From Private Pain to Public Purpose: Annie F Downs on Grief, Joy, and Authentic Living | Part 2

Real Talk with Rachel Awtrey

Rachel Awtrey

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Relationships

5 • 647 Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If you haven’t listened to Part One yet, go ahead and start there—we lay the groundwork for what unfolds in this powerful second half of the conversation. In Part Two, Rachel and Annie pick up right where they left off: talking about the tension of living in a world where grief and joy often walk side by side. They open up about what it means to live with emotional integrity while being a public figure, how to let people in without overexposing your soul, and why boundaries are actually an act of love. Annie talks more about how writing Where Did TJ Go? helped her grieve and process as an aunt and sister, and Rachel shares the surprising ways joy keeps showing up, even in the middle of loss. There’s grace, there’s giggling, and there’s some lipstick wisdom you won’t want to miss. This one will leave you feeling seen, hopeful, and reminded that you’re not alone in your mess or your joy. CONNECT FURTHER WITH RACHEL: https://rachelawtrey.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.instagram.com/realtalkpodcast https://www.instagram.com/rachel.awtrey/ CONTACT: [email protected] This video/podcast may contain affiliate links, sponsorships, or products I’ve received for free. I only share things I truly love and think will bring you value. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! ADVERTISE ON THE SHOW: To inquire about host-read ads or to become the show’s next Presenting Sponsor, please send an email to [email protected] or those at That Sounds Fun Network. EPISODE CREDITS: Podcast Cover Photography: Jay Barr Photography Production by Phillip and Cait Howard by Amplify Boutique Intro Music: "Luxurious" by Sunny Tones DISCLAIMERS: The views and opinions expressed in each episode are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast host and team or the owner of this Intellectual Property. This podcast is not an authority of legal advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek professional counsel with regard to their brand, business, and otherwise. We all hope you enjoy and find value in each episode. Many of the product and service promotions in each episode are under the negotiated terms of affiliate or sponsorship agreements. If a link is clicked and a purchase is made, an affiliate commission may be received. However, we recommend products or services that we personally endorse and believe may be beneficial to others. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:29.9	Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Real Talk with Rachel Autry, where I help you
0:34.8	delight in life and find joy right where you are.
0:41.6	And today's conversation, I just want to let you know is a part two to a previous conversation.
0:42.3	So if you have yet to go and listen to last week's episode with Annie F. Downs, highly
0:46.3	recommend that you go do that.
0:47.7	That is the part one that I just think it would help you so much with context, with wisdom,
0:53.4	with clarity to listen to that
0:54.9	before you jump in today's conversation. So today, it's a part two. It's going to be so fun.
1:00.2	Last week, we laid the groundwork on what unfolds in today's powerful second half of the conversation.
1:05.1	But today I'm joining Annie. We're picking it right back up where we left off talking about the
1:09.2	tension of living in a world where grief and joy often walk side by side.
1:14.2	We're going to open up about what it means to live with emotional integrity while being a public figure, how to let people in without over exposing your soul and why boundaries are actually an act of love.
1:25.5	Annie talks so much about how writing, where did TJ go, her new
1:29.3	kids book that she co-wrote with her sister. Y'all, it's so powerful. She talks about how it helped
1:33.9	her grieve and process as an aunt and a sister. And then I open up in some surprising ways of how
1:39.8	joy keeps showing up even in the middle of loss and chaos. So there's grace. There's a lot of giggling.
1:45.2	There's some lipstick wisdom you don't want to miss. This one will leave you feeling seen,
1:49.7	hopeful and reminded that you are not alone in your mess or in your joy. So without further ado,
1:56.1	here is part two to my conversation with Annie F. Downs.
2:17.5	They sit down, oh, my gosh, Annie. And I was like, oh, my gosh. No way. And we start flying. Dave sits in the middle. And we start flying to Florida. And I'm just playing fine. And they're like, what do you do? I'm like, just go on the beach. I didn't know where I was going. Like, I didn't have a place to stay.
	...

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