You will get what you want out of life
if you become who you really are.
Uncover the SKILLS OF HEROES within YOU To Build a Strong Foundation for Lifelong Well-Being
Introductory Lecture 1/2: The Guide for YOUR complete Heroic Identity
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A Deep-Dive into
the Positive Identity Model
The Positive Identity Model (PIM) brings together the most important aspects of identity which relates to individual growth and development within the discipline of positive psychology. It is based on the 'Tree of Life', a coaching model by Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener (2010) and the 'Berliner Entwicklungsmodel' by Dr. Christin Çelebi and Dr. Judith Mangelsdorf (2020).
But the Positive Identity Model is more than just a theoretical framework; it's a living symbol for life itself. Just like a tree, life is a cycle of growth, change, and renewal. Each part of this tree—from its nourishing soil to its flourishing branches—contributes to your overall well-being.
As you gain awareness of these concepts and implement them in your life, you'll be going from merely existing in this life to creating your hero identity for a life of genuine fulfillment.
Introductory Lecture 2/2: Senshi Skill Tree as personal map for your Training
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Introductory Lecture 2/2: Senshi Skill Tree as personal map for your Training
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This Senshi Skill Tree is like a skill tree from video games but for your real life. You know how in RPGs you allocate skill points or experience points to become stronger, smarter, or more agile? The Senshi Skill Tree works similarly, but the skills you're leveling up are essential for authentic well-being IRL.
But there's a twist: these skills are interconnected. A change in one area of the Senshi Skill Tree ripples through your entire life, influencing your values, strengths, and life areas.
No two heroes are the same; your Senshi Skill Tree is uniquely tailored to your lived experiences and personal goals. Every choice you make, every step you take, the Senshi Skill Tree evolves with you.
The Positive Identity Model is like a skill tree from video games but for your real life. You know how in role play games you allocate skill points or experience points to become stronger, smarter, or more agile? PIM works similarly, but the elements you're leveling up are essential for becoming who you actually are, below layers of social conditioning and following social norms.
BUT:
This work is not for everyone. If you think, it's just another theoretical psychology model and stupid exercises with no real-life value, then this is not for you and you can continue living life the way you want.
But if you value self-honesty, self-commitment and self-integrity and you know deep down that life has much more to offer for you, then continue. Dare to get really honest with yourself and ask yourself in every answer and exercise: what would the mightiest version of you, your hero identity, do? Would they do the work or slack off after trying once? Spend the time looking into their hidden depths or rather scroll social media? Risk getting judged and laughed at and do their thing? Or conform to the mediocrity most people call their life?
ARE YOU READY?
Start exploring!
From here on you find six classes about each element of the Positive Identity Model.
Above is the recommended order of classes...
… or you choose the topic that speaks to you the most right now!
… or you choose the topic that speaks to you the most right now!
Start exploring the Skills of Heroes within you for Lifelong Well-Being!
From here on you find six Classrooms with Courses from the Senshi Hero Academy.
Above is the recommended order of Classes or you choose the Classroom that speaks to you the most right now!
RESOURCES
CLASS
... Exhausted?
Use your inner and outer resources to navigate life's quests.
VALUES
CLASS
... Triggered?
Uncover your inner moral compass to make choices that align with your true self.
STRENGTHS
CLASS
... Bored?
Discover your unique abilities and turn them into your super powers.
MEANING
CLASS
... Unfulfilled?
Learn how to identify and pursue quests that add meaning to your life.
HIGHER CONNECTION & DEATH AWARENESS CLASS
... Hopeless?
Connect with higher powers and understand the cycle of life and death.
CHALLENGES &
GROWTH CLASS
Your past is in the past. Look at your whole life through a new lens of growth and possibility.
Hi, there! ଲ(ⓛ ω ⓛ)ଲ Are you also taking Positive Identity Classes? Then we are fellow students here at Senshi Hero.
I am CATMAN. Nice to meet you! (/ =ω=)/
My heroic transformation journey started when I fell deep after climbing high on the career ladder. Depression, chronic ear ringing, no more will to actually live life, but no energy to do something about it as well.
