GOOD WILL HUNTING The Unsung Hero is You
By, Jessica Sitomer
The title says it all: This is a movie about Will Hunting. But would Will agree? The lead character in a film is dubbed "the hero", yet, in this story, there is most certainly an unsung hero. Would psychologist, Sean Maguire, consider himself the unsung hero? Probably not. Most unsung heroes never acknowledge themselves. Many don’t even know the impact they’ve had on others’ lives.
Take a moment to think about people who’ve impacted your life and probably don’t know it. In an article written about me recently, for my national sorority’s magazine, I acknowledged my chapter’s advisor and how I still use today, what I learned from her many years ago. She sent me a note that the acknowledgment made her cry and how she was so touched that I still thought of her.
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Now imagine all the people out there who feel that way about YOU. You don’t have to literally know who they are. It can be as simple as someone who cut you off in traffic because he was running late, and received a smile from you instead of a glare. That smile could have changed the series of events in his day and in doing so, the rest of his life.
YOU have been a drop of water in an ocean of lives, rippling out, impacting others. So many people are grateful to you, the unsung hero in their lives.
Why is this important to you? Because recognizing the impact of your actions can potentially eliminate an enormous amount of stress in your life. To figure out how, do today’s And Action! exercise.
Be the hero in your own life and the unsung hero in others’ lives!
And Action!
1. Write down 5 things people do that cause you stress (cutting you off in traffic, not picking up after their dog, speaking loudly on a cell phone in the middle of Trader Joes.)
2. For each of those 5 situations, write down your normal thoughts and actions when they occur.
3. Now imagine how you could be the unsung hero in those 5 situations, how with kindness, understanding, and patience, you can not only knowingly or unknowingly, help that person, but also reduce your own stress.
You never really know why people do what they do or why they act how they act. Perhaps they just lost their job, or a loved one, or gave up on their dream. It’s not for you to know WHY. If you practice giving them the benefit of the doubt and despite their actions, wish them well, you will not only be their unsung hero, you’ll also be a hero at peace.
Comments or questions on this article? Ask me now, at www.AndActionBook.blogspot.com where I answer a question per day.
