The Concept of “STEP INTO BLUE”

I’ve spent some time thinking about why I want to start my own website and I realized that I want to do this just for myself. If no one ever sees it, I really I don’t care. But what if I challenge myself to be creative in ways I would never have thought about sitting in my little fuzzy walled grey fabric cubical? Can I apply the project management, organizational skills, engineering problem solving and self training skills I used everyday supporting a large corporation? Can these skills be used to create something other people would want to read and learn from? I think so, why not? Creating a website would be a lot like any other large project I have run, but I would have complete control and creative license. That sounds truly amazing. It would be mine, all mine! If I make something that I would love to look at why wouldn’t others? There would be no bosses, no progress update reports, no stupid face to faces, and no team meetings. This sounds great!

First, I want to force myself to document my experiences over this next year off work. This is a huge change for me and I want to write down my thoughts and experiences. I’m going to travel, so why not journal about it. I’m learning to dive, taking dive training courses and traveling to go diving. The idea of a Blog would work with a place to store pictures. I can be a journalist, share my experiences but do this in a digital format versus a note pad. Creation of the website is also an opportunity to learn something new, something I would never have taken the time to learn while I was working. The level of creative thought at my old job was close to zero. Not that engineering doesn’t use creativity for unique problem solving, but the corporate culture doesn’t reward you for using the side of your brain that is imaginative and artful. Decision made; I will work on my writing skills and “BLOG”.

Second, I will need pictures for my blog and website. I can also work on photography skills. I’ve always wanted to take up photography but not taken the time to learn and focus on it. I will use my photos to add to the blog and I would really like to eventually learn how to take pictures underwater. There is so much to share with people who don’t dive and have not experienced the beauty of the underwater world. Decision made; I will get an underwater camera!

Third, a website needs a name. The name is really important. It needs to symbolize the content. After munch brain storming, I chose “ Step Into Blue”. I thought what is the first thing you experience when you go diving, you take a step and you step into this beautiful world that is blue. You become overwhelmed by this gorgeous color that quickly swallows you up and surrounds you. Then instantly you are transported to another world. Instead of walking a path, you float and fly above the wilderness, dipping down to see the creatures below. Stepping into blue starts this journey into our last earthly frontier.

Finally, a website needs to have a mission statement, a purpose, a vision in order to set goals. Goals will provide direction and focus. So here it goes, “ This website is for the new diver because I am a new diver. I want to share my experiences, my mistakes and my wins to help you take that first Step Into Blue ”