Rachel Wilkins

09/20/2026

There is something deeply moving about realizing someone was thinking about you when you weren’t in the room.

This week, I wrote about a family secretly taking their kids to see Bruno Mars, the time I flew 3,300 miles home to surprise my Mum, and a birthday gift I made for Jen after her football career ended.

I also looked into the science behind why positive surprise affects us so deeply.

The result is this week’s piece: The Joy of Being Thought Of.

A reflection on surprise, memory, love, and the very human instinct to make life a little better for someone we care about.

https://100daysofyay.substack.com/p/the-joy-of-being-thought-of?r=5oqmfp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

09/20/2026

THE WORLD CHANGES. SO DO WE

Think about who you were ten years ago.

What you believed. What frightened you. What you tolerated. What you wanted. What you thought your life would look like.

You’ve changed.

Human beings are extraordinarily capable of adapting, learning and beginning again.

Sometimes we just need reminding that the person we are today isn’t the only person we’re capable of becoming.

09/18/2026

A few weeks ago, I started writing one small note of recognition or gratitude each day.

I thought it was an experiment in kindness.

Instead, I started noticing how quickly I judge, how often I rush past people, and how much good is happening around me when I actually slow down long enough to see it.

Maybe kindness is more than something nice we do. Maybe it’s a form of agency.

Maybe the way we choose to show up really can change the emotional temperature around us.

09/16/2026

A year ago, I found myself sitting across the table from Swami Revatikaanta after saying yes to a dinner I almost didn’t attend.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Swami. We talked about what ancient wisdom can teach us in a world changing this fast, how to detach without loving less, identity, suffering, spirituality, AI, loneliness, and the moments in life that are difficult to explain but impossible to forget.

The full episode is now live on YouTube.

If you enjoy conversations about change, recovery, spirituality, optimism and what it means to be human, please consider subscribing to the channel. I have some really interesting guests and conversations coming up, and this is just the beginning.

The world is changing faster than most of us can process. So how do...

09/16/2026

The Moment I Finally Knew I Had to Change

The universe nudged me gently. Then not so gently. Getting sober meant finally listening. Thirteen years later, I’m still choosing change one day at a time.

09/13/2026

I spent six days in the hospital this week after arriving at the ER with a 103°F fever and a raging infection that triggered sepsis protocol.

I met incredibly kind, caring healthcare workers during those six days. I also saw what happens when the system around them makes it harder for them to care well.

I wrote about the experience, patient safety, and what I’m calling “compassionate infrastructure” in today’s 100 Days of Yay.

What six days in the hospital taught me about kindness, patient safety and the systems that make good care possible.

09/05/2026

Asking for help saved my life.

Had I not picked up the phone that day I’m not sure I’d still be here.

Don’t go it alone. Don’t suffer in silence.

09/04/2026

A brand new show is coming next week. 🎙️

I’m so excited to introduce One Yay at a Time, and I couldn’t have asked for a better first guest. is a senior monk and Head Teacher with , and has spent nearly two decades studying and teaching under . We talked about spiritual experiences, attachment, human connection, and how we navigate those moments when life feels uncertain and we don’t quite know what comes next. It was a beautiful conversation and the perfect way to begin this new chapter. Looking forward to sharing much more very soon.

09/04/2026

I’m selective about who gets to hurt my feelings 🙅‍♀️

If you put yourself out there, people are going to have opinions. Some will be helpful. Some will sting because there’s truth in them. And some will just be downright mean.

I used to let all of it in.

Now I check the source.

09/03/2026

I met Gloria during Covid. She was everything you’d hope she’d be: warm, brilliant, powerful, humble, and incredibly generous with her time.

Rest in power, Gloria Steinem 💔