Slowly, veeery slowly I looked into myself, especially those uncomfortable and confronting places I ignored for decades... and I allowed healing and acceptance which created hope and transformation into a new me. Allowed actually means worked for it. Like you are here for, right? Let's do the work to become who we need to be to get what we want from life! (TヮT) ｡ﾟ
CLASSROOM ABOUT YOUR INNER & OUTER RESOURCES
3 Stages to internalize Your Skill
Aware: What are Resources?
I Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
The earth or soil represents the resources you have in your life, anything that nurtures your growth and wellbeing. Like a tree rooted in fertile soil that nourishes its growth, these resources provide the basic necessities that help you create and sustain a fulfilling life within your own ecosystem (Niemiec, 2018).
When you are in a negative emotional state, you sometimes feel like there is no way out. You don't even remember what made you feel positive emotions before. Nothing makes sense anymore. And that's totally normal and not your fault! When in a negative state, you (or your brain) narrow your attention, making you miss the forest for the trees (Fredrickson, 1998). You literally cannot SEE the resources available!
This is not about going from sad to happy-go-lucky and ignore your problems away by feeling positive momentarily.
First of all, positive emotions help us think more clearly and creatively. When we are feeling peaceful or curious, we are more likely to be open to new opportunities and ideas.
Also, positive emotions can undo negative emotions. Mild joy and contentment can eliminate the stress experienced at a physiological level.
Explore: What are YOUR Resources?
II Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
Take pen & paper or open your notes app and reflect on the following questions:
- What supporting resources exist in your life currently. What provides nourishment and facilitates your growth in this life experience you are going through? Example: Close friends, trustworthy colleagues, psychotherapy or coaching, a healthy body, personal passions, education, a place where you feel safe.
-What supporting resources are missing that would support you even more in this situation?
-Does your “soil” contain any metaphorical pesticides or toxins that are polluting your life?
Example: People who openly criticize the way you live your life, who belittle you for your feelings, who feel toxic to you.
Apply: Now use 'em!
III Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
How to not forget that you actually HAVE resources available:
Place them somewhere they cannot be overlooked!
Visible: Do you like photos or images?
Make a scrapbook or Pinterest board with symbols for your resources and hang it in your kitchen or use it as desktop background.
Readable: You like to read books, articles or listen to podcasts?
Collect quotes from your favourite authors or speakers and put them either in a note app, your journal, or on your mirror.
Audible: You love listen to music, specific songs or maybe speeches?
Make a playlist on the topics of your resources or even one per resource.
Kinesthetic: Are you more tactile?
Create a "Love Box" filled with loving messages from friends, photos moments of joy, meaningful collectibles.
You get the idea, right? It may sound too easy and maybe you tell yourself "I KNOW all of this, but when I feel bad, I feel bad." Well, this is where the rubber hits the road:
Do you choose to continue feeling bad, resulting in having less ideas on how to solve your problem?
Or do you choose to tap into your resources, get into a more productive state of mind and become open to being more creative and solution-focused?
Complaining is easy, doing the work is not.
Being aware of your resources is not enough - you have to radically and unapologetically use them!
When I was physically at my lowest, I quit my job: a well-paid leadership position. I could not bear the thought to meet my employees or superiors and be bombarded by their nosy questions. My resourceful solution: social support. I called my ex-colleague and friend to come to my office on a Sunday, we packed my things and left without turning back.
CLASSROOM ABOUT YOUR VALUES
3 Stages to internalize Your Skill
Aware: What are Values?
I Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
Your values are the foundational principles that guide your decisions and actions, shaping your interactions with the world. They anchor your identity, so that your choices and life path align with your truest self and deepest convictions (Mangelsdorf, 2020). Basically, values are about what someone wants to be doing with their life. They're like motivations for certain behaviours. Goals can be achieved and fulfilled, but values can't.
They are the 'why' behind your every action. Why stay? Why leave? Why fight? Why choose this job? Your values have the answers.
Explore: What are YOUR Values?
II Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
If you don't know YOUR values, you're always living according to someone else's values (parents, partner, society...).
Look at your life and you know your subconscious values. You have no money? Then it's not valuable enough for you. No time for your children? Not enough romance in your close relationship?
