SCIENCE: PICTURE YOURSELF ON A HERO’S JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE

A team of researchers from the US and Canada are claiming that if a person pictures themself as being on a “hero’s journey” through life, it will enrich their sense of meaning. They broke a traditional hero’s journey into seven elements that translate to modern life: a lead protagonist, a shift of circumstances, a quest, a challenge, allies, a personal transformation, and a resulting legacy. The researchers found that those whose life stories contained more of these “hero’s journey” elements also reported higher levels of meaning, lower levels of depression, and people felt like they were a good person living a good life. They reported more novel experiences, ambitious goals, supportive friends, and so on, than the other participants.
* And then the researchers went back to their Batman comics.
* Can I wear a khaki outfit, leather jacket, fedora hat and carry a bullwhip in a holster?
* What if you start picturing your “hero’s journey” and suddenly some guy shows up who’s picturing himself as your “Arch Nemesis”?
* So, like, my circumstances were the toilet was clogged, I went on a quest for a plunger, I met a nice ally at Ace Hardware who understood my problem and sold me a plunger, and after I plunged the toilet I had created a lasting legacy to my world. I am Super Toilet Man. My life is enriched.
* Now if I can only get Vacuum Woman (or “Leaf Rake Boy”) to start on their quest, things would be pretty good around our house.