This week’s Rise + Rebel reMINDer is about the rooms, rituals, and communities that help us come back to ourselves.

And I’m so excited to share that a new episode of Rise + Rebel Podcast is out. The Burn as a mirror with Woody Harris.

This week, I sit down with Woody Harris to talk about Welcome Home Burn, burn culture, integration, music, ritual, community, shadow work, and what it means to bring the lessons of the burn back into the default world.

Woody is a therapist, clinical supervisor, podcaster, music lover, Deadhead, gamer, and now, a burner.

Together, we reflect on what makes a burn more than a party.

We talk about the medicine of temporary community, what it means to participate instead of just consume, the power of fire as ritual, the beauty of slowing down, and the way the burn can mirror back our boundaries, joy, grief, play, authenticity, and becoming.

One of the lines that stayed with me from this conversation was this idea:

Maybe the burn is not something we leave behind.

Maybe the real work begins when we come home and ask:

How do I bring more freedom, truth, play, community, and courage into the life I am already living?

This episode is for anyone who has ever been changed by a temporary space, a powerful community, a ritual, a dance floor, a fire, or a moment that reminded them who they really are.

Alongside this episode, I’m also stepping into three different rooms this week. Each one feels connected to the heart of Rise + Rebel.

Voice.
Visibility.
Expression.
Power.
Becoming.

On Tuesday, August 4 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, I’ll be attending and helping facilitate:

The Speaking Room
A Practice Lab for Podcasters, Storytellers & Creative Voices

The Speaking Room is a supportive, low-pressure practice space for creatives, storytellers, podcasters, entrepreneurs, aspiring hosts, podcast guests, and anyone who wants to become more confident expressing themselves out loud.

This is not a traditional networking event, a public-speaking class, or a room where you are expected to perform perfectly.

It is a place to practice being seen, heard, and fully expressed.

Each gathering gives participants the opportunity to explore their voice, test ideas, practice interviews, tell stories, respond to prompts, strengthen their presence, and receive thoughtful, encouraging feedback.

What I love about this room is that it understands something deeply important:

Confident communication is not only about finding the right words.

It is also about feeling safe taking up space, trusting your ideas, and allowing yourself to be witnessed without shrinking or overperforming.

Whether you are preparing for your first podcast episode, becoming a stronger guest, developing your personal message, building visibility for your work, or simply learning to speak with greater confidence, this is a casual and informative space to practice in community.

Come with a story, an idea, a question, something you are working through, or simply your curiosity.

You will leave with greater clarity, stronger presence, deeper connection, and more confidence in the power of your voice.

Speak freely. Grow boldly.

When: Tuesday, August 4, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: North Charleston, SC

This Friday, Rise + Rebel Shop will be making an appearance at First Friday at Look Up at Charleston.

I’m excited to bring the pieces into the real world again.

Rise + Rebel Shop is for women becoming who they were always meant to be. Every time I bring the clothing out, I get to witness the brand come alive through real conversations, real women, and real moments of recognition.

If you’re local, come say hi, shop, bring a friend, and enjoy the evening.

When: Friday, August 7, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Look Up Charleston at 128 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC

And then on 8/8, I’ll be hosting:

The Art of Energy
at The Haven Center for Healing heARTs

This workshop is for women who are ready to reconnect with their power, their body, their voice, and the energy they are carrying into the world.

I’ll be leading women through an experience designed to help them step into their power in a grounded, embodied, and intentional way.

This one feels special.

Because becoming who we were always meant to be is not only something we think through.

It is something we feel.
It is something we move through.
It is something we choose with our body, our voice, and our energy.

You do not have to wait until you feel fully ready to enter the room.

Sometimes the room is where the readiness is built.

Sometimes the fire shows you what you are ready to release.

Sometimes the conversation reminds you what you already know.

Sometimes the practice is what helps your voice get stronger.

So this week, I’m honoring the rooms that are asking me to show up.

The podcast room.
The speaking room.
The shop room.
The energy room.

And maybe that is the invitation for all of us:

Go where your voice gets stronger.
Go where your body feels more honest.
Go where your energy expands.
Go where you remember who you are.

With love,
Aya

Founder of Rise + Rebel
Host of Rise + Rebel Podcast
Commercial Real Estate Advisor

P.S. If Woody’s episode or one of these events made you think of someone, please forward this letter to them. Sometimes the right room finds us through someone brave enough to share the invitation.