Image description: A 3-panel comic titled Superhero Self-Care.
In the first panel, a stick figure is sitting while an angry cloud yells insults at them. Text reads “Sometimes the mean voices get so loud.”
In the second panel, text at the top reads “I need help to keep myself safe and I can summon my inner hero.” A small stick figure labeled “me” stands beside a larger stick figure with a cape labeled “me, but a hero.”
In the third panel, the hero stick figure says to the cloud, “Stop! These lies hurt! What do you need?” The cloud has wide eyes and a sad mouth in this panel, and says “I am sad and afraid.” Text at the bottom of the panel reads “My strength is bigger than my pain.”
In the bottom right is a link to www.tiffanysostar.com, and in the bottom left is a small Tiffany Sostar logo.
This is part of an ongoing series of stick figure self-care posts.
Today’s post was inspired by the work being done in my Feeling Towards Wholeness course, where we created alter egos for ourselves to help in our healing journeys, and by a post shared by my friend Samantha about her struggles with Depression Guy (a concept she found in the web series People Watching, in this episode, which is pretty emotionally heavy but also pretty awesome).
Creating a superhero self can be a valuable resiliency-building tool.
In the comic, I also wanted to show the superhero stick figure treating the mean inner voices with compassion, because although I do think that sometimes we need to shout our own inner bullies down, much more often we need to make space for the pain and fear that is being redirected into aggression. Holding compassionate space for ourselves, even when we are hurting and lashing inward, is a challenge.
But that’s why we have superheroes to call on!
Who is your inner superhero?
What skills and abilities do they have that makes them such a great ally to you?
Do you have certain times or places when you call on them for help?
Do they have any accessories or tools that help them be the hero you need them to be?
Do you find it easier to call on your inner superhero for yourself, or for others?
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