Holding Space Without Disappearing Yourself (with Rachael Lewis)

Many of us are carrying responsibility, expectations, and care for others, often with very little room to be fully human ourselves. This conversation lives right there, not in performance or polish, but in the real work of showing up honestly, being seen, and creating safe space for others without abandoning yourself.

In this episode of The Tessa Tubbs Podcast, Tessa sits down with Rachael Lewis, owner of Honey and Sage Salon and former educator, to talk about reinvention, vulnerability, and what it costs (and gives) to choose alignment over expectation. Rachael shares her courageous shift from teaching during the COVID era to hair school, the sacrifices that came with it, and the freedom she found on the other side.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why vulnerability isn’t “one and done,” it’s a lived state of being
• The hidden weight of staying in soul-sucking environments, and what changes when you finally choose presence over protection
• How to navigate judgment, disruption, and the real barriers that make change complex
• Creating safe space and community, including what it means to be a trusted “beacon” for others
• Over-functioning, boundaries, and the self-leadership skill of saying “no” without guilt
• Why you shouldn’t light yourself on fire to keep someone else warm

If you’ve been holding everyone else up while quietly disappearing yourself, this episode will help you rethink what you’re tolerating, reclaim your boundaries, and choose a life that actually holds up.

Connect with Rachael Lewis / Honey and Sage Salon:
Website: honeyandsagessalon.com
Instagram / TikTok / Facebook: @HoneyandSageSalon
Also: @SaltandWavesHair

See Rachel's TedX Talk Here: https://youtu.be/EcrlmMtG-uU?si=noWUvH4aT5y_ok59