This blog is for a certain kind of hero: the post-athlete. Specifically, those of us who were high-level athletes at a young age and are now dealing with the aftermath of growing up in environments that pushed us to our breaking point again and again, where compassion was scarce, and showing emotion was out of the question.

"We emerged feeling both tough as nails and fragile as glass."

While I don't consider myself a hero, that pain has sent me on a hero's journey.

We all are called to make a hero's journey at some point in our lives, often repeatedly. As you can see in the below figure, the journey is not linear - there are many adventures to be had, failures to face, mentors and helpers to meet, and skills to develop. And thankfully, revelations and transformations are part of the journey!