How to change that? Become aware of your values and choose what you want your life to be about.
Clicking the link below opens up a Google excel sheet that you can copy for yourself. It is a simple exercise that helps you discover and then rank your values.
Apply: Now walk the talk!
III Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
Done? Your value hierarchy shows what you should focus on when making decisions, if you want to create a life you value. Value congruence is the extent to which your behaviour is consistent with the stated value.
So take the time to translate your values from ideals to behaviours. Otherwise, they’ll just be a poster on the wall. What actions support your values?
- e.g. Vulnerability -> I commit to having difficult conversations with my partner. I actively ask for feedback from my colleagues. I share my honest thoughts when asked, even if it’s uncomfortable. I own my mistakes and discuss them in an open and honest way.
Create micro-habits that support your values for everyday-fulfillment.
- e.g. Vulnerability -> Whenever someone asks how I am doing, I avoid the word “fine” and answer in a full sentence.
Oooooi!!! Nice to meet you! o(≧▽≦)o
I’m the Senshi Hero TAIGA. Catman is my partner!
I never cared about knowing my values until my romantic and my professional life started falling apart. I was an unfulfilled zombie, dragging myself to work every day, delivering poor results and spending passionless time with my partner, literally going through the motions at work and at home (╥﹏╥).
After a few years of indecisive suffering, I knew I had to make a choice. Security, trusted safety, financial stability, social norms, the known world... or risky choices, self-actualization, creative freedom, loneliness, uncertainty and the unknown. 〣( ºΔº )〣
I was too scared to just quit, so I went to a coach for support. She helped me gain clarity about what I wanted my life to be about. I took the plunge and quit my job and ended my romantic relationship of 9 years. (⊙_⊙)
CLASSROOM ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER STRENGTHS
3 Stages to internalize Your Skill
Aware: What are Strengths?
I Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
Think back to school. Was there a time when your teacher returned your exam and all you saw were red marks? Highlighting missing points, mistakes and wrong answers? And this happened again and again, maybe even for decades if you continued your education.
It's no wonder we're all so used to looking for flaws in ourselves. Thinking that fixing the weaknesses will make us better, healthier, more successful and attractive.
But what if that’s a lie?
Research says, let’s move from what’s wrong to what’s strong, and use what’s strong to overcome what’s wrong.
There are many different categories of “strength” in human beings – strengths of character, of talent/ability, of interest/passion, of skill/competency, to name a few. A strength approach (for anything in life) is self-sustaining because people like to use their best assets. Unlike the case of overcoming weaknesses, which can be motivationally challenging to the best of us, applying strengths is fun and rewarding.
The emerging study of character strengths has seen many important contributions in research and practice in recent decades (which is a crucial detail looking at how user-unfriendly science can be).
The leading character strengths scientist Dr. Ryan Niemiec defines them as “positive personality traits that reflect our basic identity, produce positive outcomes for ourselves and others, and contribute to the collective good” (Niemiec, 2018). Character strengths can be seen as capacities for thinking, feeling and behaving. The potential for superpower everybody has within.
Researchers have studied character strengths in many different areas. These include businesses, education, healthcare, mental health, relationships, achievement, stress management and parenting (VIA Institute, 2021). A recent theory suggests that your strengths are relevant in all phases of life: the good times, the bad times and the everyday (Niemiec, 2020).
Explore: Use your Super Strength Vision
II Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
One formal approach to character strengths is using the VIA Classification of Character Strengths, which is like a dictionary, a “common language” to understand what is best in human beings (Peterson and Seligman, 2004) and involves doing a a free research-based strength assessment, scientifically validated in many cultures, available in many languages, with nearly 35 million users.
But let's be a little informal and adventurous, shall we? We humans like to surround ourselves with stories that we like. And there are often certain characters with whom we have a deep connection, they inspire us or we identify with them. Perhaps someone or something immediately comes to mind? Who is this character? Anything is possible! Characters from films, books, comics, cartoons, anime, manga, video games, fairy tales.... Superheroes, animals, angels, dinosaurs, aliens.... whatever pops up!
