Today, we’d like to introduce you to Irene Greaves.
Hi Irene, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Lovescaping emerged from realizing that every endeavor in my life has been a labor of love. During my Master’s in Education, I wrote a pivotal paper asserting that love is the sine qua non of education.
This led to the birth of Lovescaping, a philosophy advocating for the practice of love in action. We are not born knowing how to love; it is a learned behavior. But where do we learn it?
I’m originally from Venezuela, but I’ve had the privilege to live in various countries, including Italy, Mozambique, China, Guatemala, and the United States. Despite the unique characteristics of these places, one constant remains: the universal yearning to love and be loved. Witnessing the profound transformation in people when they experience love inspired me to develop Lovescaping as a solution to many of the world’s problems.
Lovescaping is built on 15 pillars: respect, care, honesty, communication, empathy, trust, patience, compassion, liberty, humility, vulnerability, solidarity, hope, gratitude, and forgiveness. These pillars are the foundation of love and must be intentionally practiced to cultivate a loving environment. My goal with Lovescaping is to teach people how to embody these pillars, building a world where love is actively practiced and lived.
In today’s world, there is no greater need than learning to love. Lovescaping is my response to this need, aiming to heal and transform our communities through intentional and purposeful love. Educating individuals on how to practice these pillars can create a ripple effect of love and understanding, addressing many of the social issues we face today.
In essence, Lovescaping is not just a philosophy but a practical guide to living a life grounded in love, making it a vital tool for personal and collective transformation.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Is it ever a smooth road? I don’t think so, and that’s what makes the journey interesting, worthwhile, challenging, terrifying, and exciting all at once!
It took me quite some time to take my ‘leap of faith’ with Lovescaping. The simple notion of “teaching people how to love” is straightforward yet profoundly complex. After deciding that this is what I wanted to do with my life, I was able to articulate this vision and develop a structured curriculum around the 15 pillars of Lovescaping.
Reflecting on the journey, it becomes easier to connect the dots and see the progression. Understanding that life is a process helps in making sense of the struggles along the way. Identifying my goal, knowing how to achieve it, and deeply believing in its importance have been the crucial first steps.
Some of the struggles included:
Turning my Vision into Reality: Initially, it was challenging to distill a broad and profound concept into a teachable framework, a process that took time, practice, and introspection.
Building a Curriculum: Developing a comprehensive curriculum that encompasses the 15 pillars of love requires significant effort and refinement. Ensuring it was both practical and impactful was a key hurdle.
Overcoming Skepticism: Convincing others of the importance and feasibility of teaching love as a structured practice was met with skepticism. It took perseverance and evidence of positive outcomes to gain acceptance and support.
Resource Limitations: Like any new initiative, finding the resources, both financial and human, to support the growth of Lovescaping was and continues to be a challenge.
Despite these challenges, the journey has been incredibly rewarding. Each struggle has reinforced my commitment and clarified the path forward. This is just the beginning, and I am excited for what lies ahead as Lovescaping continues to evolve and make a positive impact.
We’ve been impressed with Lovescaping, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
Lovescaping is a method for learning how to practice love in action.
The pillars that make up Lovescaping are derived from my extensive experience in teaching and community development across different parts of the world. Through this journey, I realized that the essence of my work with students, colleagues, and communities was fundamentally about teaching and learning how to love. This led me to identify these pillars as universal values and actions that everyone can learn to practice.
Lovescaping delivers its methodology and curriculum through various mediums:
– Districts & Schools: Implementing Lovescaping as a daily class for students during the school day, reaching children and youth of all ages. Providing sessions, workshops, and coaching for leadership, teachers, and parents to build a culture of love in action across all spheres of the learning community.
– Workshops, Presentations, and Retreats for Adults: Tailored to meet the specific needs and contexts of different groups, these sessions are designed to help adults integrate the principles of Lovescaping into their lives.
– Community and Business Collaborations: Working with communities and businesses to intentionally create environments where the 15 pillars of love in action are actively practiced.
– Lovescaping Book, Online Course and Workbooks/Guidebooks: my book (https://a.co/d/fDAtyw8) published in 2018 marked the beginning of this journey and it’s a tool that I hope will enrich the lives of many. In addition to that, we have a self-paced online course (https://lovescaping.thinkific.com/) that anyone can take to grow their love-in-action skills along with incredible materials, including guidebooks for families to practice Lovescaping at home (https://a.co/d/eemleM9).
At its core, Lovescaping is a way of life. Through our daily actions, we choose to embody the pillars of Lovescaping, becoming Lovescapers or practitioners of love in action!
What I am most proud of at this moment is my incredible team: Debbie Landau, Katlyn Thornton, Lidia Zatopek, Faby Perry, Adriana Sánchez, Lindsey Pollock, Daisy West, Erendira Ledesma, Berti Brown, Paula Fendley… their dedication, passion, and expertise have been instrumental in bringing Lovescaping to life. Together, we have overcome the fears and challenges associated with starting something new and have fully committed to our mission. This collective leap of faith has allowed us to share the transformative power of Lovescaping with others, creating a lasting impact in our communities.
The most distinctive element of Lovescaping is its focus on addressing the greatest need in our world today: the lack of love. By creating a society that practices love in action, Lovescaping seeks to eliminate discrimination, hatred, aggression, racism, xenophobia, and all other forms of violence and oppression. The potential of love to change and heal our world is immense, and Lovescaping is dedicated to harnessing that potential to create a more compassionate and just society.
In essence, Lovescaping stands out because it addresses the root cause of many societal issues by promoting love as a practical and teachable skill. This holistic and heartfelt approach not only differentiates Lovescaping from other educational programs but also positions it as a vital tool for personal and collective transformation.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Letting go of impostor syndrome and embracing my dream fully. For some time, fears and self-doubt held me back, making me question whether I was truly capable of realizing my vision with Lovescaping. Overcoming these internal barriers was crucial.
Learning to follow my heart and instincts was a significant part of this process. I realized that trusting myself and my passion for Lovescaping was essential to its success. It wasn’t just about having a great idea; it was about believing in it enough to take bold steps forward, even when the path was unclear.
Listening to my inner voice and instincts has been transformative. It has guided me through difficult decisions and helped me stay true to the core values of Lovescaping. By learning to silence the doubts and tune into my genuine desires and goals, I have been able to fully commit to my mission and create something impactful.
This journey has taught me that our greatest limitations are often the ones we place on ourselves. Embracing my dream with confidence and trust in my abilities has not only allowed me to bring Lovescaping to life but also to inspire others to do the same with their dreams. This lesson continues to shape my path and the way I approach challenges and opportunities.
Pricing:
- $15 Lovescaping Book
- $19.99 Guidebook for Practicing Lovescaping at Home
- $19.99 Lovescaping Workbooks for Educators and Families
- $99 Self-Paced 16-Module Lovescaping Online Course
- Contact us to bring Lovescaping to your School/Organization/Company
- $19.99 Lovescaping and Literacy Early Childhood Workbook for Parents and Educators
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lovescaping.org
- Instagram: @lovescaping
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lovescaping/100091694257145/?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lovescaping/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeUhQKiCtOI
- Other: https://sites.google.com/lovescaping.org/lovescaping-for-schools/home
