Recently I was writing for a project and ended up in completely unfamiliar territory – researching comic books and superheroes. I found myself having a crazy level of respect and enthusiasm for the writers - and graphic artists - who created these comic books originally.
The intelligence and vision and imagination and ground-breaking-ness (I know that’s not a real word!) behind the character creations blew my mind!
Wonder Woman first appeared in DC Comics way back in 1941 - the creation of American writer, William Moulton Marston and American artist, Harry G. Peter.
Marston was a psychologist and was very inspired by early feminists, some of whom he was friends with and/or related to. He believed that female leadership was necessary in a world that was at the time pervaded by the hate and violence of World War II.
He once wrote, “Frankly, Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, I believe, rule the world”. He said he created her as a “love warrior”
Marston believed that women were more honest than men in certain situations and could work faster and more accurately. During his lifetime, Marston championed the latent abilities and causes of the women of his day.
He based some of Wonder Woman’s character on a woman named Margaret Sanger, who opened the very first ever birth-control clinic in the States with her sister, Ethel Byrne. For Wonder Woman visually he was inspired by his wife, Elizabeth, and his/their lover. (The three lived together in the same house and both women had children by Marston within the same time period! Anyway…)
Additionally, Marston was an inventor and one of his inventions what the polygraph/lie detector machine, so it’s interesting to notice the presence of the lasso of truth as one of Wonder Woman’s arsenal of weapons.
Well, I’ve been thinking about the ideas of superheroes (or real life people) as role models for us in our lives - role models for how to behave with integrity or courage or as more than we believe we are.
Using superheroes as role models isn’t just a silly idea - it’s confirmed by psychologists to work. It's confirmed to help us stand strong in the face of adversity or challenge and develop a desired trait.
Amy Cuddy, an expert in human behavior from the Harvard School of Business, speaks about the value of “Power Poses”, for example. Like standing firmly with your shoulders back and your chest strong and your hands on your hips (like Wonder Woman) or in a "victory pose", where you throw your arms in the air in triumph.
Author, Anthony Robbins agrees. He suggests a “Cape Walk” where you imagine that you are wearing a Superman cape that is flowing behind you as you strut confidently about.
The idea is that these physical activities have a very real affect on our psychology and our energy and our mindset. When you have connected with this confident and powerful energy, you can then bring it with you into a real situation in your life.
The nuts and bolts of "confirmation bias" are that we believe something to be true so we filter our experience of life through that lens and we create experiences that confirm our belief, thus strengthening it. With these strengthened beliefs and repetitive experiences it can be hard to believe that we are actually choosing our experience - or that we can change.
The truth is that all of us human beings have access to a far greater spectrum of feelings and abilities than we allow ourselves access in daily life, because we don’t believe an expanded way of living or being outside our normal lives is possible for us.
Think about when you are feeling nauseous. Doesn’t the smell of food – or anything, really - around you feel all the more acute?
Or taste… pregnant women report being so much more sensitive to taste than they were before they were pregnant.
We all have strength and resilience within us too. We all can surprise ourselves at times when we find we are more capable of something than we thought we were.
Having a role model is an awesome way to believe that “if it’s possible for them it’s possible for me too”
You’ll see you see “The Hero’s Journey” played out in so many stories – from Cinderella to Wonder Woman and beyond.
“The Hero’s Journey” is a term generally attributed to author, Joseph Campbell. It’s used to outline a personal path through adversity to transformation. Typically a hero goes on an adventure, encounters difficulty and in a turning point moment (usually one of crisis) wins a victory and returns home transformed.
This hero’s journey is so resonant and relatable for people because we are all familiar with the ups and downs of life and we love to see other people overcome, because it provides us with the example that we can too.
Plus, when it comes to superheroes… they are so often the outsiders or the introverts or shy people when they are not in their superhero role. They are observers, intelligent and aware. Then their abilities and powers are fully expressed when they are in full superhero mode.
This is no accident. This is by design. It is symbolic of each of us in everyday life. @@We hold potential within us that we are fully capable of reaching.@@
Add to that that we writers tend to be a more introspective, observant and sensitive bunch, often prone to over-thinking, over-questioning (including of ourselves), but with the potential to express whatever-the-hell-we-want through our writing.
3. Identify one way that you are already employing this strength, skill or quality in your life. Even one small way you are employing the beginning, the seed of this strength, skill or quality in your life.
4. Choose a role model – yes superheroes count! – as an example for how you can embody his strength, skill or quality more.
5. Write about this. For the fun of it and as you want to! Write it in affirmative statements. Write it in a creative story. Write it as your future self. Be loose and play with this.
I want to inspire us all - myself included - to reach for more, to believe that we can and to know that not only are we benefitted when we reach and expand in a positive way, but we create a knock-on example for others too.
Here’s a bit of fun inspiration for you if you don’t think you can or are believing in your limitations right now:
There have been emergency or “life or death” situations where human people acted as with superhuman powers at pivotal points in their lives:
* In 2006, a man who was blind from birth heard his 85-year-old neighbor’s cries for help as she was trapped in her burning home. He somehow managed to find his way inside and locate his neighbor, who was also legally blind. He dragged her from the burning home and outside to safety.
* In 1995 in Colorado, a police officer arrived at a single-car accident. A Chevy Chevette had ended up on top of a baby girl and sunk into mud. The police officer lifted the car and the mother was able to pull the baby girl out.
* In 1988, a helicopter crashed, pinning the pilot under shallow water. His friend lifted the one-ton helicopter enough for the pilot to be pulled out.
Download this "A Superhero Writing Exercise" PDF and fill in your answers or feel free to post what you write in the comments below.