Application of Hero’s Journey lens - Anecdote

Thanks for stopping by! As I’m sure you read in the newsletter, I gave examples in career, relationships, and in education, but I thought, let’s give something a little closer to home that you can see as an example that I have actually been through and what it has led to by using, ‘The Hero’s Journey’ cycle as a lens to help me accomplish my goals, and then go further.

I decided for this blog, I’m going to do the exercise and answer each of the questions. At the moment, I am finding it hard to see myself as the Hero in my own story. I see so many amazing people out there, and influencers I follow, and I’m sure like many readers; you start to compare, feel inadequate, and it can spiral down a rabbit hole real fast if you’re not too careful. It’s why I’ve become extremely selective on channels I subscribe to on YouTube, and those I follow on Instagram, Twitter, and FaceBook (I’m going to be writing a whole other newsletter and blog on this, so we’ll save that for another time.

Figure 1: The Hero’s Journey cycle - From TED video found here

Now, on to the exercise, I’m keeping the picture above so you can also have a visual for this:

Take a moment to reflect 🪞 - Where are you in your Hero’s Journey at the moment? Are you in a stage of the Hero’s journey?

I guess I would say I’m in the, ‘Trials’ section. I’m learning and mastering new skills. I wouldn’t say it’s exciting; if anything, it’s just a number of repeating cycles, and the hardest part is holding on to enough energy, motivation, and perseverance to keep going. Keeping and having resilience in this time is hard, especially when it drags on, and there isn’t much change in your personal circumstances. This time also involves being willing to learn, grow, adapt, and try new things along the way, stay optimistic, and be a positive influence to encourage and help others out. But really, even that is hard to do.

Just got to make strategies and processes to keep going, but above all, hold on to hope, and keep working towards the goals and dreams. I honestly believe that:

Even one small step forward is better than none at all. These small steps will accumulate over time, and make something big happen, you just have to keep going.

I think it’s in this section when we find it the hardest, at least for me, to still think you’re even the hero in your own story at all. Mainly because everything is a grind, it’s hard work, and you keep seeing other amazing people and consciously, or subconsciously, you’re comparing yourself to them, and generally feeling worse about yourself.

Can you see yourself as the hero in your story at the moment? Remember, you’ve already been through the Hero’s Journey a few times already through school, career, parenthood, etc., there’s all sorts of different areas, so why not in life and lifestyle as well?

So, funnily enough, when I wrote this, it wasn’t until I had to really look at and analyse that I had done this cycle a few times before, that I even started to believe that I could be the hero in my own story. I found that analysis actually to help me believe, and that now I can use and make more of a conscious effort to see myself as the hero, and not focus so much on others and their stories. They have their journeys, and I have mine. I can let myself be inspired by them, but if I need to be careful to not compare or go down bad rabbit holes I don’t want to visit.

Is there a Hero’s Journey you want to embark on?

Yes, there is, one where I can see myself as the hero a lot more and can help others in a much greater capacity than I do now, but there are a few things in the background, in general life, and career that I would like to do first. Once those goals are achieved, then I would like to embark on the next Hero’s journey.

I guess for me, that next Hero’s Journey actually would have the, ‘Crisis’ stage all the way up to the ‘Resolution’ happen all at once. The new Status Quo would be very short-lived, and I would be immediately answering the next, ‘Call to Adventure’. But that’s a surprise for later, so we’ll both have to wait and see 😜

On writing this, I feel like today, I’m actually needed to hear my own teaching 😅, just for the self-encouragement. A little extra that was posted on Instagram, that helped me, I wanted to repeat here, but again, I’m going to answer each question:

“You get to choose how to live your life right? Each day you write one more day of your story by your choices. Doesn’t that make you the hero? 🦸

Yes. Ultimately, each day, my choices are my own, so by choosing how I live, I choose a part of how the story is written. Therefore, I can’t really deny, that whether I like it or not, I am the hero in my story, and now I just have to figure out what choices I make. I can’t choose the circumstances that happen to me, but I can choose how I respond to them. I can also choose to see and seize the opportunities to make life more enjoyable and exciting. I just have to look for them! 👀

How do you want to live your story? ❣️

I want to make a community of people where we can encourage each other to live the best possible lives we can. People who can find synergy, who can make good, positive choices that are sustainable in the long-term and help them become the best, and happiest they can be. For me, I want to learn also how to apply and create synergies, and teach others about them and how they can use and share these with others.

I want to be a positive and encouraging influence to those around me to give them hope.

I also want to be able to do things in my own life that are healthy, long-term, and sustainable. At the moment, that would be:

Mastering Norwegian (at least B2 level)
Being able to start and continue with Jiu-Jutsu for long term fitness (stamina, strength, and flexibility)
Beekeeping, working with other beekeepers and making various products on a farm of my own.
Working with /caring for other animals in some aspect, either wildlife, or domestic, or both!
Helping people and animals in physiotherapy and learning more in fields of medical physics.
Make and sell artworks whether they are on t-shirts, posters, toys, keychains etc. Something that people enjoy wearing that can be encouraging, fun, or just give people a laugh or a reason to smile. Also would love to make at least one board game with expansions, and maybe even do a few things with Dungeons and Dragons too!
Have a few published books, and be a genuinely positive influence on social media (Instagram, X, FaceBook, and YouTube)
Living a life that others can see and relate to, and be inspired by. E.g. An inspiring lifestyle that isn’t hyper-glamorized, a highlight reel, or just some travel blog that makes it look like I’m on vacation all the time just to get views. Also being able to teach this to others and help them achieve it too. Includes collaboration with others and working in a community of like-minded people.
Make a new type of business example/model that helps all employees genuinely feel valued, a part of the team, and that they are doing something worthwhile. Something that helps employees feel happy and accomplished at work.

The last part to quote from that Instagram post to think about:

“Live with hope 🙏, have goals, and go after them! 🏇

Make life exciting! You only get one life, so live it!

…

When I started seeing The Hero’s Journey like this and could see how I’ve been through it already, it has helped me to use it more intentionally for future goals. I hope it does the same for you too!”

Instagram post uploaded: 17 July 2024 at 10am

That’s it for this blog, I’m going to try and keep these shorter now, but I hope this has helped and inspired you, especially if you read this far.

Catch you in the next one!

Cheers!