From Nearly Crushed to Carving Cathedrals: Rachel’s Story of ReinventionAt 29, Rachel decided to become a stonemason — but that wasn’t where her story began.Before carving stone for Lincoln Cathedral, she was literally hit by a truck. The accident left her learning to walk again, questioning everything, and ultimately rebuilding her life from the ground up (quite literally).In this episode, Rachel joins Michelle for round two — a raw and funny catch-up on recovery, resilience, and rediscovering purpose. They talk about learning patience through craft, why boredom might actually be a skill, and what it’s like to leave your mark (literally) on a piece of history.They also dig into:Why you should never underestimate time spent “funemployed.”How trauma can reset your direction — without defining you.What stonemasonry teaches you about discipline, creativity, and slowing the hell down.Rachel’s love for vintage fashion, her 1940s Jeep “Dottie,” and why history still has her heart.The myth of failure when you start again later in life.It’s honest, unexpected, and proof that sometimes the slow path is the one that lasts the longest.00:00 – Intro & “How have you dared and won?” 01:18 – The accident: hit by a truck, rehab, learning to walk again 06:17 – Apprenticeship decision & career at Lincoln Cathedral 07:58 – Why boredom is a core skill in stonemasonry (training process) 14:49 – Mason’s marks explained + Rachel’s “witch’s hat” mark 23:53 – Rachel’s 1944 Willys Jeep “Dottie” 29:53 – Returning to university & Master’s in Historic Buildings 40:05 – Media features: Woman’s Hour, Look North & surprise BBC Breakfast segment🎧 Listen now to hear how Rachel turned being broken into building something timeless. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.