Sometimes it also helps to think back to your childhood. The following questions can help you to dig deeper:
- Are there certain stories that you like to read now or in your childhood? Films that you watched over and over again? Or series that you could never miss?
- Did you sometimes pretend to be a certain character as a child? Did you ever dress up as someone special? For carnival, Halloween, conventions or other events?
- Were or are there characters that you liked to draw? Or whose quotes or songs you like?
If you have found one (for now), journal on the following questions.
- Why do I like this character?
- What are their strengths and inspiring qualities?
- How do they manifest themselves in the story, in the character's life or in their interaction with others?
- What do these qualities have to do with me?
- Which of these qualities do I actually have or inspire me?
If you're at a loss of words to describe positive qualities, that's totally normal! We've been socialized in a way that highlighting your strengths is bragging.
This is where the formal strength test can help. Head over to VIA Character Strengths
and look at their list of 24 well-researched character strengths. If you're brave or curious, you can also take the VIA survey.
Apply: Put Your Hero Identity into Action
III Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
Imagine that these traits of your character are YOUR yet unrealized strengths. Your strength capacities.
How can you use these to achieve new levels of success or to come closer to your goal? The next time you face a scary moment and start doubting yourself, try an experiment and ask yourself:
“What would this character do right now?”
How would they present themselves in that job interview? Would they ask for a raise? Or would they quit this job? How would they talk to their parents about moving abroad? Would they choose to come out of their closet? How would they talk to their partner about the loss of romance and passion?
And then take this character (or your version of it) on as your Alter Ego. As your superhero identity. It doesn’t need to be a traditional superhero. But it’s LIKE a superhero identity that only you know about! No room for doubt. Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Bonus: Find or create a talisman to remind yourself of your superhero identity! (your phone background, action figure, brooch, the bloody red lipstick, this one smokin’ hot blazer that you never wear…) Having a talisman with you in those situations boosts self-confidence and courage and acts as a buffer against fear and insecurity (Biswas-Diener, 2012).
Important: strengths and situations interact and not all Alter Egos will all challenges. What if you created a group of hero identities to give you power in all facets of life?
Training a strength is not phony and you're not fake while trying out to be different! It's just unfamiliar which is why it feels uncomfortable! You wouldn't call a newbie guitarist fake and cringey just because they're learning! The same with you, learning to be more courageous, more optimistic, playful, empathetic, bolder... Your brain doesn't like change and prefers the familiar pain and discomfort over something new and unfamiliar. Don't let your life be run by your brain's tendencies. You choose.
In my first character strength assessment, honesty/ authenticity was one of my lesser strengths. Whut?! Σ(°ロ°) I always assumed being true to myself was very important to me - as well as dressing the way I want!
Spending so much time at the office, I often got the eye rolls and judgy looks from my colleagues when I said what was on my mind (“expecting overtime in every project = bad project management from the higher-ups”) or when my idea of business outfits included ribbons or neon colours. Being honest and looking unconventional was not appreciated, especially when you’re not in a leadership position but just a lowly worker. So I decided to just keep quiet, put on headphones to not hear what’s going on in the office and work through my tasks. m(_ _)m
I was not living out my authenticity, it was in total underuse, which is why it was a lesser strength in the test. At the same time, the character strength self-regulation was in super overuse. I forced myself to control my emotions and thoughts and just perform as much as was needed and expected. Discipline and perseverance were some of my strengths but I mistreated them to build a wall around myself. I desperately explained my psychotherapist that I was like a robot and didn't feel anything. I didn't have any opinions when she asked me how I was doing or what I wanted to do on the weekend. (／。＼)
After many years, I finally gave myself permission to leave the restrictive environments I had chosen for myself (my job and my relationship), and I slowly started to become the person I wanted to be again. (///￣ ￣///)
CLASSROOM ABOUT YOUR MEANING & PURPOSE
3 Stages to internalize Your Skill
Aware: What are Purpose & Meaning?
I Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
Like a tree grows towards the sun, humans strive towards their life’s meaning. It's your personal mission on this planet, the big 'why' behind what you do.
