From Wounds Come Superpowers

Where your wound lies, there you will find your superpower.

I've been working with superstars for a long time now. Brilliant, crazy world changers. Artists, musicians, authors, entrepreneurs, doctors. You name it.

And I've worked "in the trenches" with homeless people, the imprisoned, addicts, and severely mentally ill people.

They all have one thing in common: each possessed a superpower. Something so superior to ordinary human-ness that left you dazzled or afraid.

The difference between the two groups was that the former accepted and tapped into what made them weird or different. The latter denied it--covered it up, avoiding their calling.

I know this on a personal level. My life's journey has been about accepting that all the tough things in my life weren't there to make me suffer or destroy me. They were there to give me a superpower.

It looks like this:

You have a mental illness and suffer unimaginably. In seeking answers where none exist, you discover a ground-breaking therapy that helps the world.

You are incredibly sensitive--ethereal--but you are an outcast, and there are no tools to help you cope in this cold, cruel world. To feel better, you play your guitar and write songs. Your art inspires millions.

You are a weak child, so you train physically to get stronger and become a professional athlete.

Or, like my friend, you are a recovering addict who now helps teenagers overcome addiction and find their unique place on this earth.

I hope these real-life stories bring good news to those of you who have had to overcome adversity. Or abuse or the loneliness that comes with being entirely misunderstood by society. Or if you've gone through an incredibly challenging medical issue.

It is that thing that hurts the most--that place is where your superpower emerges.

Where your wound lies, there you will find your superpower.

Ask yourself this:

What is the most challenging thing I've endured? 

The answer is your starting point, but not the end of your story. 

Here is how you move on, find meaning, and embrace your superpower:

1. Reject the notion that you can't win.
2. Seek answers. Remember the adage, "When the student is willing, the teacher will appear." And in my experience, the teacher and the answers will likely appear in the most unexpected of places. 
3. Find the beauty. I'll give you one hint: you have experienced the deep need for kindness, grace, and help from others. This is the beginning of enlightenment and the single most valuable gift you could have been given.
4. Use what you've learned and use your gifts to help and inspire others.

Along the way, you will leave the nay-sayers behind and find your tribe of first broken, then brilliant stars like you. 

And even though you will find yourself translucent--big and bright and beautiful--you will still struggle. And there will always be the magic that comes from it. 

That is all. Amen. Now do it.

If you are struggling with the thought that you can be successful, you are my people. And you may want to take this class. Because the world needs what you have, and together we can make it happen.

#mentalhealthawareness #BPD #suicideprevention #suicideawareness #superpower

Neil Bockian Karyn Hall, Ph.D. Clearview Women's Center McLean Hospital