An Inspired Chat with Michelle Renee of Everywhere, United States

Michelle Renee shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Michelle, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Since 2015, I’ve been on a deeply personal healing journey that began with the unexpected loss of my best friend, Leisa. That tragedy became the darkest chapter of my life, and also the pivotal moment for change. In the midst of grief, I realized that life was about more than being a workaholic, a people pleaser, or someone with no boundaries. Through pain, I began to rediscover myself, slowly finding hope, healing, and ultimately, self-love.

What I’m being called to do now is to transform that pain into purpose, to turn wounds into wisdom and share my light with others who may need it. After nearly two decades thriving behind the scenes in event execution, I feel a strong pull to step forward as a speaker, sharing my story in ways that can inspire healing and change. I want to mentor younger generations in hospitality, create safe spaces for conversations that matter, and bring my voice into rooms where silence has too often prevailed.

I also feel deeply called to support men in their healing journeys. Through my experiences with my father and other men in my life, I’ve come to see how much they carry quietly. As women, we’ve often had more resources and spaces to process, while men are left holding their pain in silence. I want to help create spaces where they, too, can heal, and where women can unlearn old narratives about who men are “supposed” to be.

The topics I feel called to speak on are raw and real: grief, loss, aging parents, dementia, self-love, work/life balance, corporate toxicity, sexual abuse, and ultimately, reclaiming our worth. These are experiences so many of us endure, yet too often in silence. I want to break that silence, open the door for conversations, and create spaces where healing feels possible.

And still, I hold on to my passion for events, the energy of being on-site, creating experiences, and bringing people together. Speaking and healing work feels like an expansion of that same calling: to create meaningful experiences that impact lives.

Recently, someone said to me, “F— the how!” and it resonated deeply. I don’t know exactly how all of this will unfold, and I know it will. Time and again, my faith in the unknown has brought me outcomes better than I could have ever imagined.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Michelle Renee, a contract event planner and Travel Director with nearly 20 years of experience bringing conferences and meetings to life. My specialty is on-site execution; event spaces where every detail matters and every moment contributes to a meaningful experience for attendees.

But what truly defines me isn’t just the logistics, it’s the heart I bring to the work. In 2015, after the unexpected loss of my best friend, I was forced into the deepest grief of my life. That experience cracked me open and set me on a healing journey where I have discovered the power of self-love, boundaries, and presence. It transformed not only how I live but how I show up for others. Today, I see events not just as gatherings, but as opportunities to create spaces where people feel seen, cared for, connected, and uplifted.

Through my brand, Watch Me Shine Brighter ✨, I’m weaving together two parts of my soul: the precision and excellence of event execution, and the vulnerability of authentic storytelling. It may not be the “traditional” path, but I’ve never been one to live inside the box. My calling is to merge professionalism with purpose, showing that you can deliver flawless event experiences while also speaking from the heart.

Right now, I’m expanding into more speaking opportunities while continuing to support events and fellow planners on-site. It’s about growth, expansion, and learning to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. At the core, my work is about sharing love, because the world needs more of it. And if my journey through grief, healing, and resilience can help even one person feel less alone, then I know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
Both of my parents worked hard, but it was my dad who influenced me the most. He was a workaholic, pouring his entire identity into his career in taxes and accounting. I loved him deeply, but watching his journey has been one of my life’s hardest and most important lessons.

Work was always his priority, above everything else. Because my birthday fell during tax season, celebrating with him was almost impossible. He lived to work, and as a result, he was emotionally unavailable. Yet he was deeply devoted to his clients, knowing their families, their stories, their lives. He truly cared for them as people.

When dementia began to take his mind, he could no longer do what he believed was his life’s purpose: Work. My heart broke for him, because once that was gone, he felt like he had no reason to be here. He eventually gave up, and we lost him on April 15, 2023; a date that felt symbolic, as it was the very day he had dedicated his life to for decades.

My dad’s life, in his unhealed state, showed me the cost of working too much and missing the beauty of living. His example has guided me to create something different for myself: freedom, flexibility, slow mornings, travel, and meaningful connections. He encourages me, even now, to live the life he wishes he had allowed himself to enjoy; to prioritize self-care, love, and balance.

