Meet Chelsea Henderson | Sustainability Consultant and Life Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chelsea Henderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chelsea, what do you attribute your success to?
The success of my work can be attributed to a multitude of factors, each playing a vital role in my mission to empower individuals to create fulfilling and sustainable lives. However, among these factors, I believe the most crucial is the unwavering commitment I have to a holistic and human-centered approach. This approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of life – physical, mental, emotional, social, and environmental. Personally, I recognize that true well-being and sustainability require addressing these dimensions in an integrated manner, fostering harmony and balance within individuals and their surroundings.

This approach manifests in several ways –

Individualized Design: I believe that each person’s journey is unique and, therefore, their life design should be tailored to their specific needs, values, and aspirations. I work closely with my clients to understand their unique circumstances and develop personalized strategies for achieving their goals; solely for themselves and their values, not for what society tells them they and their values should be.

Empowerment and Collaboration: I view my clients as active participants in their own life design, fostering a collaborative environment where they feel empowered to make informed choices and take ownership of their design and bring it to life.

Sustainability Focus: I integrate sustainability principles into all aspects of my work, recognizing the interconnectedness between individual well-being and the health of the planet. I always encourage individuals to adopt sustainable practices and contribute to creating a more just and equitable world as a part of their journey to a better life and self.

By prioritizing a holistic and human-centered approach, I strive to create a transformative experience for individuals, empowering them to design lives that are not only fulfilling but also contribute to a more sustainable future. This commitment to human well-being and environmental responsibility forms the bedrock of my personal and professional success, guiding my work and inspiring individuals to live their best lives.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Whole Life Design Studio, my company, is all about utilizing the steps and process of great design and applying those steps to one’s life with a strong focus on creating sustainability at every step. My work is a combination of designing, teaching, and coaching. I work with those who want to feel connected to something greater than themselves and be intentional about what they take and give back over the course of their lifetime. For me, this work feels important even if it is as simple as edifying someone around their consumer choices or helping them develop a sense of peace within themselves and their lives. That small change often has a rippling effect that impacts those around them and becomes larger and greater. If I can help one woman develop her version of holistic sustainability within her own life she can then love and lead from her own overflowing energetic cup. She could then teach her children to make better choices and be great stewards of themselves and their communities, and the ripple effect has made that small work greater and greater in scale over time.
Creating my business was in no way easy and has been a bumpy and winding road. But I have always been one to see potential in everything, and I want the work I do everyday to be contributing to the potential we have as a species and a world. As overwhelming as it may seem to try and tackle the world’s problems, I come back time and again to the quote from Rumi, “We are not a drop in the ocean. We are the ocean in a drop”. This idea settles on me whenever I think of the magnitude of our world and the potential impact a single person or even a single community can have. I believe -and truly live by- the thought process that every single thing we do matters. To choose to live with consciousness around our individual and collective consumption and waste, as well as to be centered within and truly love ourselves, our lives, our families and friends, all matters. To live from that place of compassion and softness, makes a difference and MATTERS.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I absolutely LOVE living in Denver! I am an outside in nature girl who also appreciates a great urban landscape, so I am going to be focused on where we could be most immersed in Colorado’s gorgeous natural landscape and being outside in the city. If I am taking one of my best friends around the city we are going to walk the along the Platte River to Confluence Park and then walk to have some delicious fried rice at Onefold. We will definitely head to Lair ‘o the Bear for a slow walk along the hillside and dip our toes in the water. The High Line Canal Trail is certainly more than can be done in a week, but there are certain sections that I would make a priority to walk with them. Watercourse is one of our favorite restaurants that we always take our friends to, so we’d definitely stop there for a delicious plant-based feast. Definitely some time on South Broadway for some shopping! And then coming back to the northeast side of town (my neighborhood) to shop at Antiques Etc (which has been my absolutely favorite place to shop since I moved here over a decade ago) and then a delicious dinner across the street at Phoenician Kabob. Oh, and of course, we would have to do happy hour at Uchi! That is just some of my regular favorites — there is SO much to do here!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There is a very long line of incredibly strong, bright, beautiful people who stand alongside me in my life and work. To keep it simple and in context, I will call out Women in Design Denver for welcoming me into the organization and keeping me busy as co-chair of the Networking Committee for over eight years now. The women who make up WiD are kind, generous, brilliant and extremely talented. Come check out one of our many great events!
Caring lovingly for my body has been a huge part of maintaining myself and developing my business, and TWST has been my haven for aerial yoga for a few years now. I am so grateful for the space, teachers, and practice I find refuge in there.
Another important space/community that has been very important in my journey recently is Welcome Goddess, in Golden. This business has given me a space and community in which to very deeply and fully do my own personal and spiritual development work. Welcome Goddess is perfect for women in search of a grounding, safe, loving space to go and connect with themselves and others who are on a similar path and want to cultivate sacred feminine energy to help bring balance back to the world.
All of these groups/places are fundamental to my life and work, and I am so grateful to have them as part of my everyday life and community.

Website: https://www.wholelifedesignstudio.com