Wounded Healer

When we put people on pedestals, we find out first hand that we're all flawed. That's the topic of this week's Grasshopper Notes essay from John Morgan for the week of December 1st.

Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

Wounded Healer

I’ve been lucky in my life. I’ve crossed paths with more than a few truly gifted human beings — people I’d put under the big umbrella of “People Helpers.”

These gifted folks, from all walks of life, have contributed greatly to my life, and increased my abilities to help people – one idea at a time.

And here’s what’s interesting: every one of these incredible people had this uncanny ability to step outside the norm and do things in a way nobody else had ever thought to try. They brought something uniquely theirs to the table — a kind of secret sauce. 

But they all had something else in common too. They were wounded.

And that puts them right in there with the rest of us, because let’s face it — we’re all carrying something.

We all have our heroes and heroines. But the mistake we make is forgetting that they have their flaws just like we do. We put them up on pedestals no human being can balance on for long. Sooner or later, they wobble, lose their footing, and tumble right out of the world of perfection we’ve put them in.

When Muhammad Ali died, I wrote an essay about him. He was one of my boyhood heroes, and I wanted to honor him. I said a lot of wonderful things, but one line stuck with me. I truly didn’t mean it as a pun, but as a statement of reality. I wrote, “Muhammad Ali had ‘feet of clay.’”

No matter whose footsteps we choose to follow, there will be countless missteps. The key is to make every effort not to take the same ones they did . . . twice.

Something I’ve learned — later in life than I’d like to admit — is that every single person you meet is dealing with a wound of their own. When you really let that sink in, it softens you. It makes you kinder.

I’ll leave you with a story I’ve told before. I used to go to this dry cleaners and have my shirts done when I was part of the shirt and tie world. They did flawless work - the best I’ve ever experienced. The woman who did the pressing, and also served behind the counter, was, in a word, irascible . She was ill tempered with everyone . . . kinda like the “Soup Nazi” on Seinfeld. I always left with beautifully pressed shirts, but with a lingering bad feeling inside.

One day, I went the extra mile and just commented to her, “You seem to be in pain.” That’s all I said. She burst into tears and told me the story of her and her brother who were brought up in orphanages, but always managed to stay together. They were closer than close. And now . . . her brother was dying. She didn’t know how to face the idea of losing the one constant in her life.

My future visits to this shop were different. They were met with a smile and pleasant conversation with a woman who was both gifted and flawed. 

So here’s the takeaway: be kind. Everyone is dealing with something — even the ones you’ve placed on a pedestal.

All the best,

John