This is our first official newsletter! I am sure our newsletters will grow and change as we do but in this edition, I want to share last month's highlights, what's next in August and 2 VERY BIG IDEAS coming up for Dating IRL. As always, your spoken or written words of feedback and testimonials are always appreciated. 

Despite being out of town for for almost half of the month, we made big steps in our reach and offerings! 

• New Leaders: To keep us going strong, several of our long-term members have offered to lead some of our community events. Eric King is enthusiastic to welcome everyone at our Feed My Starving Children events in Schaumburg. Tom Jurgens has led several successful Sunday Walks as well. We definitely need more so if you're interested, please let us know! 
• Share & Switch Events: We introduced the Share & Switch game which everyone seemed to like. It is a more natural and organic version of speed dating that gives you the flexibility to move and talk to everyone without a bell or formal seating. We'll be doing a lot more Share & Switch events in August! 
• Podcast Panel: One of the benefits of a community of singles is hearing other people's stories, what worked for them and what didn't, and being able to ask questions to a variety of people and get advice. The Dating IRL Podcast will now be accepting questions for and recording panel episodes to post. All questions and opinions are welcome!
• Connections Cohort: We sat outside on a beautiful day while we enjoyed our Connections Cohort Meeting #2 this month. We're excited about unpacking the topic "Our Needs: What we get met, what we don't, and how to set our future partner up for success" next time. 

Join us! Click below to write us if you're interested in leading a single or ongoing event, joining the conversation of our podcast panel or deepening your conversations with the Connections cohort. 

During July, I finally had some long overdue, quiet, thinking time and I thought up some big ways Dating IRL can offer a more stress-free, fun experience that puts the dating apps to shame. I realize that's not a high bar, though.

• Dating IRL's Dating Funnel: Funnels work when you're not overwhelmed by it all and that's where we come in. It'll be our supported framework for finding love. More details to come this week!
• Listening For Love: Our first round of a non-Hollywood version of the hit Netflix series, Love is Blind, which we're calling Listening For Love, is planned to launch in the fall. If you'd like to put your name on the list for this exclusive event, click below. No commitment required at this point, it's just to help us gauge interest. 
• How To Create A Spark: We're hosting a virtual discussion (tomorrow) and an in-person workshop around this important aspect to dating in August. We'll discuss physical presentation, emotional preparation, body and eye language, conversation that creates curiosity, and leaving with peaked interest. There will be reflection questions, partnered activities, and silly moments. 
• Age-based Share & Switch Events: As our community grows, so will our ability to filter events based on tension points such as age and location. We currently have events for 40s - 50s and 50s - 60s. If you're outside of those age ranges, please feel free to join one you're 'closest' to. 

OMG, I'm So Excited! 

Dating services, coaches, and apps provide support at just one of the many stages in your dating journey. Dating IRL's Dating Funnel System is being designed to support you at ALL stages in your healthy search for a meaningful relationship. As a 4-leveled structure, we are building a framework to help you meet lots of potential matches in-person, share small group experiences with those you're curious about, and go on curated dates with mutual matches. Once you decide to go exclusive with someone, we've got some experiences to strengthen your connection and help you create a spark to last a lifetime! 

Have you seen the hit Netflix series called "Love is Blind"? Netflix.com has the description of "Nick and Vanessa Lachey host this social experiment where single men and women look for love and get engaged, all before meeting in person." On the show, men and women are given individual rooms in which they cozy up for thoughtful questions and deep conversation in order to find a meaningful connection. In order to move forward with someone, the man has to propose marriage and the woman has to accept. Once they become engaged, they are finally allowed to meet in real life and begin the "true" challenges of life together as a couple moving towards marriage. Although this show is in true reality-tv-style binge-worthy entertainment, with not really 'real' scenarios and a well-combed-and-tailored-cast, the premise of finding a true connection on the basis of values and conversation WITHOUT the derailing distractions of physical qualities has merit! "So," I thought, "why can't we give it a try?!" And thus, the designing of Listening For Love started! Gain ultimate practice with relationship skills, a chance at a 4-month committed relationship, and hopefully a life-long partner by joining Dating IRL's version called Listening For Love! More details will be sent to those that indicate interest by completing the survey below. Hope you can join us!