That’s the lesson I carry with me every day: that our legacy isn’t in how hard we worked but in how we loved, cared, and lived fully. I still work hard, I am dedicated, professional, deeply value my connections, and I don’t sacrifice myself anymore. I rest. I reset. And I show up stronger and more present because of it.

I like to say I’m a “recovering workaholic.” There are still seasons where extra hours are necessary, but I’ve learned to replenish myself so I can give my best without losing myself. That is the greatest gift my dad gave me.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Love yourself first, Always. That is the key to life, and something I believe we should be teaching our children and the next generations. Society often conditions us, especially as women, to believe it’s selfish to put ourselves first, that our role is to care for everyone else before we care for ourselves. But that’s an illusion.

When I began healing my childhood wounds, I discovered that self-love is everything. It gave me freedom. It taught me that my peace is the most important thing I have. I no longer dim my light to make others comfortable, nor do I give my power away. Instead, I trust in the unknown journey, and I’ve created a life I never thought was possible. It hasn’t been easy, there were times it felt disastrous, but every time I let go of limiting beliefs and the weight of others’ opinions, I grew stronger.

To my younger self, I would say: stop trying to fit in. Your “different,” your “weird,” your “unique” ways, those are your Super Power. You are loved unconditionally and always have been, no matter what you’ve endured. Live boldly outside the box. Shine so brightly that others need sunglasses, and then invite them to join you in the freedom, peace, and joy of living exactly as you are.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
For me, it’s less about being “wrong” and more about a lack of awareness. I used to believe that men didn’t feel as deeply as women, that they were meant to be providers, always strong, tough, and in control. I was naive about the unhealed trauma many men carry, and how much they’ve been conditioned to suppress their emotions. Crying, being vulnerable, or needing support were often seen as weaknesses, and I never realized the pain that comes from living under that weight.

As I’ve moved through my own healing journey, I’ve come to see men with a deeper compassion. Beneath anger, numbing, workaholism, or avoidance, there is often a little boy inside, an inner child longing for love, validation, and safety. When adults fight or disconnect, it’s often that wounded child lashing out, not the whole person. This realization shifted everything for me.

Women, myself included, need to unlearn the outdated beliefs of what a man “should” be, and instead hold space for them to be human; for men to feel, to rest, to cry, to heal. And men, too, deserve to know that their worth is not measured solely by what they provide, but by who they are at their core.

My father’s journey made this especially profound for me. He tied his entire identity to work, and when dementia took that away, he felt he had no purpose. For years, I was angry with him for always choosing work or his wife before me. Now, I see that the little boy inside of him never felt enough, and never had the chance to unlearn those beliefs. He couldn’t show up for me the way I needed, because he didn’t know how to show up for himself. That understanding has softened my anger into compassion and forgiveness.

This awakening has become a calling for me. Men’s healing is something I feel deeply to the core of who I am. I want to be a voice, for my father, for my brothers, for the men who have hurt me, and even for myself. Because ultimately, it took me almost 40 years to realize that I needed to show up for me.

I don’t know exactly what the “how” looks like yet, but I know this is part of my soul’s mission: to create awareness, conversation, and healing around this. Because when men heal, families will heal. Communities will heal. And the world becomes softer, more safe, and more whole.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
My peace has become my home, no matter where I am. It begins with my slow mornings, which are my favorite part of the day. I put on a frequency that soothes my soul, meditate, and journal; overflowing with gratitude for simple things like the sunshine, my breath, and the gift of another day. I sip my coffee, I breathe, and I allow myself to simply Be.

Since April 2024, I’ve been traveling without a permanent home base, so this morning practice has become an anchor I can carry with me anywhere. I feel deeply at peace in nature, the ocean, the mountains, the woods, or even beside a quiet stream. I love to walk, to put my bare feet in the grass, to stand in the sunshine, and just breathe. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, that’s where I return: to the breath, to the stillness, to peace.

There is also something so freeing about the open road, driving from city to city, watching the world pass by with no rush. Peace has become my compass. It’s no longer something I chase, it’s something I cultivate, moment by moment, within myself. Even in the middle of chaos, I know I can come back to it through the small rituals that ground me.

Peace isn’t outside of us, it starts Within. And I’ve created a life that allows me to carry that peace with me, Always.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Fabulous Photographer, https://www.facebook.com/Aubreedellaphotography

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