Think for a minute or two about how many times you’ve been hurt in relationship. Specifically, think about the hurts that happened under the age of 25.
Of those hurts how many were in your primary relationships?
Now, think for a moment how you got through it. Who was there for you? How did you deal? What support system did you have?
Did you just somehow managed to stuff it, suck it up, compartmentalize it, or maybe pretend like it didn’t hurt that bad, or perhaps you got through it okay because you somehow found a way? If you were lucky (or smart), you found a mentor or sought professional help and got some perspective. Or you found a safe place to cry or feeling your feelings about the hurt.
Whatever the case, you likely fumbled your way through it.
Because there was no relationship class in school, you lacked the guidance that may have helped you avoid, or navigate differently, the hurts you experienced, right?
Imagine for a moment if you not only had someone “post hurt” but you had some better guidance “pre hurt.”
Think about it.
Most people expect themselves to know how to navigate intimate relationships. I know it’s odd. “I’m supposed to know what I’m doing here” is a phrase that might barely slip through your mind because relationships are just a part of the water you swim in all day long.
People are wandering around in the dark and don’t even know there is an easier and more fulfilling way.
And because you didn’t know how (and perhaps still don’t), you get the results you got, then beat up on yourself or blame the person that hurt you.
So, if “relationship” is one of the most important factors to a well-lived life, then why are we not teaching it to kids and young adults everywhere?
We could debate the why for some time. But I find it more useful to just create a solution to what I see as an epidemic.
Kids who can’t navigate conflict turn into adults who can’t navigate conflict. Adults who don’t learn how to navigate long-term partnership well are adults who are more prone to loneliness, stress, dis-ease and illness across the board. One of the most challenging kinds of stresses we humans experience is stress in relationship to other people.
So, in the vein of addressing this big problem, I’d like your help.
I started The Relationship School™ as a way to teach adults the class they never learned in school. Part of this mission is to reach teens and young adults before they get married or naively jump into long-term partnership with no tools. is in search of a few good kids and young adults who want to be mentored on the art of intimate relationships.
And, in this first year, we did it. Check out this video for a quick summary.
And here’s a message to young adults and teens:Yes, I’m a young adult who wants to learn more about intimate relationships!
Hey young adults and parents of young adults.
We are looking for young adults who want to learn how to have a successful long-term relationship, which will also help you improve your family, work, and friend relationships.
How cool would it be to easily work through conflicts with someone you love?
How amazing would it feel if you could get close to someone without fear of them hurting you?
What if you could listen to someone so well that they felt deeply seen and understood by you on every level?
What if you could talk openly about what you need in your relationships without the other person getting defensive or shutting down?
What if you turned “relationship” into one of your superpowers and it allowed you to choose your friends and get you more of what you wanted in life?
Well, we can help…
The Relationship School™ would like to train you. Our mission is to teach people the class they never learned in school–how to do romantic relationships. We think it’s crazy we don’t teach kids how to do interpersonal relationships well. So, we are determined to offer awesome education to young people (and adults) in a grass roots effort to educate, inspire and guide young people into healthy, successful relationships.
If you want to learn more about the school….check out http://www.jaysongaddis.com/therelationshipschool/
or contact [email protected] if you want us to help you or if you want us to visit your school.
Let’s improve our own quality of life AND make an impact on this world by having amazing relationships!
