What’s your superpower?

Sherri T.

These are the words of special friend Melanie whose life purpose is to help young people find their pathway.  Melanie starts the journey by asking a simple question: “What’s your superpower?”

Turns out, these three simple words themselves have superpower.  They are superwords.

Melanie explained it this way.  She tries to help young people, especially those facing challenges (do you know one who isn’t?), think positively about themselves.  She tries to empower them with their own strength by asking what inspires them – about themselves? 

What do they love to do? What is their passion?  What lights them up?

You might wonder how all these questions can help these young people find the answers.  It’s likely because Melanie is asking the right questions. 

I learned from a colleague many years ago that the most important part of solving a tough problem lies in asking the right questions.

So here’s the tough problem: Many of the young people about whom Melanie is concerned have rarely heard positive messages about themselves. 

They know clearly, and have heard often, what they don’t do well.  What they have done wrong.  What they have not achieved. 

And even on the rare occasion when there might be positive feedback, self-doubt creeps in.  The good messages get derailed even before they get on the track. 

Action needs traction.  The good messages need to stick before words can become deeds.

Melanie knows that you can’t start a new journey if you are weighed down by (old) baggage.  Here’s why her three little words mean so much.

Most of the young people about whom she is concerned never thought they had any power, let alone a superpower.  Most never thought they could star in anything, let along their own movie.  

Her philosophy reminded me of the wise words of Julyan, mother of my colleague Vanessa.  “Don’t be a two-bit player in someone else’s movie.  Be a star in your own.”

These wise words have a broad meaning.  Julyan was encouraging her daughter to run her own race.  To find her passion and make it her pathway.

What is Melanie’s superpower?  Her ability to develop supernovas – one star at a time.