“Who is your hero?”
In a recent staff training at STRiV, this was the opening question posed by Executive Director, Dr. Clark Hammond. That simple 4-word question can initiate some profound sharing. Ultimately though, it comes down to who inspires you, and the deeply personal, motivational meanings of the heroic journey they’ve traveled.
One of our core principles at STRiV is “Courage Over Comfort.” The alliteration is snappy, the meaning profound. But the purpose of that opening question, “who is your hero?” was to help us – individually and collectively – move the principle of “Courage Over Comfort” from a catch phrase to an experience. To wrestle with it. To live it.
As we shared thoughts and stories about heroes, there were a few well-known examples. But not surprisingly, the real heroes in our personal lives weren’t historical figures, sports legends, or feature film stars. They were much more up-close and personal. It was a mother overcoming obstacle after obstacle. A brother beating the odds. A friend showing great courage and vulnerability navigating a painful time of life. Or a colleague finally mustering the courage to fight THROUGH the fear, rather than giving in or retreating to the safety of their all-to-familiar comfort zone. In many ways, our heroes are ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges with bravery and a smile, even if it’s forced.
We were reminded that for many of our students, being at STRiV, with both the struggles and the victories, takes a level of courage we may not recognize. As we thought about the heroic journey of the day-to-day, we began to see our students through a new set of lenses. To see them more clearly. To understand that for some, simply getting up to face a new day is an act of courage. Showing up to class after missing one was no easy feat. Saying “yes” to the social activity, or creating a health plan with the wellness mentor, or acknowledging their self-defeating behaviors – all examples of bravery in motion.
We’d like to think that our emphasis on building strong, working relationships with our students helps to inspire some of that bravery. But there’s no denying the powerful element of reciprocity: seeing our students battle, choosing courage over comfort again and again, illuminates the heroism in them, and inspires it within us. In turn, we fight through our own fears, step out of our comfort zones to battle our own struggles. While we may not be anyone’s “hero,” there is power in navigating the bumpy road of life together, inspiring each other to choose courage over comfort.
We love what Irvin Yalom once said that relates to this very point: “I prefer to think of my patients and myself as fellow travelers, a term that abolishes distinctions between ‘them’ (the afflicted) and ‘us’ (the healers). …We are all in this together, and there is no therapist and no person immune to the inherent tragedies of existence.”
As fellow travelers, we invite you to reflect on YOUR heroes. Who inspires you? We invite you to see the bravery around you, and perhaps even make the choice of “courage over comfort” in some aspect of your own journey. You’ll undoubtedly feel renewed motivation from those who inspire you. And, you may also unwittingly be a source of inspiration to others as well.
Travel on, brave, beautiful soul!
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