About justin Powell
Justin has been married for 22 years and has four kids from 17 to 5 years old.
Is he a great family planner? Clearly not.
But having lots of kids at different seasons of life has given him the chance to make (and hopefully learn from) many mistakes.
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With that said Every Dad Project is not 'about' Justin or any one dad. It's about every dad. It's about your story. It's about the stories of thousands of dads who are connecting with one goal in mind:
To be the best fathers we can be in order to make this world a better place.
My problem = Our Problem
A personal note from Every Dad Project Founder, Justin Powell.
Over the past 22 years, my family has lived in 4 countries and moved over 14 times. The adventure is fun, but the greatest challenge in moving isn't packing boxes or organizing shipping containers. The biggest challenge is the loss of friendships, connection, and community.
It's not just moving that brings about feeling of loss and loneliness. Even when we've been in one city for a while, there have been long seasons where I've felt unknown and disconnected. The busyness of normal life has a way of creating loneliness and isolation all on its own (and many of don't really ever want to talk about how much that impacts us).
I look back at every place I've left and remember the dads I was learning from. I count myself lucky to have been able to be around so many good dads from all different backgrounds, belief systems, personality styles, and cultures.
I miss these friendships deeply and long for a place where I can connect with other dads in meaningful ways.
On another level, I miss learning from other people's experiences. If there was a camera following me around all day, you would quickly discover that I'm far from the perfect dad. I have my great moments...but I have other moments that are incredibly embarrassing and require lots of apologies.
So in a way, Every Dad Project was created to fulfill my own needs. To give me a place to learn from other dads. To give me a chance to share my wins, losses, and struggles as a dad.
I know these things are critical for me as I look to grow into a healthy father, but I have the feeling that many other men share my struggles and don't know where to start.
I hope you'll join me on this journey of growth and connection. I believe our time spent together isn't only for our own benefit, but will benefit our children, and perhaps even change our families for generations to come.
What do fathers and redwood trees have in common?
I lived on the West Coast of the United States for most of my life, but it wasn't until 2017 that I visited Prarie Creek Redwoods State Park.
Signs throughout the park share interesting facts about the forest and other points of historical interest. Of all of the things I read that day, there was one paragraph that made a lasting memory.
You would imagine that these huge trees had deep roots that held them up, right?
But they don't.
These giant trees have relatively shallow roots that stretch out over 100 feet from their trunk and intertwine with the roots of the other trees.
They survive together. (i)
Many men like to believe that if they are strong enough on their own they will grow and thrive.
I believe the opposite. I believe true strength is found in healthy interdependence on others.
When the winds blow and flood waters rise in life, we give ourselves the best shot of thriving through the storm when we grow together.