My Shero’s Journey

My own Shero’s Journey began the moment I heard the branch crack. It was my “call to adventure,” as Joseph Campbell would have (euphemistically) called it. I surrendered to falling, and so said “yes” to the journey.

There was an immediate reward – a feeling of bliss – while still in the air. But there were countless challenges still to come. As I faced each one – managing my new body, an inaccessible world, crushing emotions – I received increasing gifts. A flood of insight. Bursts of joy. Developing romance. And finally, a compulsion to share the story of my experience thus far.

When I saw the transformation that story inspired, I realized I now had a gift to give. In Campbell’s terms, my story was the “elixir of life” wrought by my journey, and it was time to share the prize. I had a new sense of purpose and fierce determination (both benefits of my relationship with paralysis). I crafted my one-woman show and began performing and speaking across the country.

But I didn’t yet have the language of “Shero.” Nor did I have the breadth of understanding I have today. My journey was ongoing, shaped by new challenges – giving birth to my son; treating a benign brain tumor. Shortly after I began coaching, I made the connection to Joseph’s Campbell’s work and realized I had a new “elixir” to share.

Engaging life’s challenges instead of fighting or avoiding them had become a way of life for me. And the benefits were ever-present. I knew it was an approach that needed to be shared. So I looked back at my own journey, the attitudes I had and actions I took, the lessons I learned. And I codified it. That codification became the Shero’s Way™.

I am a breathing example of Shero. My life – beginning a few months before my fall to today – exemplifies the Shero’s Journey and what it can bring. As a result of my journey, I now carry gems: The re-imagined Shero’s Journey and the Shero’s Way™, for facing change, challenge, and adversity in modern times. These gems are now mine to give.