Let Your Love Be Larger Than Your Circumstances: Rebecca Galli's Journey

What does resilience look like after losing your brother, your son, your marriage, your ability to walk, and raising a child with autism? Rebecca Galli knows this terrain intimately. As a bestselling author of over 400 columns, her books "Rethinking Possible" and "Morning Fuel" offer hard-earned wisdom from a life that repeatedly challenged the limits of human endurance. Rebecca also founded Pathfinders for Autism, an organization to help children and families with autism.

Rebecca opens up about being paralyzed by transverse myelitis (a rare condition affecting one in a million) just nine days after her divorce was finalized, while raising four children—two with special needs. Through these unimaginable circumstances, she discovered that how we start our day sets the tone for everything that follows.

Her father, a pastor, instilled powerful mantras that became lifelines: "What is planned is possible" and "You will always walk with a limp, but you will walk." These words took on profound new meanings as Rebecca had to repeatedly rethink what was possible when life kept changing the rules.

The conversation explores her innovative approach to uncertainty through "parallel paths"—simultaneously preparing for multiple possible outcomes rather than becoming paralyzed by the unknown. She shares how this strategy helped her face questions like "Will I walk again?" and "How will I raise my children?" with clarity and purpose.

Perhaps most moving is Rebecca's philosophy about relationships: "Let your love be larger than any circumstance." This approach helped her maintain connections even through grief, different coping styles, and physical limitations. She also reveals how founding Pathfinders for Autism following her daughter's diagnosis transformed personal challenge into purpose, now serving 20,000 people annually.

Whether you're facing your own impossible situation or simply seeking perspective, Rebecca's journey shows that resilience isn't about avoiding pain—it's about pivoting from "why is this happening?" to "how will I handle this?" and finding unexpected joy along the way.

Take a moment today to subscribe, share with someone facing their own challenges, and join us for part two of this extraordinary conversation next week.

Support the show

@Real Talk with Tina and Ann