The Fearless Happyness Podcast Episode 86 with Rachael Gray

A New Leash on Life with Rachael Gray   An avid animal lover with a passion for helping people, Rachael works tirelessly to make a difference in others and not give up on anyone, as others have done for her.  From an early age, Rachael started abusing drugs and alcohol. First casually, and then eventually more severe. At the age of 20, she found herself addicted to painkillers, and from there, her addiction grew through the years.    In October 2012, Rachael was handed a wake-up call. Addicted to drugs and suffering from severe depression, Rachael tried to take her own life by intentionally overdosing on drugs. After waking from a coma, Rachael was given an ultimatum. She either gets clean or becomes homeless. The choice was up to her.  Knowing deep inside that this wasn't what she wanted for her life, Rachael finally sought treatment to get clean. With the help of her beloved dog, Sasha, who kept her going, Rachael got clean and started to rebuild her life one day at a time.  However, as life goes sometimes, Rachael would find herself put to the ultimate test when she lost her boyfriend and one of her close friends, both to a drug overdose, along with three dogs back-to-back. Knowing that there was no future for her in the past, Rachael fought to stay clean through her heartbreak with everything she had in her and kept moving forward.   Now clean and sober for over ten years, Rachael spends her days helping others find their way to sober living. Her mission is to make a difference by sharing her own experiences with addiction in hopes of helping others get clean and turn away from a life of addiction so that they don't waste years of their life like she did. In addition, she wants to help others understand that they are here for a purpose and that their life is worth living clean and sober.  Knowing firsthand that a dog's companionship can contribute to the well-being of humans, Rachael is also the co-owner of All Tails Wag, a brand of high-quality, handcrafted products for America's furry friends and their families, a company that she started with her mom, who is also one of her best friends.  "It is important to help inspire positivity and strength the bond between humans and pups, and that is what we are doing with All Tails Wag," says Rachael.   Rachel credits her mom and her dogs for saving her life. "If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here today."