"Hero", by Mariah Carey: The Hero Within

One of the fundamental principles of coaching is that the coach doesn't provide the client with "imported" solutions. Instead, she/he walks along with the client through a process in which it is the client herself or himself who finds the answers, the solutions, that she or he needed. As the song says:

"There's an answer

if you reach into your soul,

and the sorrow that you know

will melt away"

This becomes more likely to happen as the client gets closer to find her or his own core, the very central source of authenticity and connection with her or himself.

if you look inside your heart,

you don’t have to be afraid

of what you are.

Sometimes, especially around midlife, this process of introspection, self-discovery, and inside out rebuilding comes after a dramatic time in which many things may change radically or even fall apart. When that happens, the person finds herself apparently thrown into an unexpected, and often unwanted, journey.

It's a long road

when you face the world alone.

No one reaches out a hand

for you to hold.

You can find love

if you search within yourself,

and the emptiness you felt

will disappear.

But the gift, the treasure hidden behind all the obstacles and struggles, is the unique, immense, and authentic strength lying on the very deep center of the person, who has just found her or his own hero within:

And then a hero comes along,

with the strength to carry on

and you cast your fears aside,

and you know you can survive.

Once the treasure has been found, things do not necessarily become easy, but challenges and difficulties are approached from a much more hopeful, optimistic, pro-active attitude:

Lord knows

dreams are hard to follow,

but don't let anyone tear them away.

Just hold on,

there will be tomorrow.

In time you'll find your way.

After the turning point, the person's home, shelter, source of strength, is always inside:

So, when you feel like

hope is gone,

look inside you and be strong,

and you'll finally see the truth:

that a hero lies in you.

At the personal level, the inside out change is the sustainable change for a sustainable future.