Are You the Hero of Your Story?

Photo taken of yours truly on my 40th birthday on Pemaquid Beach, Maine, as I was recovering from being in a wheelchair after my seven-year illness.

We all tell ourselves stories. That's how the human mind works. When we are in the flow of things, we are usually the hero of our story. Our stories can then serve us to create further flow in our lives.

But when we're stuck, in a rut, and feeling overwhelmed, the story we tell ourselves might be different. We can write a disempowering story for ourselves which centers around everything happening to us, rather than just happening as part of living life in a body on this Earth.

One thing that is certain, trials are temporary. They do not and cannot last forever. If you saw yourself in the scheme of the Hero's Journey, you might see your current part of the story in the "trials" timeframe, which is at the beginning of the transformation experience — and never promises to be easy. The trials of the Hero’s Journey can activate fear, anxiety, anger, and grief in us, as well as feelings of helplessness or hopelessness.

When I was ill, I unconsciously fed the frequency of my illness, and consequently became sicker. When I hit rock bottom, at Nursing Home Level of Care and in a wheelchair, I began to question the story I was telling myself that unconsciously fed my illness. I realized that it was up to me to rewrite my own story, even if it felt fictional at first. I understood that it was up to no one but me if I ever wanted to live a meaningful life of better quality.

During that time, I learned the difference between owning our story and becoming our story. When we become our story, we limit ourselves. We begin to define ourselves and box ourselves in with what our thinking mind tells us about ourselves in relation to the obstacles in front of us (or sometimes, all around us). We can also give our power away to that story too. But we are more than we think we are; our thinking mind is so very limited.

When we own our story, we take accountability for our mistakes and failures with grace. When we own our story, we grieve the abyss between what has actually been and what could have been. When we own our story, we take our power back and unlock our true potential. And, as we begin to own our story, we begin to see our lives with a new perspective: one that perceives our own role as the Hero. Then, we start to really root for ourselves.

I was once told by a physical therapist that I was "truly disabled," and the intimation was to not try physically pushing myself any longer, as I should not expect more. Not long after that disappointment, I told a spiritual teacher that I wanted to complete my shamanic training and run my own business someday. She replied, “Well, remember, you are disabled,” implying that I should approach my dreams with a sense of caution because dreaming big wasn’t for “disabled people.” Thankfully, there was an inherent voice from within me that refused to listen to those naysayers.

Living life in a body can place intense challenges at our feet. No matter the path, we all must experience cycles of life, death, and rebirth in various ways and for a variety of reasons (usually for reasons unknown to us at the time). Sometimes, challenges serve as a catalyst to another life awaiting us that we would otherwise have never dreamed up. Changing the perception of who you are in your story as an individual of strength and power, while having the capacity to transform your current circumstances despite incredibly challenging situations, is the key to unlocking agents of positive change within.

Push aside your doubts and dream up what lives and breathes in your heart — and what you intuitively feel is your future.

What is the story you're telling yourself? Are you the hero in it?

I truly hope so.