d say. It’s not always easy for me to do so but the more we can become comfortable with letting emotions come and go without identifying or holding on to them too tightly, the easier it will be for all of us to move through this life!
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Head over to Rachels site Of It All to explore more of her offerings.
Utilize the Undo-list tool to navigate daily life intuitively.
