We all tend to place ourselves at the center of the story in our consciousness. It is natural. We know what we have experienced, and it is hard to know much outside of that. This is the crux of the Dunning-Kruger effect that causes us to incorrectly overestimate our abilities in some areas, and as we become more skilled, experience its opposite: Imposter Syndrome. I’m hearing a lot of “main character energy” discussions today, which is a fun way to consider one’s own self-empowerment. But what if we aren’t the main character in the story?

What if, on the hero’s journey, we are not the hero? What if we are the mentor? What if we are the ally, the guardian, the shadow, or the trickster? Would you play your life’s roll differently if you pictured your place in the story differently? While everyone has a story to tell in which they are the central character, there might be something to thinking about your larger role in your family, your group, your life – where do you fit on the collective plotline?

I know where I am, and it makes me feel better about the choices I make. Realizing my role has helped me to let go of a lot of self-recrimination because I wasn’t up to playing the other parts. Think it over. Have a conversation with others about this. Who are you?
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