Flashback To September 1997

I was 27 years old when I first realized I had to be the hero in my life story. This profound realization happened during my 28 day stay in a program for addictions. During the cool down after an aerobics class, the instructor Marina played the song Hero by Mariah Caray. It was the first time I’d heard the song. As I listened to the lyrics, I started to cry and suddenly the concrete wall around my heart momentarily broke open. I was flooded with so many different emotions as I sobbed with tears of realization that I can look inside myself to have the strength to carry on…

Hero – Mariah Carey

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road 
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And that emptiness you felt 
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you, oh, oh

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away, hey yeah 
Hold on
There will be tomorrow
In time you'll find the way

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you
Mmm, that a hero lies in you

Today

We all have those moments when we have to dig deep, and find the inner-strength inside us to overcome challenging times. Hope feels lost. The road does feel long. Loneliness is pervasive.

How do we become our own hero, and rescue ourselves when life feels too difficult to navigate through? Where do we get the energy, the strength to carry on when we feel we can’t take one more step?

Inner Source

There is a centre inside of us that connects to the Infinite Source of all. Some call this God, Allah, Jehovah, Higher Power, or a walk in nature that connects you to the Infinite Source of all. Our very being is created of this Infinite Source of life. As an energy worker I feel this Infinite Source as its energy passes through me, out through my hands, to the person I’m working on.

Some people feel this Infinite Source through:

• Religion
• Prayer
• Meditation
• A personal hobby like music, gardening, running, kayaking, painting, yoga, sailing, biking, writing poetry, riding horses, walking, etc…
• Practicing mindfulness – feeling fully present in the moment – even in a busy crowd, connected to the love of the Universe.

Kayaking and running bring me closer to this Infinite Source. Especially kayaking. Those moments on the water when the ocean is calm, life all around me is still, nature is at peace and so am I.

Faith = Hope

Beyond faith taught in religions, having faith is a skill. Faith in yourself and the world around you. Trust in yourself and the world around you. This enables hope. Hope and optimism that you will find your way when life challenges present themselves.

However….

Blind Optimism Is As Dangerous As Hopelessness

Pollyanna optimism is going blind into a challenging situation without regards to the reality of it. It’s a scary disconnect from the reality – putting on that happy face without acknowledging the facts. Without acknowledging the facts, you leave yourself open to further disappointment as you Keep Calm and Smile On – and probably dig yourself deeper into the hole.

Evaluating the challenging scenario that has you feeling lost, hopeless and depressed is paramount to understanding the steps needed to find your way to a solution and be your own hero! Even Wonder Woman steps back to evaluate the situation before she swoops in to save the day! When she doesn’t evaluate, assess the dangers and pitfalls of the situation, and react – she can end up in trouble! If she assesses the situation, and a new danger presents itself – she will have the space to deal with it because she was prepared – not over-extended because she wasn’t aware of her reality in the first place.

Along With Courage – A Hero Needs A Plan As They Set Upon Their Journey

The great Spartan warrior king, Leonidas I, always had a plan before going into battle. He died for his convictions, death was certain and a part of the plan for his final battle – one last stand as a mighty warrior.

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There Is The Hero’s Journey Archetype – An Outline Of The Path – The Plan

Think: Luke Skywalker, Yoda and Darth Vader or Perseus, Io, and the Kraken. The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. Most adventure movies follow The Hero’s Journey Archetype outline.

For the purpose of this blog, replace the external source of support, the mentor, helpers along the hero’s journey – to your own inner wisdom, strength and guidance! Yes! Because all the answers are within you, when you listen, and tap into that Infinite Source, you will find your way!

You just need to take that first step, to realize you can rely on yourself to save yourself – to be your own hero!

You always know what you need to do to help yourself, to save yourself. To be your own hero.

Question is, are you willing to be your own hero or are you constantly seeking outside of yourself for someone else to rescue you? Are you ready to break the pattern of constantly seeking outside yourself for someone else to rescue you? Are you ready to be your own hero?

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Being Your Own Hero Means Getting the External Support You Need – But That Support Won’t Make The Changes You Need To Do Yourself

I remember a moment when I was in crisis and I reached out to a doctor. He said point blank, “There is nothing I can do to help you – only you can make the choices necessary to help yourself.” I was shocked at his reply. But his direct statement was a wakeup call.

Being my own hero means assessing the situation I’m in, making a plan to help me, and taking the steps necessary to do so. I can receive support from other’s along the way, but only I can take the necessary action for immediate and lifelong positive change.

What I am trying to communicate is not to undermine the importance of outside support from others. At times it is absolutely necessary, like somebody struggling with addiction attending a 12-Step meeting and having a sponsor. Or someone suffering from PTSD and seeing a therapist specific to trauma. But a sponsor won’t keep you sober. Only you can. A therapist can’t take flashbacks away, only you can manage them with skills taught by a professional.

Being the hero of your own story is having the courage to do what is right to save yourself. Getting the external support you need is part of the hero’s journey, as evidenced in the Hero’s Journey Archetype . As well, embracing your own hero’s journey, your inner helpers and mentors of wisdom, strength and Infinite Source guidance – that is just as valuable as external support, because you are honoring yourself.

Empowerment

When I am my own hero, my super power of empowerment grows! When I take the brave steps to overcome challenges in my life, by realizing the painful truth of it, how it affects me, accepting what I can control and cannot control, and discovering the steps to successfully move through to the other side – my self-confidence grows as does my self-sufficiency.

As I honor and embrace all of the emotions resulting in the challenging situation, as well as looking inside myself to connect to the Infinite Source within me; this shines a light on my inner wisdom, strength and guidance to find clarity and strength to make a plan, and find my way.

I want to touch on atonement – making amends – on a hero’s journey. It takes great insight to recognize our mistakes and even greater courage to admit them. Everyone makes mistakes on this journey called life, a hero makes humble amends for it.

As I make my way through life’s challenges, I will stumble and fall…but as long as I get up, keep moving ahead, make amends when necessary and transform out of darkness and into the light…

I will find my way…

And be my own hero!

S, 💛