Your Hero’s Journey
Hello Friends,
There is a general idea about life that if something is right for us, everything will flow smoothly and end up just as we imagined. Sadly, this notion often sets us up for disappointment because such expectations do not align with the reality of how life works — quite the contrary. Personally, our life experiences and what we have learned from others show us that actually very little of what leads us down the road toward peace and authenticity is easy or flows smoothly. We would go so far as to say that life is fraught with hardship and challenges – even when we are on the right track.
The reality of life’s struggles is the reason many stories, both ancient and modern, follow the hero’s journey, as outlined by Joseph Campbell, and are filled with twists and turns, monsters and beasts, and hopelessness and despair.
The truth is, we are all on our own hero’s journey – and life is about facing and overcoming the different obstacles on our unique paths. There is no way around our struggles and no easy path. If we want to find our authenticity, and ultimately peace, the only way runs through our pain and difficulties. Feeling our fear, finding our courage, and pushing on one step at a time toward our goal.
Now, in our lives today, we aren’t up against minotaurs and other monsters found in mythology. Yet, we can learn something from these stories, as these creatures are metaphors for what is daunting and scaring us - all that we must overcome to proceed on our journey of growth, healing, and developing into the person we want to be and are meant to be.
These frightening creatures come in many forms, such as:
Speaking up and telling your family something you know they don’t want to hear
Quitting your “secure” job to follow your dream career
Starting a family
Admitting that you really don’t want to have children
Going back to school
Being vulnerable and telling someone you love them
Apologizing and owning your mistake
Whatever form our obstacles take, what we learn as we face these challenges helps us mature and become strong, both emotionally and mentally. Like working out at the gym, if our workout is light and comfortable, it won’t do anything for us. It is the resistance, the struggle, that builds the muscle – the success.
If you find yourself struggling today, please know that your struggle is part of your journey. If you are on the lookout for the path of least resistance, you might just miss the path that actually leads you where you want to go.
Take some time and look at how you got where you are, what decisions you could make to change your situation, and celebrate all you have learned and will learn. It is your journey, and you are the hero.
Many blessings,
Annette and Ada