Healing Voices on the Way to Re-discovery
There is a voice out there for everyone. Someone exists who can be a source of inspiration and hope for you. This person can help you navigate difficult times by showing you what it means to persevere, be brave, and support those who are less fortunate and in need of help. That person could be a close friend, an artist, a character in a film or book, a teacher, an activist, or a singer—it could be anyone, as long as they can articulate what you are experiencing and set an example that inspires you.
It is enlightening when someone can name what our hearts know but struggle to acknowledge. It empowers us to rise above our circumstances and present ourselves in the world as we desire. It is comforting to know that someone understands our struggles. Those who provide these experiences are the heroes of our lives. I define a hero as someone who embodies our deepest longings and desires. A hero helps us find strength and resilience in the face of hardship.
I recently shared on my Instagram stories that one of my heroes is Mariah Carey. While we all recognize Mariah as one of the best singers in the world, her influence on me goes beyond her incredible voice — it's the stories she tells through her songs. When I was a pre-teen, her lyrics gave voice to feelings I was too young to express. Her music validated my emotions and made me feel less alone. Observing her overcome numerous challenges to achieve her success inspired me to keep going, showing me that it's possible to rise above difficulties. This experience highlights just how powerful and healing other people's stories can be.
My heroes today are my clients. I am constantly in awe of how they show up for themselves week after week, often forgetting and then remembering their 'why'. I am deeply moved by their courage to keep going during the darkest times. When I witness them reach a point where they recognize their worthiness and inherent goodness—not just through intellectual understanding, but from a profound, experiential inner knowing—I am reminded of how precious and meaningful human life truly is. What a gift!
Here's the most amazing thing about heroes: I believe they reflect our own qualities. My therapist recently shared a quote that encapsulates this idea perfectly: "The person you wish you were is who you really are but haven't yet learned to be" (Parks, p. 160). Our heroes help us recognize and embrace our whole selves. In the words of Mariah Carey,
"There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away."
I invite you to reflect on the heroes in your life. What qualities do they possess? How do they navigate the world? What about them inspires and awe you? Now, consider that all the qualities and ways of being they demonstrate are also within you.
I leave you with some food for thought: Could it be that you are not any less than the heroes you admire? What if the beliefs that say you are not like them are the real 'villains'? What if these healing thoughts are reminders of your journey to rediscovering your wholeness? How are you already being your own hero right now?
Continue to search for that hero within you. You are worthy of recognition and admiration.
Quote source: Counsellor's Guide to Park's Inner Child Therapy by Penny Parks (p.160).
Lyrics source: Mariah Carey from the song 'Hero'
