Tuesday Tales: Strong as a Rock
Recently, I spoke with Melanie, who walked me through what she saw as the key moment in her life.
She talked about empathy.
About being pulled into the aftermath of a tragic student death in high school.
She talked about becoming “the rock” for people who were grieving. Melanie felt that she was chosen… not as a peer, but as a stabilizing force.
She framed it as responsibility. As service. And she felt as if her fate was to be a rock for others, forever.
I asked her to retell her story, not as a résumé, not as a confession, but as her origin story. The challenge she had to… has to… overcome.
Suddenly, Melanie was able to rearrange some of the pieces.
- The key incident for Melanie wasn’t the tragedy as much as it was her being called forward, recognized for her emotional strength.
- Her power wasn’t empathy alone, it was her ability to create and hold space for others.
- And the turning point? Melanie realized that even heroes have limits.
Burnout wasn’t failure, it was the moment of self-awareness that every origin story needs.
By the end, Melanie saw it clearly: her lifeline.
Her love of books. Books went from being an escape, to a suit of armor, to a hand she could extend to others.
And her eventual choice of librarianship wasn’t stepping away or avoiding helping others. It was choosing a form of service she could sustain.
That’s when she smiled and said “I’ve never thought of it that way before.”
Melanie knew too well the moment that revealed her superpowers.
She just needed a hand in translating her pain into her power.
Come back Friday to see that translation.
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Every challenge holds the beginning of your origin story.
If you want help turning yours into something you can use, clearly and confidently, in interviews, bios, or pitches, I’m happy to help.
That’s the heart of You Own Your Origin Story (YOYOS): recognizing the power already present in your experience.
You own your origin story. Message me if I can help you claim it and build your superpower portfolio.
#YouOwnYourOriginStory #TuesdayTales #LeadershipLessons #SharedMomentMentoring
#LeadershipWisdom #LearningMoments #ProfessionalGrowth