Dear Jeff : Depressed, bulimic, hopeless, running away from an abusive relationship, and suffering through decades of silence after being sexually abused as a child, Steph found herself alone in a hotel room. She tied a rope around her neck, dropped to the floor, and everything went black. Feeling abandoned by everyone and everything, filled with self-hate and rage at the world, James turned to drugs and then petty theft to fuel his addictions. Then he found himself in prison, locked up in solitary confinement. Two people in crisis, worlds apart, independently arrived at the same conclusion. Own your life, or lose it! In their new book and film entitled Perception: Seeing is Not Believing, James and Steph Purpura recount in raw detail how those tragic events became the catalyst for dramatic life changes that brought them together, and their discovery of the keys to unlocking their perceptions, challenging their beliefs, and changing their behaviors. But it took years of trial and error using their relationship to test new ideas, theories and practices with each other. As they created a new life together, James and Steph formulated an evolutionary plan for living that resulted in tremendous personal and professional success. Now their hugely successful Powerful U events and programs are changing the lives of millions. Their mission is to provide a roadmap for creating meaning in people's lives, showing them how to master their perceptions and their emotions, the two factors that separate a life of desperation and unhappiness, from one of joy, love and accomplishment. According to James and Steph, "Everything you are, everything you see, everything you experience, is determined by perception. And it is your emotions that give your life the only meaning it has."
James and Steph emphasize that no one has ever made a BAD decision for their lives-they have only made the best decision given the available information (perception) they currently have. The art is in enlarging and adjusting your perception so that you have better information from which to make life-enhancing decisions.
In the book, they note: "This book is not meant to be a personal development book; it is meant to create a fundamental shift inside you by redefining the way you think about all your experiences, and reshaping how you experience your life. It doesn't matter where you are currently in your life, whether you are at the top of your field, just getting started, or somewhere in between. This book will challenge you on a very deep level. If you take the time to fully understand the concepts and apply them to your life, you will achieve a level of self-mastery you never dreamed possible. It is time to rise up and experience your life to the fullest. It is time to evolve."
While there is abundant media promoting the need for personal change, the Purpura's book and movie go deeper into the psychology that keeps individuals locked into patterns and present the practical ways to break through those patterns, expand people's perception, and start on the path to personal evolution.
James and Steph’s journey of transformation is nothing short of extraordinary. Before they met 15 years ago, both of their lives had hit rock bottom. They were both financially, emotionally, and spiritually bankrupt. Life had beaten them down and shattered their self-esteem. At the lowest point in their lives, they met and were united by a shared vision of creating and becoming more. They started the only place they could by working on themselves and helping each other grow. They challenged each other every step of the way, and never settled. Shortly after meeting, Steph wrote James’ first resume and taught him how to send an email. This began James’ unlikely career in technology. Around this time, they also started a family.
Fast forward fifteen years, after many ups and downs and a lot of hard work, Steph and James recently sold their tech company, one of the world’s largest construction software companies. They now have five beautiful children and live an extraordinary life. Through this journey of selfcreation, they developed a personal philosophy centered around perception. They believe perception, more than any other factor, will determine how someone’s life will turn out. James and Steph started Powerful U as their way to give back to the world.
Their mission is to provide a roadmap for people to master their perceptions and their emotions to become the conscious creators of their lives. According to James and Steph, “Everything you see and experience is determined by your perception, and your emotions give your life the only meaning it has.”
James and Steph Purpura are seekers who find the state of humanity inadequate. They believe the unrealized potential of the individual is both the source and solution to this problem. Their goal is to inspire fellow seekers to tap into their unlimited potential, through a personalized combination of philosophy, science, technology, and community.
