Meet Kristie Dean of The Soul Project

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristie Dean.

Kristie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a full-time photographer/business owner/wife/stay at home mom to my two toddler girls. Most days, I feel like I’m treading water trying to be so many things at once and yearning to do them all well. To be honest, many nights I hit the pillow feeling exhausted and feeling as though I fell short in most areas.

I have been feeling a call inside of me to start working on a soulful passion project that serves something greater than myself. I thought about how I often fall into the trap of comparing my self to others, mostly due to the high pressures on women to be everything and the overwhelming presence of social media.

I decided I’d try to put some of my passions together (ie. photography, storytelling and a love of people) to combat the toxic judgment and comparison game that so many women fall into (including myself). This is where The Soul Project was born.

Has it been a smooth road?
I’m only two months in. I launched The Soul Project with very little planning and few expectations. It is taking on a life of its own and still evolving. Struggles would be that I am not too well versed on the algorithms of social media. I want to reach as many people as possible but am still learning about that side.

We’d love to hear more about The Soul Project. What else should we know?
I believe we are judging and comparing ourselves and each each-other more than ever. We scroll social media and compare our messy, unfinished, behind the scenes to other peoples, polished, perfect hight light reels. This is dangerous!

If we continue this, we will never feel good enough, pretty enough, pulled together enough, successful enough, in love enough, happy enough, fit enough. You name it! I created The Soul Project as a way for women to share and see pieces of one another’s reality as opposed to just the highlights.

I believe that only by being honest will we gain more compassion for each other, stop comparing ourselves and start making deep connections with other women. So, each Monday I share the raw truths from a badass lady that is brave enough to share her story and let the world know that she is not perfect. She gets my ear, my attention a full photoshoot and she provided with a supportive platform where her voice can be heard.

There is no profit. I’m working on The Soul Project in my spare pockets of time (a big thanks to my amazing husband for being the best Daddy while I do this important work!) providing services I usually charge hundreds of dollars for – for free. I’m doing this because I think its important and because it matters to me that women feel they’re not alone and that they know there are people who care about their story.

I’m most proud of the pure goodness that is pouring out of people surrounding the soul story each week. The Soul Project was launched without much planning and few expectations. It was simply my hope that I could blend a few of my passions to help women around me feel better about being themselves and to start connecting on a deeper level. That said, what is happening each week is more beautiful than I could have imagined.

Each week, a woman shows up to share her raw sometimes painful and always a very personal story – she is brave and vulnerable and honest. And each week that woman is showered with love, praise support and acceptance by friends and strangers alike. No sugar coating, no highlight reel – just guts, heart and truth. Humans receiving genuine love, support and “likes” for NOT being, NOT trying to be and NOT pretending to be perfect. Now THAT is refreshing!

Honestly, every Monday feels like Christmas to me. Because I get to be the vehicle that brings another incredible story of a brave and beautiful woman to light. It brings me to tears each week to see these women, whom I’ve gotten to know, get showered with love for being authentic and vulnerable – for just being themselves. Women are resonating and connecting with one another on a deep level.

They are realizing its OK to be themselves, to be honest, and to have a past. Its okay to say I’m not 100% all the time and it’s more than OK to support one another. We all need support and we all need a tribe.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes! Boston is filled with ambitious, brave, incredible women who deserve to have their stories heard.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://soul-project.weebly.com
• Phone: 6178425747
• Email: soulprojectinfo@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesoulprojectstories @thesoulprojectstories
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesoulprojectstories

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