Showing up for myself in Santa Fe

It’s been a minute. I felt like I wanted to reintroduce myself.

Hi, I’m Denise. I’m a clutter-cancelling creative catalyst. I firmly believe that everything can be done with ease and grace. That’s my mantra as a project manager, event manager, productivity coach, facilitator, and retreat space owner.

I guide teams using my unique combination of tact and tenacity helping them figure out what they need to do and how they want to do it. I design experiences that build trust, collaboration, and meaningful relationships. I help people make sense of all the things swirling around in their heads so they can focus their gifts and talents on the work that matters. I also own and run a small meeting and retreat space in Corbett, Oregon, just 20 miles east of downtown Portland, called the Peach Cheesecake Ranch.

This introduction feels important–as a way to show up and to celebrate my personal gifts and talents. These gifts and talents have been hard-fought and hard-earned throughout my decades-long career. A career that has been extremely varied, colorful, fun, challenging, and fulfilling.

Recently, I was reminded of my journey during a week-long retreat at the Modern Elder Academy (MEA) in Santa Fe. (Side note: I personally cringe a little at the word elder, but that’s a story for another time.) MEA is a mid-life wisdom school founded by three amazing entrepreneurs who were entering mid-life and wanted to do it with ease, grace, and a lot of fun and adventure (these are my words). You can see their words to describe it here.

My experience at MEA in Santa Fe with the amazing team led by co-founder, Jeff Hamaoui, co-facilitator Amie Tullis, and Ranch Manager and Spiritual Guide/Wrangler Yogi Lee was profound. To be in a group of 13 other folks some younger, some older, all there to hone their ability to own their wisdom was true magic. “How we show up in the world and how we are received in our community is the most profound reflection of our life’s wisdom.” This is a quote from the workbook from the retreat which I didn’t even open while in Santa Fe. But that sentence was what we did for five days. We showed up and we received.

Getting the opportunity to show up and receive in this group was a true privilege. It solidified why I do what I do. I am called to be a guide, to continue to use my gifts and talents in the unique ways I’ve curated over the years.

I get to embed myself with a team to get them organized to create amazing work for clients.
I get to facilitate groups to find strategic paths to move their goals forward.
I get to host folks in my space at The Ranch and create experiences where they can leave the distractions of the city behind and truly focus on work that is important to their organizations.

All these things are possible because of all the things that have come before. Because of all the times I was brave and showed up and received.