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So here we are, you and I. A crazy race through the heroes that we encounter every day. We meet and greet one of those heroes in every single encounter that we have.. once we look past the mask of ‘ordinary’ that every one of us wears. Behind that business suit is a Caregiver, or a Seeker. That woman at the checkout is a Creator, or a Ruler of her life or her charity work. That scruffy kid at the mall? Wizard in training. We encounter them everywhere. Some of them know who they are, secure in the knowledge that they are ruling their world, or creating magic for people. Others don’t know just how much the Sage is present in their life – just how wise they really are. Still others don’t see how the fact that they laugh everything off is just the Trickster in them demonstrating their non-attachment to the world.
Each of us is on a journey, you know. For some of us, we haven’t quite begun our next journey. Perhaps we’re in safe harbour, everything seems to be going smoothly. Perhaps we’re feeling the itch of adventure, a sense that ‘anything could happen’. Perhaps there’s a rising frustration in our lives, a sense that life should be more than this, bigger than this, more exciting, more vivid. This is a great place to be – because the adventure is about to unfold for you – if you let it. Say ‘yes’ to those invitations and see what happens. Follow your curiosity. Explore those possibilities.
Others of us are in the midst of our journey. We’re experiencing the craziness of the struggle, the restlessness and rootlessness of the journey. Sometimes it’s exciting, incredible, vivid, beautiful, glorious. Some times it feels like hard work. Sometimes it’s simply painful. There are moments when we’ll experience the dark night of the soul – where we will fall to our knees and say ‘Why me?’ Moments when we feel afraid, or when the life is being sucked out of us. There are dragons to tame, there are fair maidens to be rescued, magic to be created. There are companions to be made, friendships to be forged, partnerships and alliances to be created. There are new worlds to be explored and discoveries to be revealed. There are gifts to be won, new capabilities and strengths to be revealed. There are lessons to be learned, wisdom to be revealed. New worlds to be explored. Kingdoms to be built, barriers to be torn down. There are people to be set free, battles to be fought, wounds to be mended, romances to be found.
Every single story you have encountered contains within it archetypal truth, whether it is Lord of the Rings or Cinderella, The Magic Far Away Tree or Transformers. Look below the surface of the story and see what it is really telling you. Listen to the whispers.
Learn to let go
Sometimes, the stories we create around ourselves don’t serve us well. We find ourselves stuck and unable to go on. “I’m too old” – “I’m too young” – “I’ve failed before and now I can’t get back up”… these are just stories that we tell ourselves. And like all stories they are not real. Sure, you might have lost your business five years ago. You might feel that you’ve failed. You might have had an abusive childhood or marriage. You might have been deceived, stolen from – but whatever they are, they are just stories. How do I know this? Because they are in the past. The present and what we’re experiencing right NOW is the only thing that matters. And in this moment, anything is possible. I’m not denying the impact that those events have had on your life, on your confidence, on your self worth. But are you going to carry on giving room in your head to stories that don’t serve you? Or are you going to let go of those stories and move on? Over time we convince ourselves that that’s reality. And it’s actually just a story that we’re telling ourselves. You can tell a new one – a more empowering one – any time you like. Go ahead. Write a new story. Decide how you want your life to be and step into it.
The short cut
Even as I write the words ‘short cut’ I can feel my resistance rising. ‘Life isn’t meant to be simple’ I can hear myself saying. Sometimes it isn’t. But only if we choose for it to be hard.
We’ve talked a lot about the Hero’s Journey in this series. And I do believe that all of us end up on a journey – from who we are to who we are going to be. Yet that journey doesn’t have to be hard. And it doesn’t have to take years, either. We can become the heroes we want to become without the struggle. You see, we are, actually, already incredible, amazing, wonderful, heroic human beings. And the only thing that’s stopping you being that is you. So perhaps now would be a good time to get out of your own way and begin being the hero you truly are. That might mean deciding who you are – or who you want to be – and then stepping fully into that. You have the power to decide, you know… you’ve been given all the tools you need to make this life and incredible and wonderful adventure. I hope you do.
So.. what now? Well, I’d like to keep in touch. You can connect to me in a whole load of other ways:
Take a look at the blog at www.timhodgson.org/theblog
– and take a look at the rest of the great stuff on my web site at www.timhodgson.org
Connect to me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/journeyintopower
Find the ‘You Are Amazing’ series at http://timhodgson.org/amazing/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rememberyouareamazing/
And I Twitter on at twitter.com/TimothyHodgson
I really do hope that you’ve enjoyed this exploration of the Heroes that shape our lives. I hope you’ve learned something from the programme. But more than that I hope you feel totally inspired to truly live the adventure that is your life… life isn’t meant to be safe… it’s meant to be LIVED.
Remember:
“Heaven and hell are right here on earth. Hell is living your fears, heaven is living your dreams”
– Bonanza Jellybean, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Find out more at www.timhodgson.org
PS – If you missed any of the preceding parts of the programme – then catch up here: PREVIOUS CHAPTERS