There is already a big body of research on the positive effects on health for people who report that their life has meaning. A recent longitudinal study looked at the effect of leading a meaningful life at older ages. The new study also followed people over time and found that the more meaningful they found their lives the more positive changes they experienced over the following four years. Not only related to health but to social functions, psychological and emotional experiences, economic prosperity, things like sleeping well and time spent doing different kinds of activities (Steproe & Fancourt, 2019).
The difference of meaning and purpose has been described in different ways and I find this example to be very helpful, instead only a definition. The example is from Dr Paul Wong’s blog. He is very well known in positive psychology for his research publications on meaning, suffering and existential positive psychology. Let’s imagine someone who publishes children's books because he wants to encourage love of learning.
What do you DO? Publish books. That’s your PURPOSE (your long-term and overarching goal or mission to which you are highly committed and actively engaged).
Who benefits? For whom? Children.
How do they benefit? Through strengthening their love of learning. That’s your MEANING (a feeling that one is connected to something greater than the self, that life and one’s contributions to the world are worthwhile).
The role of purpose it to fulfill a meaning. The meaning provides the why, while purpose provides the what and how.
Explore: Continue with Caution
II Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
It is important to remember that meaning is not only found in positive experiences or sources. It can also be found in negative events, such as failing at work or in relationships, the loss of a loved one, health challenges or severe psychological trauma.
While these events undoubtedly cause pain and suffering in the moment, they can also drive your efforts to understand how they 'make sense' and how they can be integrated into your current understanding of the world over time (Vohs et al., 2019).
This is why most traditional approaches to finding meaning in life, like Viktor Frankl's Logotherapy, go very deep. They support clients as they deal with, accept and find joy in challenging, distressing and sometimes unresolvable external truths about their life circumstances. The most driving idea is that, no matter the circumstances, we still always have freedom to choose how we interpret our problems, how we respond, and serve as an inspiration to others as we find our meaning and purpose.
Important: If you have experienced severe trauma, it is highly advisable to seek the guidance of a trained professional.
Still: Most people today don't even take the time to explore what is meaningful in their life, to reflect on positive relationships they have, nor on small pleasures they are enjoying. This is caused by a low level of mindfulness, but also a lack of conscious awareness of what makes life meaningful.
Becoming more mindful, grateful and self-reflective can help people to be more aware of what actually gives their lives meaning,and how important these things are (Steger, 2009).
That's the power of the simple exercise for this topic! If you've got a phone, you've got no excuses not to do it.
Apply: Create Meaning in Life
III Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
One simple and powerful way of discovering meaning in life and gratitude is capturing and reflecting upon photographs of meaningful moments. This exercise was given the fancy name "photo-ethnographic meaning-making intervention" by Steger et al. (2014). You might already be doing it without realising, so let's look at the details.
Step 1: Every day for at least 7 days (or for the rest of your life), take a photo of something meaningful, profoundly powerful or something that really stood out during a particular day, whatever this means to you.
Step 2 as a Power-Up: Write down three things that made the photo feel meaningful to you.
Step 3 as a Super Power-Up: Create/ find a support system to share and celebrate your photos. In one study, participants created a closed circle on Instagram where they shared their photos and reflections. You could also use a WhatsApp group or Discord channel that feels safe.
Background: Steger et al. (2014) carried out this intervention as a pilot experiment and was able to observe an increase in the experience of meaning over the course of the intervention week. A further increase was also observed when the participants talked about the photos they had taken. The intervention was replicated internationally in various forms.
One more recent pilot research study (van Zyl et al., 2020) wanted to find out if using Instagram to capture and reflect on meaningful moments can improve wellbeing, life-satisfaction and gratitude and manage common mental health problems (stress, depression and anxiety) over time. The design of the study looked at how people felt straight after the intervention, 3 months and 12 months later.
The results showed significant improvements in all areas straight after the intervention. In the long term, there were significant changes in the felt presence of meaning in life, in the appreciation for others, and how satisfied people were with their lives. The study also found a small but significant improvement in depression over time. The daily social interaction in the closed Instagram group seemed to be an important amplifier of the effects (but always consider the well-known downsides of social media use!).
Believe it or not, for a long time in my life, I thought my purpose was to become a successful leader and make lots of money. Isn't that what society teaches us? 〜(＞＜)〜 But what I lacked was the meaning behind the money: a shiny car, women and juicy steaks? This is it...?
