How will You Unleash the Hero in You this year?

In the midst of challenges like wars, poverty, hunger and injustice around the World; we ought not only to celebrate heroes, but we must ask ourselves about our contribution in solving these issues. “What are you doing for others?” is indeed a question that still resonates today.

As we celebrate Heroes day in a couple of days, let’s ask ourselves, can we be a hero?

Do you ever wonder what makes a person good or bad? We know that our world is filled with villain and heroes – and those in between. (Where many fall – me inclusive I confess…)

Look at this portrait by M.C. Escher presenting this idea. When you squint and focus on the white as the figures and the black as the background, you see a world full of angels dancing around happily. But now focus on the black as the figures and the white as the background: Now it’s a world full of demons.

What Escher is telling us is that the world is filled with angels and devils, goodness and badness, and these dark and light aspects of human nature are our basic yin and yang. That is, we all are born with the capacity to be anything. Because of our incredible brains, anything that is imaginable becomes possible; anything that becomes possible can get transformed into action, for better or for worse. 

While it is a fact that we are made up of both, what is equally clear is that ultimately we have the power to decide to unleash our better side – or not. So as we celebrate Heroes Day, my challenge is this;  how will you unleash the hero in you this year?

How can we – I am part of the challenge – build the focus on ‘others’ and shift from ourselves? 

If you are in for the challenge, let me share a few ideas on what you can do this year to unleash the hero within you

Help others

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”   Ralph Waldo Emerson

Endure hardships

“Heroes aren’t always the ones who win. They are the ones who lose sometimes. But they keep fighting. They keep coming up. They don’t give up. That’s what makes them heroes.” Cassandra Clare

Risk being uncomfortable

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”  T. S. Eliot 

Oppose Injustice

"Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are." Benjamin Franklin

There is so much we can do to make a difference around us. If we realize that a hero is an ordinary person who acts in an extraordinary way in a given situation, then we might begin to look at situations around us differently. Let’s not wait for someone else to solve issues that are dear to us when we can be that person. It is tempting to ignore injustice that happens in our work place, our communities just because we are not directly concerned, but we can also choose to be that person who will rise to the occasion. I believe heroes are also scared, but they choose to do it afraid.

As we remember our fallen Heroes this week and the everyday heroes who are defending a worthy cause, let us think of ways to unleash the hero in us this year? 

Happy Heroes Day!