You Are Your Own Superhero!

Like all of us, GMon’y should get a little break, so here I am (GM-BFF) filling in. It’s the least I can do, given everything GM has done for me, especially lately. So, I’m taking a stab at offering some thoughts and some thought-provoking ideas.

I’m a big fan of self-awareness and reflection, especially as part of ongoing efforts toward self-improvement, so I’m always interested in new ways to approach the reflection process. Recently, as I was struggling through a particularly tough episode (and expressing some wishes about being rescued), one of my friends said something that really got me thinking: “You are your own superhero!” Now, I know this isn’t an original line—too bad, because it would be great to think that this friend came up with it on his own—but regardless, it really struck me and stayed with me. It presented an opportunity for an interesting intellectual exercise: what are my super-powers, what are my weaknesses, and what is Kryptonite to me? I didn’t venture into the more fashion-focused aspects of being a superhero, but I suppose that could be a fun game as well—figuring out what kind of costume I’d wear. I could certainly tap into some Wonder Woman influences!

What are my super-powers? Hmmm… I think my strong sense of self and self-confidence are the main things that give me a lot of my power and help me tackle challenges. Knowing what’s important to me and who I really am makes it possible for me to cut through a lot of the b.s. and distractions that life throws my way. That’s not to say that I maintain my powers at full strength all of the time, but I suppose every superhero has those lapses from which they must recover and grow stronger.

Against what am I powerless? This is an interesting question to tackle. The first things that came to mind are sort of silly, but very powerful in their own ways. The first thing is: vodka. I don’t mean that I have a weakness for it; I mean that it knocks me on my butt, even just a tiny sip of it. It is seriously like Kryptonite to me, in a very bad way (can you say “instant hangover?”). Bad, bad, bad. Next: a guy wearing Polo cologne (the one in the dark green bottle). Seriously, this smell bowls me over and makes me weak in the knees. I must admit that I’ve had it happen multiple times where I’m in a big crowd and all of a sudden feel like I’m swooning; after a second or two, I realize that I’m getting a whiff of Polo cologne. I think I might even fall for an old tennis shoe if it were wearing Polo. Yum.

On a slightly more serious note, the thing that really zaps my powers is being aware of other people’s pain and heartbreak. When I know that someone I love is hurting in any way, it slams me to the ground. (I’m skipping over an examination of my boundary issues for now…) By nature, I’m a fixer; I want to be able to make everything better for the people I love. Not being able to make things “all better!” for someone is tough for me, and far too often can make me just spin my wheels trying to figure out something—ANYTHING—to do. Of course, trying to take action just for the sake of taking action isn’t always the best use of one’s energy, and it certainly can deplete me. Ah, Kryptonite, you do slay me.

The more I’ve played with this simple phrase that my friend said to me, and claimed it as my own—I am my own superhero!—I see how it can apply to so many parts of my life. It resonates with me when I’m being independent and self-reliant. It serves as a warning to me when I forget to lean on the other members of my group of superheroes. It reminds me to be on the lookout for Kryptonite. Fortunately, it also helps me see some of the crazier things that happen in life as just one more episode of a cartoon. BAM! POW!