Then my health showed me I was on the wrong path... (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Nowadays I can see that this was my painful awakening. A necessary signal for my personal revolution. I wish it were possible without and sometimes it's hard to be grateful for my past. But every hero has some kind of origin story, right? What's yours?
CLASSROOM ABOUT HIGHER CONNECTION
& DEATH AWARENESS
3 Stages to internalize Your Skill
Aware: Dying is our Commonality
I Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
Caution: Only proceed if you feel mentally stable, NOT deeply depressed, anxious or suicidal.
Also, doing the classes from the other elements of the Positive Identity Model will make the effects of this classroom even stronger.
Life is what lies between birth and death. What makes this journey so difficult is that from the very outset, life moves relentlessly towards death like an unstoppable train racing towards a crushing end. I want to give you another perspective, that's why PIM includes the Moon: To see yourself in the bigger picture of life and your spiritual journey.
According to the dramatically named terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg, Vail, & Pyszczynski, 2014), the fact that we all die one day can be a big threat to our sense of self. This is because we feel we have to live up to the standards and values set by our society.
Being aware of our mortality can be a source of anxiety, which is why many choose to ignore it and live as if they are immortal. It’s easy to slip into the world of immortality and say to yourself “I’ll do it tomorrow. Right now is not the time. Maybe in another year. I still have enough time. Someday one day”. But this someday may never come.
What inevitably will come, is death. Maybe in 60 years or maybe in 6 years. Most of us don’t know when. So why is it important to think about it at all? Because a mortality mindset can actually become mortality motivation.
Research in existential positive psychology, notably the work of Dr. Paul T.P. Wong, highlights that death awareness and even more death acceptance can have powerful effects on how you live your life. Knowing that you have only THIS MUCH TIME to take your life into your hands. Because at some point it will be too late. It is never too late to start, until it is.
Explore: Death as Advisor for Life
II Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
Ready to experience your mortality even deeper? Then have a look at this diagram: YourLifeInWeeks (inspired by Tim Urban’s blog).
How do you feel seeing this graph? Now it's up to you what you do with this knowledge. You can try to block it out and ignore it (most people do this, and it helps us get through each day), or you can use it as a chance to really go for it and live a life that matters. The most impactful response to death anxiety is to find meaning to justify living life fully, even with the threat of death.
What if you used the awareness of death as a tool for deeper meaning and connection?
Ask yourself 'If I had only a limited number of days, would I choose to continue living life this way right now?'
Yes? Continue doing what you are doing!
No? Read on.
Most people don't live according to their values, which is called the misalignment problem. A study by Kahneman et. al (2004) highlighted this strongly. They surveyed a group of women about how satisfied they were with their daily activities.You'd probably think that people were satisfied with and enjoyed what they voluntarily chose to do every day. The women reported feeling more satisfied from meditation, worship and prayer than from watching TV. But on average, they spent more than FIVE TIMES as long watching TV as they did doing the things they said they enjoyed more.
Why is that?
We actually would like to spend our time in a certain way, but we don't do that because we think we’re immortal, time’s not scarce.
Apply: Live while you're alive
III Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
What to do about it?
Experience a higher connection to what is sacred to you and find a personal memento mori to remind yourself that the gift of life is not yours to keep.
The Positive Identity Model is gently invites you to zoom in on the theme of higher connection, meaning your spirituality and/or religiousness, as it relates to how you experience your journey towards death. Spirituality is a significant and universal aspect of human experience. The specific content of spiritual belief, practice, and experience varies, but all cultures have a concept of an ultimate, transcendent, sacred, or divine force (Peterson and Seligman, 2004).
PIM is not telling you what to believe, or who to believe, or what to call it. But having a spiritual practice in any way will affect your life - and your death - positively. A growing body of research has pointed to the benefits of instilling life domains – marriage, family, the environment, strivings, moments in time, work – with deeper spiritual meaning (Powerleau et al., 2016). People are more likely to invest in, preserve, and protect sacred aspects of life. They draw on what they hold sacred as sources of strength and inspiration. They also derive greater satisfaction, purpose, and mental health benefits from sacred objects and experience.
