Ever wondered why others can be
heroes and you are not? Ever felt plagued by a vague sense of uneasiness
that seems to be saying that you could do more? Ever felt bitter
because others are openly and publicly recognized for what they have
accomplished, and you are not?
Perhaps you need to consider getting
a new pair of glasses ...
Over the years I've been greatly
inspired by Joseph Campbell, world-renowned mythologist, who in turn, was inspired by
another one of my own figurative mentors: Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss
psycho-analyst who so famously broke from Freud, and has been recently
portrayed in the movie A Dangerous Method.
Campbell spent much of his life writing about the figure of the hero,
not only the mythological hero, but also the hero who resides in each of us and
is begging for release into his particular and individual adventure.
Campbell notably wrote: Opportunities
to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.
And that is what being a hero is all about. So when we seek recognition, it has
to first come from our own recognition of the hero within ... the hero
that each one of us is on a daily basis.
Consider this:
- what
did you do that day in the schoolyard when you were only 10 and saw Suzy
getting bullied by the two older girls?
- what
did you do that day when your car broke down in the middle of nowhere with
no reception for your mobile phone?
- what
did you do when you found it appeared that your baby had drowned in the
pool, but you refused to accept it and fought for his life?
- what
did you do when you lost your job due to downsizing, could not find
another in your field, but had to pay the bills?
- what
did you do when you realized your profession was not fulfilling you, but
because of your obligations to family and home, you were not able to
simply strike out for something else? Did you not stay on, bide your time,
and give of yourself for the sake of those who depended on you?
- what
did you do during the nine months your father was dying of terminal lung
cancer to help him ease the discomfort?
Whatever you have done in your life,
and not only in moments of challenge such as the examples enumerated above, but
also in your quest to give meaning to your life ... whether it be by seeking
more intrinsically fulfilling work, or by learning how to play the piano, or by
studying the mating patterns of sperm whales, or by teaching newly-arrived
immigrants in your country your language to help them adapt more quickly - any
and all of these examples, as well as all the others your imagination can come
up with, show you where you have become a hero in your life. You You just have
to recognize it.
You may not wish to be labeled a
hero, but you will begin to appreciate yourself much more, and to approve of
yourself much more, and to love yourself much more, if you begin to give heroic
value to those things that you have done - whatever they may be - that are in
the directions I've painted above.
Your heroic behavior deserves
recognition and admiration, but sometimes we are the only ones who really know
about what we have done. CNN's heroes of the year, an annual program that gives
praise and recognition to a few individuals, nevertheless culls those
particular heroes from a list that is much, much longer. The fact that some
receive such public acknowledgement and others do not, is not particularly
important if you become aware of your own heroic qualities.
- do
you sit in a wheelchair all day, dealing with a life from that vantage
point, instead of being able to stand on your feet? This too, is being a
hero.
- do
you spend the days of your retirement helping young teens at the
neighbourhood high school excel in math? This too, is being a hero.
- do
you volunteer at a local shelter or soup kitchen? This too, is being a
hero.
- do
you brush away your tiredness after a long day at work in order to come
back home and offer your children a smile while you fix them dinner and
help them with their homework? This too, is being a hero.
- do
you live a life of grim financial or physical hardship? And do you get up
each morning and set out on your day determined to live positively,
determined to look for yet another way out of your predicament, and
determined to not allow it to get your down? This too, is being a hero.
- have
you become aware of parts of your personality that do not serve you well?
Are you perhaps critical, judgmental, impatient, unkind or arrogant?
Making the effort to overcome these ways of thinking and behaving is also
being a hero.
- do
you have a dream ... any dream ... and do you make a conscious effort each
and every day to make your dream a reality? This too, is being a hero.
Campbell also wrote It is by
going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you
stumble, there lies your treasure.
So again, it is in the overcoming
of stumbling blocks, it is in facing the darkness (problems, desperation, pain)
that we find our rainbow, our inner light, which for the purposes of this
article I am calling our inner hero.
Recognize your own hero, give
yourself approbation and praise for what you have done this far in your life.
The inner hero resides in all of us ... have you become aware of your own?
For much more about the self-transformational process - both in your outer life in the world, and in your inner life with your connection to your inner, divine self, have a look at my book Rewiring the Soul: Finding the Possible Self
To download the first chapter, click here
From the Description on Amazon: Ask anyone, whatever their circumstances, if their life is vibrant, fulfilling, harmonious and happy. An honest reply is likely to be 'no', because to answer a truthful 'yes' is no mean feat. Only to grow psychologically and emotionally is not enough. And only to grow spiritually is not enough either. All three dimensions need to be developed in order to realize your full potential. If you are willing to assume total responsibility for the self and to start what is an on-going journey, you will quickly begin to glimpse the first fruits of the ultimate goal: inner well-being, freedom, peace, harmony and joy. This book sets out the pathway to self-mastery and self-discovery and walking that pathway will be the most exciting adventure of your life.
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