What does the role of a mentor mean to you?
These days we hear the word mentor consistently used in business. But seriously, do you recognize who plays the role of a mentor in your life?
In this third series of posts on characters, I share what it means to have a mentor’s guidance throughout my life. Perhaps maybe you might realize the mentor is your own life too. Read the first post, character of a person and second post the antagonist here.
Let’s look at this unusual character, shared by many prominent mentors, the co-protagonist as seen in movies. You may remember Ben Kenobi from Star Wars or Haymitch Abernathy from The Hunger Games. What exactly did they do to help and provide the guidance needed?
Now, let’s look through the lens of my mentor to understand why a mentor will rise to take on this crucial responsibility to train or council a person. And what important message do they impart onto their chosen one?
The Role of a Mentor: To Share Valuable Insights
The term mentor refers to a person who takes on the responsibility to help his apprentice or student. They guide them through the hardships or challenges so they can move through the challenges and come out victorious. A mentor rises to make a stand by fighting for a cause.
I first discovered the term mentor from the writer Joseph Campbell’s, The hero’s journey. Someone who guides the protagonist through the ordinary world as they enter the special world. But what does it mean?
We all live in an ordinary world where day in and out we make a living, run daily school activities. If we are lucky we take a holiday to break the routine of monotony. But, when a challenge or problem emerges, the dynamics changes and you are thrown into an extraordinary world to go through trials and tribulations.
The Mentor in my Life
My mom is my protector and a true mentor. In Meant to Be, my coming of age memoir, you will meet real life characters, people who I’ve grown up with and know personally. Some of them dear to me yet others only stayed with me for a short time to fulfill their purpose, unknown to them.
When I was 17 years old, I became homeless because my father kicked me out. I was afraid to face the unknown, my future. During this crucial turning point, my mom rose to the challenge and embraced the realm of the unknown with me. She stood by my side as I walked into the depth of darkness.
The Importance of a Mentor in your Life
Who are mentors really? It’s not like we can spot one easily within our environment. Where do they appear?
The role of a true mentor is to help you grow. They are sincerely interested in your success and believes in your abilities.
Ostracized for a failed marriage, my mom became quiet, a gentle soul, a loner, an outcast. Let’s face it, she was an embarrassment to be with. But, she did not accept the role of the victim, neither did she accept defeat that was dished out to her.
She accepted her circumstances, took a leap of faith and rose to become my mentor. Her goal was to ensure her only daughter would not make the same mistake she did.
She was focused, stepped back to give me space to grow and to process all that had happened. Revealing pieces of information relevant at the right time, to ensure I could move forward in my own time.
In my memoir, Meant to Be, my mom consistently plants seeds of encouragement and knowledge. Instead of moping and worrying about what others might think of her. But you will also see how her role slowly diminishes as she successfully imparts these important lessons to me:
- To think for myself and follow my heart
- Be value driven and use my capabilities by embracing challenges presented so I could learn from my mistakes.
While others around her, were watching the situation unfolding from the outside, she drew inward and took action to change the future. Despite making her own mistakes, she knew she was not perfect and accepted responsibility for her life. She then moved on, to share her wisdom and insights to her only daughter. Her mission was to break the cycle of violence which my father passed onto me. Her dream was to see her grandchildren with new eyes.
Who is your Mentor?
The mentor is a metaphor for your conscience, we all have one. It is the moral sense that gives you the ability to distinguish your choices between what’s right and wrong. It is your inner voice that guides you through your feelings.
You develop this instinct from young. How? Your parents are your first mentors.
Parents .. your children depends on you to guide them, to teach them skills so that they can face and solve their challenges to experience life to it’s fullest.
You have the power to reach into your children’s soul and become their inner voice. Be mindful of what you say to your children because your words can make or break their spirit.
The Voice Inside You
Do you know that voice inside you? It’s speaks a language known only to you, to grab your attention. Where do you think it originates?
Think back to your childhood because that’s exactly where it is developed. Our first mentors, our parents, their words have a power to direct our future visions and thoughts.
Who’s voice does it sound similar to? Was it your father or mother? How they speak to you develops your inner voice, your conscience.
Do you remember these words?
- Who do you think your are?
- You’re hopeless.
- You’re being silly.
- You can do it.
- I believe in you.
- I am so proud of you.
That voice in you can becomes your inner critic or the voice of your conscience, your inner knowing. Listen carefully to your heart. Your instincts will guide your way through the maze of life.
When there’s no one around to help you make choices, your internal compass will guide you, show you the way and point the direction to where you are meant to be.
Stay tuned for my next post where you’ll meet me, the protagonist from Meant to Be, a memoir by Alison Laverty.