Memento mori: This could be a little skull on your desk, a post-it on your laptop, the app WeCroak (my current choice), a trading card with a specific illustration, an anime figure of a shinigami… - anything that makes you remember: Life is short. I’m going to die. Source: 14th-century monks kept skulls on their desks as a reminder of their mortality as they wrote their philosophical dissertations, so this idea isn’t new.
I was born with the umbilical cord around my neck. No first scream, no celebration—just silence. I lost consciousness before I even had a chance to live. They had to pull me back. My first breath was a fight for survival.
For a long time, I saw this as proof that I wasn’t meant to be here. My mother even said it in a weak moment of hers. And I believed it. (｡╯︵╰｡)
But now? I see it differently.
I wasn’t supposed to die. I was supposed to fight and become a warrior. And I did. I chose to be alive. That’s why I don’t waste my time sleepwalking through life. Every moment matters, so I strive to be mindful as oten as possible. Every goodbye could be the last, so I strive to be generous with my love and energy. Death isn’t something to fear—it’s a reminder to live fully, right now. ╰(▔∀▔)╯
So ask yourself: If today was your last day, would you be proud of how you lived?
CLASSROOM ABOUT YOUR CHALLENGES & GROWTH
3 Stages to internalize Your Skill
Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
I Aware: Learn the Basics of Being a Hero
Finally, let’s look at the branches of the tree symbolizing the Positive Identity Model. Each branch represents a different aspect of your life—relationships, health, career, passions, spirituality—each going through its own season.
Some branches are flourishing in the light, reaching toward the sun, full of lush leaves and bearing fruit. These represent areas where you thrive—where your efforts have led to growth and transformation. Transformation is not only a process of creating a new person, a new identity. It’s about integrating all parts of yourself, making your identity more complete—more whole.
Wholeness isn’t about finding one key to a "perfect" life. It means dealing with all the different parts of your life and putting them together to make a whole. It’s an ongoing, dynamic process.
Growth, however, isn’t automatic —it’s a choice. Humans can live consciously or unconsciously. When we live unconsciously, we move at the slow pace of natural evolution, letting circumstances shape us. But when we choose to step into discomfort, to act in new and uncertain ways, we open the door to true transformation. (Ross, 2019)
Jung put it simply: “Doing the things of which one is afraid, which only a human being will do” (Jung, 1988). Unlike animals, we can choose to face what scares us—for the sake of growth. And the scariest challenge? Facing our own shadow—the rejected parts of ourselves—until we can see and accept them as part of who we are.
Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
II Explore: Connect the Dots for a Heroic Life
In the "Explore" phase, you'll delve deeper into how each part of PIM relates to your own life experiences. You'll ponder questions like:
"How do my values shape my actions?"
"What resources do I have, and how can I use them more effectively?"
"How do my life domains interact with each other?"
This stage helps you understand how each part of the tree is interconnected and contributes to your overall well-being. It's akin to a hero figuring out how to combine their powers for maximum impact.
Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
III Apply: Put Your Hero Skills into Action
In the "Apply" stage, you'll focus on how to actively implement what you've learned from PIM into your daily life. You'll consider:
"How can I use my values to make better decisions?"
"What steps can I take to improve my well-being in different life domains?"
"How can I tackle challenges more effectively?"
This is where you transition from understanding to doing. It's like a hero finally stepping out into the world to face challenges head-on, armed with all the skills and knowledge they've gained.
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Hey, here are Marty & Chriz! ＼( ° ∀ ° ) (￣▽￣)ﾉ We're on a mission to bring the power of positive psychology to the otaku world. We've poured our hearts and research into creating the Senshi Skill Tree, all to help you cultivate your Heroic Identity and achieve authentic well-being.
We're sharing it all for free because we believe in the transformative power of this work - if YOU do the work. (ಠ‿ಠ)
If you've found value in what we offer and want to contribute, here's your chance. Your support fuels the Senshi Hero movement and helps create new free resources for our awesome community.
Thank you for being part of this quest! ╰(◕‿◕)つ──☆*:・ﾟ✺◟( • ω • )◞✺
