There’s a lot of things in life that haven’t been on my bingo card. Living in North Carolina. Making videos for the internet as a job. Competing on The Amazing Race. Those are all pretty great life surprises, but there have been some hard ones too. Having postpartum depression. Managing anxiety. Living through a global pandemic. (Some of those harder ones apply to you reading too.)
But when life turns out differently, it’s all about how you perceive it.
For our friend, Raquel Moore, life has turned out very differently than she expected. We first met while competing on The Amazing Race. Now she works as an accountability and life coach. She never thought she’d meet the love of her life. She never thought she’d live in the suburbs of Cleveland. She never thought she’d be a mother to a wonderful little boy, Nico, who has a rare genetic disorder.
What Is FOXG1 Syndrome?
“Two people can do the exact same thing and have completely different mental outcomes,” says Raquel on this week’s podcast. “The thing about life is everything is free will and it’s the perspective in which you choose to see it.” She has chosen to see her role as Nico’s mother as a journey and a way to learn and grow. Nico has FOXG1 Syndrome. Kids with FOXG1 have delayed development, intellectual disability, and trouble walking and sitting. Nico may never walk or talk, but that doesn’t stop Raquel and her husband, Tony, from being positive. Despite his disability, Nico can light up a room. (And I swear I am not biased, because I am his godmother.)
We asked Raquel to come on the show to talk more about a recent post she made on Instagram. In the post, she gave advice to parents with special needs children. (Advice that I think can apply to all parents and life in general.) She also talks about what to do about those who don’t ask for help.
Chipping Away At The Cement Block
“We’ve built a cement block [around ourselves] because we are so used to not getting help,” she explains about fellow parents with special needs kids. “Chipping away at that cement block is telling somebody, ‘Hey I’m not in your shoes, and I can’t imagine what you go through, but how can I help you. How can I support you?’” The more we offer and sympathize, the more we can chip away that hardened exterior.
Penn, Raquel, and I talk more about her outlook on this journey as well as our time together on The Amazing Race. (We are so lucky to have a friend like Raquel in our lives.) FOXG1 is still being researched and studied to find a cure. If you feel compelled to donate, you can do so with the FOXG1 Research Foundation. We encourage you to reach out to parents with special needs children and see how you can help.
You can learn about her coaching by following her on Instagram @RaquelMoore_ or her website TheRaquelMoore.com.Thanks for listening!
