When several unrelated obstacles arose recently, I broke down into tears and felt like a victim of circumstances. For days, my mind stayed in “woe is me” mode instead of considering what I could control and what actions I could take to improve the situation.
After working as an intern for President John F. Kennedy, Nora Ephron—who later became known as a legendary writer and filmmaker—applied to write for Newsweek and was told that they did not hire women writers, so she worked in the mailroom. When she quit that position because she was not allowed to write, she participated in a class action lawsuit against the magazine for sexual discrimination.
Nora took action, becoming the heroine in her life, not the victim—a trend that continued. She turned tragic life experiences into award-winning (and often hilarious) books, screenplays and films.
Of course, we need time to process life’s disappointments. Journaling can help us move from the depths of victimhood to a front-and-center protagonist. When we take time to write about and reflect on the ugly stuff we go through, we empower ourselves to move past it and shine. And when we keep at it, an inner resolve—our heroine self—is likely to appear when we need her most.
Sunday Journal Prompt
How can you view yourself as the shining hero in your life amid all the setbacks?
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