Your company’s holiday party can be much more than just another date on the calendar. When planned with intention, your year-end or holiday gathering is an opportunity to pause, step away from the usual pace of work, and treat your team to two very important things: a culture of recognition and space to connect authentically. In 2026, businesses cannot afford to dismiss the importance of these two factors. According to the HR Research Institute, “83% of employees say they sta

Seven years ago, an idea I had been carrying for more than a decade became ALTAR. I wanted to create a beautiful and sacred space where women across generations could come together to connect, share their gifts, learn from one another and navigate the complexity of their lives without pretense or performing. I may have offered the loom, but it is all of us weaving our own threads into the tapestry who have made ALTAR what it is. Everyone who has walked through our doors or si

Frankly, this is an exhausting time to be a woman. We’re attentive in our careers while simultaneously focusing on our families. We disproportionately carry the invisible labor of remembering, organizing, and anticipating. We carry the weight of uncertainty in a political climate that can make the mere aspect of being a woman feel much heavier than it should. This burden is too much for any one woman to carry on her own. The fact is: we need each other. And not just when we n

This week, we’re welcoming back guest authors Ashley Nelson & Barbara Boselli, the creators and facilitators of The Leadership Experience, for part 2 of our Rooted Leadership Series. This series is all about what it means to become a more rooted leader—not by offering quick fixes or leadership hacks, but by sharing practical ideas and simple practices that have transformed the way leaders show up for themselves and the people they lead. You can read part 1 here. Last month, w

I love a good mind map. There’s something so incredibly satisfying about taking a swirling collection of thoughts or ideas and giving them shape and structure. The Basics of Mind Mapping If you’re unfamiliar, a mind map is a visual thinking tool that starts with a central idea that branches outward into related thoughts, questions, words, and possibilities. It’s a practice that helps us see connections, organize information, and make sense of what’s already taking up space in

We're thrilled to have two guest authors on the blog this week, Ashley Nelson & Barbara Boselli, the creators and facilitators of The Leadership Experience. They're sharing a special, two-part blog series on what it means to become a more rooted leader—not by offering quick fixes or leadership hacks, but by sharing practical ideas and simple practices that have transformed the way leaders show up for themselves and the people they lead. We’ll begin with a simple question: Whe

If you've spent any time in wellness, leadership, or personal growth circles, you've probably heard the phrase holding space. It's become one of those terms we all recognize, but few of us explore beyond the basics. On its surface, holding space is about being present, offering acceptance, listening without judgement, and creating psychological safety. That's where the holding space meaning begins, but there’s much more to it when we look a little deeper… Holding Space at ALT

The most memorable celebrations rarely happen because of extravagant décor or oversized ballrooms. They happen because people come together and share something beautiful. You don’t need to be a certified event planner to know that the success of a celebration isn't measured by the size of the guest list: it's measured by the moments the hosts and guests remember long after they've gone home. No matter the reason for the occasion—from milestone birthday party to wedding show

What does it mean to bloom? We believe it’s much more than achieving goals and meeting milestones. We believe that in order to bloom, we must tap into a deep, internal knowing and embrace all that we are. We each need to explore and express ourselves uniquely, then bring those voices together to create a rich, collective knowing in our communities. This spring at ALTAR, we wanted to create ample space and opportunities for each of you to bloom. It truly feels like we had it a

When your team feels disconnected, overwhelmed, or stuck, the default solution is often to schedule another meeting: A strategy session. An all-hands call. A planning day. A brainstorming workshop. Whatever your company calls these meetings, they are not typically addressing the real problem. Sometimes the challenge isn't a lack of information, instruction, or direction. Sometimes what employees need most is space—to pause, reconnect, and remember why they're doing this work

In Chicago, we’re certainly spoiled for choice when it comes to great food, delicious drinks, and interesting places to visit. If anything, we might have too many options to choose from—which can give us serious decision fatigue. Many of us at ALTAR have called Chicago home for decades at this point, so we get asked a lot about our favorite places: “Where’s your favorite café in Logan Square?” “Where do you get lunch when you’re working at ALTAR all day?” “Any place I should

Have you noticed the stillness emerging in some of our workplaces? There’s a quiet shift happening inside some of the most forward-thinking businesses in Chicago. More impactful than the latest tech or tighter performance metrics, companies are beginning to tap into something deeply human: corporate meditation. On the surface, corporate meditation feels at odds with the business world. It demands presence, stillness, and quiet. It’s a profound shift that visionary leaders hav

I’m always excited when ALTAR gets the chance to host a truly one-of-a-kind event. This April, we had the privilege of welcoming Laura Munson–New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author–into our sacred space for The Wild Why Workshop. Laura led this workshop as a chance for a small group of us to find our way back to something innate in all of us, but that we often lose along the way: our wonder. Laura Munson and her book, "The Wild Why" What Is Wonder? Ac

In many organizations, the phrase team offsite conjures the same image: long conference tables, dense slide decks, and a packed schedule with back-to-back presentations. Sure, the intention may be alignment or strategic thinking, but the outcome often feels like just another meeting held in a different room. In 2026, forward-thinking leaders are beginning to ask themselves: “What if our team offsite actually restored our team’s energy?” “What if we took the time to truly alig

This March, we invited women to gather at ALTAR around one simple truth: We are living at a turning point. Women everywhere are being called—not only to lead within the world as it is, but to engage consciously with what is being shaped next. Together, nearly one hundred women answered that call with us for When Women Lead: our International Women’s Day event held on 3/8/2026. More than a traditional talk or conference, this immersive activation was designed to help women pau

Women in the professional sphere often face a world that expects, yet barely appreciates, their unique expertise and ability to build bridges and navigate complex team dynamics. Often beneath the professional polish is a quiet, persistent friction—the feeling of a “yes” that should have been a “no.” The exhaustion isn’t just from working hard, but from constantly filtering your instincts through other people’s expectations. This shared experience signals that we’ve reached a

No need to board a plane or book a retreat to experience transformational conversations rooted in women’s stories. Right here in Chicago, a rich ecosystem of book talks, author conversations, and literary gatherings is thriving. For open-hearted women who like a good book and love an even juicier conversation, book talks in Chicago offer more than intellectual stimulation: They create spaces where stories are unapologetically shared, perspectives are expanded, and connection

This week, we’ve invited Tama Kieves, Harvard-trained lawyer turned career/success coach and bestselling author, to share her perspective on how she repeatedly sees people holding themselves back and what we can do about it. Don’t miss Tama in Chicago here at ALTAR Community for her One-Day Retreat on January 31st, 2026. Ready to live your exceptional life in 2026? I invite you to stop following mediocre thinking and to trust the integrity of your love and knowing instead.

Searching for ways to support your inner self? In addition to self-care or meditation, one of the best ways to care for ourselves is by finding spaces that help us slow down, breathe differently, and feel more at home in our own bodies. Immersing ourselves in the right environment can shift our whole experience: reminding us that healing and power often move together when we feel grounded and supported. Fortunately, Chicago is full of spiritual events and sacred spaces. Some

This week we’ve invited Katie Hoffner, steward, storyteller, and niece of Artist Lydia Ruyle, to share her perspective on the power of sacred feminine art, its importance in today’s world, and its roots in Chicago. “Art brings us to self-knowledge. The artist’s role is to make that possible” - Lydia Ruyle Sacred imagery has a way of inviting us to remember what matters in this world. It reconnects us to mystery, beauty, and meaning in our own lives. It bonds us to the deeper