Be The Hero in Your Own Story

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Since we’re kids, we are introduced to heroes. That’s because everyone loves a story with a hero. Some of our heroes are in storybooks, and some are people around us. Who was your hero growing up?

As a little girl, I recall my hero was my aunty Carol.

I looked up to Aunty Carol because she did not take any sh!!t from anyone, not in a mean way but in a wise way. She was discerning, decisive and courageous. She left her husband with four young kids in tow (her youngest was two, and the eldest was seven). She only had a low-paying job.

I remember my cousins living in what looked like a shack while my aunt rebuilt their lives. All four cousins grew up to be successful professionals in their respective fields. Aunty Carol had returned to school and worked her way up in her career. When she retired, she was a managing director at a high-end hotel.

You, The Hero

What if you could be the hero in your story? What if you adopted the mindset of being a hero? Your life might get a lot more fun and exciting. This is easier to do than you might think.

1. Imagine your highest self: a brave and intelligent character faced with your challenges. What would such a character do in your situation? What are the logical first steps to solving your challenges and creating a fulfilling adventure for yourself?

2. List a hero’s hypothetical thoughts, feelings, mindset and behaviour when faced with your challenges. Then, imagine the perfect hero living your life.

3. Rewrite your past failures. Again, we’re talking about the hero version of yourself, not yourself at your most vulnerable, least successful, or least resourceful. What would your past look like from the eyes of the hero?

4. List things you won’t tolerate from yourself as a hero. For example, would a hero sit on the couch, eat a bag of chips, and binge-watch Netflix?

Would he feel sorry for himself when things do not go as planned? Would a hero ignore injustices done unto others in front of him?

Would he procrastinate? What are the thoughts, habits, and other behaviours that you need to eliminate from your life to become the hero of your story?