Meet Trailblazer Rachel Sartin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Sartin.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
While I am not an Arizona native, Arizona has been home for as long as I can remember. From the time I was young, I can remember wanting to do something that focused on being better in every capacity, while helping others achieve a greater understanding of human vibrations and how our perceptions of life impact our journeys. Eight years ago, I found myself across the country, pre-med, studying to become a psychiatrist at Duke when everything about my life changed. I was becoming a single mother at 18, away from my family, not knowing what direction to go in or what decisions to make. I quickly left my undergrad program in North Carolina and came back home to Arizona to be with family. I would say that this is where my journey truly began. I was young, my life was changing quickly, and I always had this urge to go and be everywhere. I was struggling with self-esteem issues, self-doubt, and confidence after leaving my dream school and career to come back home. What I did know is that I never wanted to see my daughter struggle with the pain of self-doubt and I wanted her to love herself so deeply that she truly believed in herself and all of her dreams.

I quickly got back into an undergrad program and received my Bachelor’s in Psychology. That was my time to really hone in on what my focus was going to be as I prepared to enter graduate school. I found myself drawn back to my own struggles with self-reflection, self-love, human relationships, and intimacy. I pushed ahead and obtained my Master’s in Psychotherapy with a concentration in forensics and human behavior. I spent a year working as an Intern Therapist with a small child trauma agency here in the valley, which further solidified my passion for human relations and self-actualization. It was then that I knew I wanted to help others, especially woman, get to know themselves on an intimate level in such a way that they will be able to connect with others and fulfill their deepest calling alongside the people they care for most.

Along this journey, there is one thing in particular that I found myself learning the hard way. That was, in order to help others in such intimate areas of their lives, I too had to know myself and be comfortable with myself on every level- in order to truly be able to help them. This was tough for me! I truly had to focus inward and really drive myself to a level of comfort that I once thought was unattainable. As I continue on my journey, I still learn something new about myself every single day. I now understand how one person’s journey and perception of the world around us, can impact the world through a chain of events that brings us all together in spite of our great differences.

Has it been a smooth road?
I am not sure that there is a smooth road out there for anyone, especially young women. When we are young, we go through a tough period where we really have to find ourselves and what we truly want. For a few years, I really struggled to regain my footing and find myself again. I tested my family, friendships, and relationships until I realized I needed to test myself and focus inward in order to get where I truly wanted to be- helping others in every capacity I could. It was a LONG few years of self-reflection, failures, and refocusing, In the early stages of becoming a young woman, we all struggle with our image, how we want others to see us and how we see ourselves. This is an incredibly tough burden for anyone to bear, causing a very bumpy road to self-actualization- full of ups and downs, that we all just have to work through. I know I made many mistakes and had to start over more times than I could even count. I remember one night in particular when I broke down to my father. I felt like I was failing myself and my daughter because I wasn’t getting where I wanted to be when I wanted it. Before he left, he wrote a quote on a piece of paper and left it on my nightstand for me to find the next day. The quote said, “success is never final, and failure is never fatal. It is the courage that counts.” I remember seeing this and it was if a lightbulb went off in my head; nothing is permanent- you can always try again. If I could give young women any piece of advice, it would be not to judge yourself so harshly. We all have this idea of what we want to achieve, where we want to go in life and even what we are going to look like. I want all young women to remember that is just an idea, influenced by the media, our relationships, society and every other little thing that can possibly impact us emotionally. If someone told me ten years ago that at 26, I would be where I am now, I would have laughed. We are all our own toughest critics. I want all young women to know that it is okay to change your mind, start, change your mind again, change your direction, change your look and change your mind all over again, and still be confident in your journey. Holding yourself accountable and owning who you are is a beautiful thing, but you don’t have to judge yourself so harshly when things don’t work out. Life is going to go on each and every day. Who you are today and who you will be in two or five years from now, are going to be drastically different. Treat yourself with compassion and remind yourself that it is okay to fail, failure is what teaches us how to win.

We’d love to hear more about Heart and Hustle.
When I finally finished grad school and a tough year of working with children in some of the harshest and most difficult situations, I found myself once again questioning where I was headed. I have always known that I wanted to help others achieve becoming the greatest possible version of themselves however I could, so I am now focused on being a Life and Intimacy coach for both individuals and couples who struggle with intimacy and doubt. Life coaching is something that can be done from many different angles. I have worked with both men and women on making difficult life decisions, finding their calling or their passion and even couples who struggle with obtaining true intimacy. My passion and the specialty that I am focused on now is the journey to self-actualization and human connection. I want to help others develop a greater understanding of all the beautiful things life truly has to offer when we discard negative perceptions, self-sabotaging behaviors and harsh judgments of ourselves and others. My goal in what I do is to help anyone that I can truly find themselves, what they want out of life, how to get there, and how to connect with others on a deeply genuine and intimate level along the way. I am most proud of Heart & Hustle, my blog, and brand that promotes self-love and growth, in spite of all the harsh expectations set forth by society today. Heart & Hustle is much deeper than just a blog. I discuss many difficult topics and things that are not traditionally up for open discussion among people. If I can help just one person find their true passion and drive, I will feel completely fulfilled and feel as though I am a strong example for my two little girls.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I truly feel that a woman can make an opportunity for herself in any capacity that she would like, with hard work and dedication. There is always going to be a person, a group of people or the media telling us that we shouldn’t do anything. Part of my goal is to aid women in feeling so empowered that they feel unstoppable. When a woman feels empowered and supported, there is no stopping her. There are so many resources out there and so many incredible people who will guide, drive and support the woman who knows what she wants and goes for it! There is no limit to what anyone can do when you are confident, courageous and fearless in the pursuit of what you want!

Contact Info:

• Website: RachelRizzo.com
• Phone: 480-828-0691
• Email: RachelLSartin@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelsartinfit/

Image Credit:
Darah Jones – Darah Jones Photography @darahdoesphotos_, Chris Nielsen @chrisnielsen1989

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