One of the offshoots of doing the group distance Reiki program has been my awareness of the challenges faced by those to whom I am sending energy, as well as my own. Sometimes I think how bizarre it is that from within, we so often feel we cannot manage the task ahead – that next step toward fulfilling our Life Purpose. We are not up to it, we think – we are too sick, too tired, too uneducated, too undisciplined, too disorganized, not techie enough – whatever. It can be “too” or “not enough” anything!
So it was with profound gratitude that I watched the movie The King’s Speech this evening. (I think this is my third or fourth viewing, just so you know I have not missed it until now!) Bertie, the Duke of York, played by Colin Firth, is a terrible stammerer. It seems a weight he can bear, as the crown will pass to his older brother, not to him. But through a twist of fate, his brother David abdicates to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, and the kingship falls to him after all. The radio had recently become common, and television was right behind, so public speaking, very public speaking, was an absolute requirement. Poor speeches would undermine the public’s confidence in their king. He would open his mouth and sink the English Empire!
So how did Bertie do it? How did Bertie embrace his Life Purpose of Visionary Leadership in his Community/Kingdom with such a huge impediment? How did he tackle the “doing” of becoming a master at mass communication when his Life Lesson told him he should be Mute? What can we learn from him about how to get through our own stumbling blocks, (our Life Lessons)?
- Decide that refusing is not an option. He could not, would not, say “no” to the role, partly because of expectations, but more deeply because of his profound sense of duty. Underneath the terror, he had tremendous passion for his Purpose.
- Call on the emotional support available. Bertie’s wife was an unbeatable ally. Loving, compassionate, accepting, protective, an advocate, etc.
- Persist – he almost gave up several times, but in the end, he persisted. A tip: Remove the exit strategy. Also known as “shutting the back door.”
- Find a mentor, a healer, someone who can guide you through and past that thing that seems like an overwhelming obstacle. Bertie found an Australian speech therapist named Lionel Logue (brilliantly played by Geoffrey Rush.)
- Do whatever it takes. How many times are you willing to say the tongue twister about thistle sifters? Watch Colin Firth as he takes “the long walk” to the microphone. He embodies dread, the desire to be anywhere else in the world – yet there he is.
As you watch Bertie succeed in spite of the odds, you get to see his self-confidence grow. His public and private lives thrive. And the film’s main focus: he gains a life-long, deeply intimate friendship with Lionel Logue, the person with whom he was willing to be vulnerable.
Coach’s Challenge: I invite you to rent the movie The King’s Speech, and take Life Purpose lessons from Colin Firth. As you watch it, think about yourself. What is your Life Purpose? (It tends to be that thing just beyond what seems impossible!) What are you continually allowing to get in the way? How can you, and from whom can you, get help with that hindrance? Imagine what the payoffs will be for you as you act on Bertie’s (and Colin’s!) wisdom. Write those payoffs down. As always, I invite you to leave a comment, share your journey!
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