Name:  Rebekah Alvord

Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Louisville KY, though I was raised predominantly in and around Charlotte NC. My college and young adult years were spent in Raleigh, NC, and the surrounding outskirts.

What’s a short story around the biggest transition you’ve faced in life?
I’ve learned to become adaptable and comfortable with the uncomfortable. In 2017 I decided to bet on myself and left a toxic work environment, relationship, and living situation. As a 20+ year equestrian, I decided to take a leap of faith and pursued a buckle list item which did not lead me down a lucrative career path, but instead opened the doors to vast opportunities for self-growth, development, and discovery. I finally took time to assess what I wanted, what I needed, and what steps I’d have to take to achieve those goals. I soften my eyesight to broaden my vantage point. I rubbed elbows with elite riders, competed against some of our nation’s top competitors (okay, they were on their younger horses, but still…), and was slammed to the ground numerous times only to get back up and try again. Ultimately, while the external transformation was not visible to all, the internal transition and transformation that took place during that time helped me to reframe my mindset, stand back up after facing adversity, say ‘yes’ to purposefully living a consciously present lifestyle, and say ‘no’ to that which no longer positively served me. Through exhaustion I found my strength, through openness to opportunities I found my path forward, and through honoring my ‘no’ to get to my ‘yes’, I found my voice.

There was also that time in 2020 when I stepped away from a 20+ year passion, got married on the OBX during hurricane season, left a career, pursued graduate school, moved across the country to a place unknown, and bought a house without having stepped inside it before…. however, we’ll save that for another day.

What’s the one piece of advice you’d give a younger you?
I would love to encourage my younger self to embrace the sensitivities and honor the fiercely empathetic nature I did not yet understand. So often we allow the random projections of others to impact and dampen our inner voice and our perspective on the world around us. I would encourage myself to lean into those instinctual feelings because they provide safety… to hear one’s inner voice and words because they have meaning and power… and to openly appreciate intrinsically individual sensitives because doing so shows others that it is okay to feel every emotion we’re gifted with.

Your Personal Why?
My spark and drive stem from building deep and meaningful relationships, authentic connections, and learning as much as possible from others so that I can accurately advise those who seek guidance from me. I engage with the purpose of elevating others, especially those who are quiet, so that they too feel seen, heard, and appreciated. I know from firsthand experience what it’s like to not have an advocate in my corner and to make difficult decisions unsupported. If I can assist someone in a capacity that shows them they’re not alone, I’m in.

Ultimately, I strive to construct bridges so that others can continue their journey forward.

How does your Why drive you to be a part of the THF Ecosystem?
I feel privileged to be a part of the THF Ecosystem as we help our SOF community transition forward, change direct, reroute, or completely re-strategize as each individual begins their journey of “what next”. Whether that be to take time for self-development and healing, striving for that degree they’ve been dreaming up, or on a mission to land that new job that gets them excited to jump out of bed the next day…. I’m here for it all. I’m ready and willing to be their wing-woman at networking events, form introductions to individuals or opportunities they’re curious about, or simply be the quiet listener that’s needed when outwardly thinking through a potentially new adventure. I’ve got my toolbox stocked and ready. Let’s build some bridges!

Military Connection or Why do you respect Special Operators?
I grew up hearing stories from uncles who served in years past, a grandfather who worked at the shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, friends who joined various branches, and a sibling who enlisted shortly after 9/11. My husband has been in the Army for 18+ years and is part of the Special Operations community. I’ve seen the strength, adaptability, resiliency, and compassion that he and his team exude, and each day I am incredibly proud of him and the path he traverses. He is now working to help coach and mentor those that follow in his footsteps, while actively reflecting inward to ensure his outward actions are in line with his morals and values. He amazes me every day. The SOF community amazes me every day, especially as I learn a little more about each individual I cross paths with.

Favorite THF Value, and why?
Fierce Empathy with Create Experiences following in a close 2nd stand out as my favorites. All of the values at THF are ones that I closely align with and I am proud to be a team member because of that alignment. That said, I am an individual that desires to hear your story, understand what you went through to gain perspective, and stand in your shoes so that I may see the world through your lens. Others, especially those going through a transition should know they are not alone, they matter and they are important to us just as they are. Those relationships and connections are what I value and I facilitate the growth of connectedness through Creating Experiences that are lasting and memorable, especially on the individual level. As a previous facilitator of Emotional Intelligence development through the use of Experiential Learning; I am all about these two values.

Area/Industry of expertise:
Developing others through coaching, mentorship, and relationship building centered around a viewpoint other than the transactional lens allows me to amplify the strategic initiatives and goals while staying in touch with that which means the most to me…. people. People matter and I am excited to share that experience with organizations because by valuing their people, organizations can retain exceptional talent, exceed benchmarks, and surpass their stretch goals all while increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and margins.

 

Contact Rebekah directly at rebekah@honor.org.