Becoming Your Own Superhero: A young person’s guide
September 15, 2021 | by Helen Morrison
Since human beings have been able to talk, we have told tales of heroes. From Hercules to Superman, every culture in history has shared stories about amazing heroes who fight their enemies, and win. The hero’s journey touches upon a big part of the human spirit: mainly, our resilience (our ability to back bounce after a bad experience), our hope, and our need to create meaning through stories.
So, how do we become our own superhero? Our sense of self is created through the stories we tell ourselves about the things that have happened to us, and how we reacted to them. These stories not only help us to make sense of the past, but also help us to make sense of things happening in the present and future. With this in mind, let’s begin your superhero transformation!
1. Discover your values!
Values are the beliefs we have about what is good and bad or right and wrong (e.g. honesty, respect, love, cooperation). What often makes heroes so inspiring is their values and their ability to behave in a way that lines up with those values. Think about your heroes. What is it about them that inspires you? By discovering what you admire about your heroes, you can discover your values. Once you have discovered your values, you have completed your first step towards superherodom!
2. Think about your powers!
All people have powers (strengths) that make them unique and special. What are your special powers? What is good about you? What makes you the hero of your own story?
Download and print one of our superhero templates:
3. Telling your story
The most powerful thing about superheroes is their ability to overcome challenges. Their stories would be pretty boring if bad things didn’t happen to them! It’s the bad things that happen to them, mixed in with their strengths that make the stories so amazing. It’s time to tell your story from the perspective of the hero. What has happened in your life? What were the good things? What or who were the challenges you had to overcome to get to where you are? How did you use your powers to win?
Download and print the storyboard template and start telling your own story:
4. Become your own superhero right now!
Now that you’ve made your journey through this article, it is time to put Superyou to the test! How do you want to feel? How do you want to behave in the face of challenges? Who do you want to be? Write your story!
It’s time for you to live your life and be the superhero you were born to be.