Know you’re limitations, and getting the help you need.
/I was a very young man when I first began studying the great mythologist and storyteller Joseph Campbell. I first saw him on a television series with Bill Moyer called ‘The Power of Myth’. This was in 1988, and Joseph had become popular because he had written a book called ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’ many years before (1949) and movie director George Lucas had credited that book as the basis for the ‘Star Wars’ story. The story structure that Joseph Campbell had uncovered for us can be fund worldwide in all cultures. That story structure is called ‘The Hero’s Journey’.
The Hero’s Journey is the path that each of us takes through life, and often we have the opportunity for many such journeys. In our Family Grit training programs, both the on-line course and in our workshops, we utilize the Hero’s Journey pattern to flesh out the uniqueness of our own life’s journey from early life to adulthood, and from harsh challenges to finding the signature strengths that define our best, most authentic selves.
On my own journey, around the same time I had come into contact with a man who become an important mentor in my life, Dr. Robert Moore. Dr. Moore is a Jungian psychologist and professor of psychology in Chicago, just south of where I live in Wisconsin. I was young, and eager to make myself into someone who could serve the greater good, and I told this to Dr. Moore. This was a lucky encounter for me, with a man of great depth and maturity.
He listened carefully and at the end of our conversation he said ‘ Mike, I want you to remember two things’. I agreed. He went on to say ‘First, you’ve got to know your limitations’. I let that sink in a moment, and Dr. Moore waited patiently as I thought it through. Of course, I remembered the Clint Eastwood line from one of the ‘Dirty Harry’ movies, but I understood that Dr. Moore wanted me to comprehend something. He wanted me to get a feel for human limits. Dr. Moore went on to say, ‘ and second, get the help you need’.
These two bits of wisdom, know your limitations, and get the help you need, became cornerstones for me in my life. We explore the ‘Limit Questions’ thoughtfully in both the Family Grit on-line training and in our workshops. For now, take a moment of self reflection for yourself. Breathe. Consider the following questions...
In your best estimation, how many more years do you expect to live? How do you intend to live them?
How much time do you spend each day on your most valued relationships? Do you want to make any adjustments to how you allocate your precious time?
I hope these (seemingly) simple thoughts help you restore or maintain your resilience and live your own Hero’s Journey with bravery, joy, and self compassion.
Dr. Mike
Special Needs Dad, Chiropractor, Servant Leader