ACTION HERE: When I Grow Up…

By Guest Blogger Jackie Young

Think back with me, if you will. Remember when you were younger and you’d say, “When I grow up, I’m gonna be a ________________”?. Do you remember what you wanted to be?I remember having a list (of course I had a list – I’m the chick who keeps a list of all her lists remember?). I was going to be a nurse, AND a teacher AND a dancer AND a hair stylist and a writer AND…well, you get the point, right?

As we inch further into 2008, I’ve decided that I’m going to be an ACTION HERO. Yep. An ACTION HERO. In my own life.

At the end of last year, I had a convo with my girl, Princess Dominique, about how 2008 would be the year of “Ex’s” for me:

Exposure
Experiences
Experimenting
Expression
Exploration

You know what that all boils down to? ACTION! DOING something. Showing up. Making it happen.

Now, don’t get it twisted. I see myself as an ACTION HERO, not a “superhero”. In the first blog post I ever wrote, I talked about Superwoman entering a witness protection program. Trust me – she’s not coming back. Not to this address anyway.

And I realize that I don’t need her too. I got this. Being a “superhero” is way too much pressure. Folks get their expectations twisted up in a mighty way. (And to be honest, if you’re playing the role of a superhero, you got it twisted too.. Folks expect you to be able to do it all, no mistakes, and in record time. To be invincible. To not need anyone. Not need any motivation, encouragement, or rest. To just get it done all while wearing a mask.

Sometimes when you’re playing that ‘superhero’ role, it’s the only way people can *see* you, the only way they *notice* you, the only identity *they* think you have. When’re you’re not in costume, you’re invisible. It can be easy enough to buy into and if you’re not careful, it can be hell trying to peel away that mask, to slip that cape off your shoulders.

Been there. Don’t that. Outgrew the cape, the tights, and the mask. (Well, um…maybe not the mask but errah…dat tain’t nunya bidness.)

See, an ACTION HERO uses what he/she has to get it done. An ACTION HERO doesn’t rely on some mythical, magical power or tools. They work it o-u-t right where they are, with what they have.

Yep.

An ACTION HERO is simply an ordinary person doing extraordinary things.

What “extraordinary thing(s)” are I planning to do this year?

Live my life to the fullest, soak up as much joy as I can when and wherever I can. Stepping it up in such bodacious fashion that the brightness of me will set my little corner of the world on fire. Ha!

Here’s to making it happen in 2008!

And for the record, even though I’m ‘bout to be a major ACTION HERO…you can still call me MsJayy. LOL

Be easy!

Live DELICIOUSLY!

J

Be sure to visit Jackie Young on her blog Jackie Young Writes.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 12:19 am and is filed under Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.