Who is the hero of your journey?
“The hero journey is inside of you; tear off the veils and open the mystery of your self.”
– Joseph Campbell
This summer, Homer's classic The Odyssey has been everywhere. The movie, reviews, interviews, opinion pieces – it's been impossible to ignore and inspiring to consider. Yet what has intrigued me most was a related episode of my favorite podcast, Hidden Brain, called You Are Not Ordinary.
In a Scientific American piece echoed in that episode, Ben Rogers and his colleagues demonstrate that viewing our challenges through the lens of the hero's journey can mean less depression, more resilience, and a deeper sense of meaning. That made me wonder: in what ways have I been living a hero's journey?
The shape of the journey
Why does the Odyssey still grip us thousands of years later? Across every culture, wisdom has traveled through stories – at bedtime, around campfires, in the tales we return to as adults: The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, even Harry Potter.
Joseph Campbell called this pattern the monomyth, or the hero's journey. He read Odysseus’ twenty-year struggle as a redemptive arc, moving from negative to positive. Our own life transitions are shaped in the same way as this arc: what we leave behind, the messy middle, the threshold to what's next.
Like Odysseus, the hero leaves the ordinary world, faces trials, gathers allies, meets the central challenge, and then returns transformed, carrying wisdom back to his community. Ben Rogers distills this into seven relatable elements. Here’s a view into one of my stories alongside each element, and I invite you to think of your own:
Who are you?
As the protagonist of my own story, I once lost an audition for a job with the Houston Symphony — one I had held temporarily and felt desperate to keep. As that chapter ended, I had to decide whether to return to my previous freelance work or to accept yet another temporary job in another city. Was I truly open to taking such a risk?
What has shifted?
Knowing that my time in Houston had come to an end, I felt driven to accept the faraway position, admittedly with some fear and reluctance, for a chance at a new beginning.
What is the quest?
As I moved away from the familiar, including dear friends and colleagues in Houston, my quest became to learn an entirely new job and city. I found obstacles in finding a new home, making new friends, and learning how to play in an entirely new orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra.
Who are your allies?
I was surprised to meet allies in that transition that I didn’t expect, ones I would never have met otherwise. The support of new neighbors, the encouragement of new teachers, and the camaraderie of new colleagues kept me moving forward and helped to restore my belief in myself.
What is your challenge?
My test came when a permanent position opened up in Minnesota. Preparing for that audition surfaced trials of every kind, including internal, negative self-beliefs I had to explore. Ultimately, my job was to rise to my highest potential, to be the very best I could be in that particular moment.
What has transformed?
Happily, I won that audition, but being pushed to quell my inner demons, to believe in myself at a higher level, led to meaningful internal growth. The confidence I gained in that chapter stayed with me and transferred into other areas of my life.
What is your legacy?
I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I not taken that risk, now more than thirty years ago. But more often, I think of how I might make a difference today. My hope is that my legacy will reflect the same qualities of those who have supported me along the way: courage, kindness, and genuine care for others. That's the mark I hope my own journey leaves behind.
So many heroes
My story is just one version of the journey, and I see the same shape in lives all around me, playing out in small chapters and larger arcs. A couple beginning to build a family leaves behind their life without children, and years later when their kids are launched, the parents begin a new life as free birds. Their child leaves for college or new adventures of their own, and the cycle begins again.
Journeys of epic proportions occur when a marriage ends and each person begins a new separate life, or when a long career transitions into a new phase of work or retirement. I have seen heroism in loved ones navigating harrowing health challenges, and in the poignancy of a friend accompanying and caring for her beloved husband and creative partner, as he loses his memory and sense of self.
Our own journey
We get to be the editors of our stories, and only we can weave together elements into our own narrative. In the process of reflecting or journaling, we explore, identify defining elements, and take a step back to see connections. We have the chance to replace old stories with new, empowering ones. When we look back, we ask, what has been my journey? And then, we can truly say, “I’ve been the hero of my own life.”
Would you like an ally on your journey? Support in discovering your quest and navigating your challenges? I'd love to offer a complimentary discovery session. Reach out — I'm here.
With warmth,
Wendy
