so. it’s about that time. more about Shades Of Perspective….
so the goal of the site, as described, is to create a safe space on the internet to explore all things relationships. how did i get to the point where i knew what this ’space’ would actually consist of? i’m not sure, per se, except that there have always been a few things that puzzled me in regards to dating/relationships… well one main thing. we are not taught how to do it.
maybe it is my obsessive need to analyze everything, or my undying fear of being made to look stupid for something, or my crazy inability to judge (or compassionate heart ; ), or my training and development background- but it seems to me that at the heart of society’s relationship complications is the little fact that no one is ever explicitly given information regarding how to have a healthy relationship. in our english language it seems to be easier sometimes to describe how NOT to do something, rather than how to DO something. or how to FIX something after it has gone wrong, rather than how to DO IT RIGHT in the first place. and dating/marriage is a perfect example of this.
there is this whole group of people in our world (consisting of people like me!), that LOVE researching communication and relationships. and out of that research comes this awesome stuff called theory and data that actually could HELP the world have better relationships (!!). but unfortunately this uber valuable info is housed in these really big intimidating places, like amongst the shelves of university libraries, and not many people have the desire to venture that far to obtain some pretty uninteresting and dry coffee table reading material. not when we have US weekly or wired delivered right to our homes.
so. my goal. create a site that educates in an nontraditional (read: no libraries or term papers) way, allowing its users to have fun AND learn and grow! (how innovative!!)
therefore, i now would like to present the four main educational goals of Shades Of Perspective:
<3 encourage the understanding and acceptance of difference
<3 learn about what we want/need in a partner
<3 learn how to communicate in relationships and create lasting positive communication habits
<3 learn about how to meet and attract the right partner
stay tuned… this is only going to get better…
all my love <3
stephanie
on page one of chapter 24 in the story of my life i decided to move to san francisco. mostly in search of adventure and something new and exciting. and the first half of this chapter, as most enjoyable reading goes, came with a lot of character building and scene set up (grad school tests, job quitting, and goodbyes). however, the second half of this chapter has been much more… ummm, eventful. and serendipitous. and amazing. and whirlwind like.
and for those of you unaware of the happenings of chapter 24:pt1 the plan to was to get out here on the west coast. get a training and development/HR job. and begin to pursue my dream much more aggressively. and boy, was i surprised how the universe defined aggressively.
7 days after moving to the city by the bay i started to meet the new cast of chapter 24:pt2. and the universe showed me its definition of aggressive. the next thing i knew i was going to techie events 2 and 3 nights a week, meeting new friends and thoroughly beginning to understand how exactly i could make a difference in this crazy world we live in- by using the interwebs, of course!
after soaking up everything my brian and heart could possibly hold at the Smart Marriages Conference 2008, and completing a two day intensive IMAGO Relationships Couples Course training (by the founders/my heros themselves!!!) my vision became instantly clear.
i needed to build (well, thats where G comes in : ) a website for all things relationships. and that’s where my life and love took off.
so here i am, months later: no training and development corporate america job, house/cat sitting in one of the nation’s hilliest neighborhoods, 2/3s of my belongings in storage, surrounded by some of the most amazing friends i could ever ask for, finishing up chapter 24.
and as i close this chapter i intend to make these next four weeks wildly intense and go out with a bang!
therefore, it is with much excitement, stess, tears, giggles, laughs, fears, and love that i announce my new life: ShadesOfPerspective.
Shades of Perspective will be a website for all things relationships. With entertaining and informative writing, events, and interactive features SOP aims to help twenty and thirty somethings navigate the difficult world of dating and relationships while having fun (duh!).
so here is it is. the SOP mission statement. my life and love:
Create and maintain a safe space on the internet that normalizes twenty&thirty something relational experiences while providing opportunities for relational education and growth. Thereby helping people better identify the real or perceived obstacles that are preventing loving relationships, and discover advantageous methods to overcome these obstacles prior to marriage and/or divorce.
so keep posted. in the next few months this will only get better and better. and come on, don’t you want to be personally part of chapter 25?
all my love <3
stephanie