Book Nook: The Life Heroic - How to Unleash Your Most Amazing Self

When kids think of heroes, they often think of people in masks and capes with superhuman powers. Older kids and adults tend to think of those who are in certain professions like law enforcement, the military, or firefighters - or someone who has done an extraordinary act of bravery. It can be hard for most people to think of themselves as heroes.

Author Elizzbeth Svoboda wants to change that. She recently wrote The Life Heroic: How to Unleash Your Most Amazing Self. In the book, she encourages readers to take another look at the definition of heroism. She points out that the people who make the biggest impact aren’t always the ones who make headlines.

The format of the book will likely appeal to older kids, tweens, and teens, with a little bit of an allusion to comic books or graphic novels (although the laout is much more like a formal book). My youngest daughter has been really intrigued by the ideas of survival skills and the military, and also is eager to make her mark on the world, so it was a great book to give to her to help her see that she can start to become a hero just by being strong in her everyday actions.

Svoboda interviews kids who are doing heroic things around the world, which sets a great example and shows that age doesn't matter. It also encourages kids to think about what kind of life to lead, how to create meaning, and how to find something that matters to inspire a heroic journey. It also touches on positive actions that can replace bullying, instead of focusing on what kids shouldn't do.

I had a chance to interview the author to learn more.

What are some examples of everyday heroism?

Everyday heroism involves doing selfless things that won't get you on the front page of the paper, but that do require you to be courageous and invest some of your time. So, for example, being the first one to speak up when you see someone being bullied -- even just a remark like, "Hey, cut it out" -- is an everyday heroic act. Advocating for groups of people in trouble, like refugees or kids who can't get an education, is a form of everyday heroism, too. Everyday heroic acts are well within the reach of most ordinary people; they don't require superhuman powers!

How can people strengthen their courage?

The great news is that courage can actually be strengthened through consistent practice, just as you'd work out regularly at the gym to get fit. One way to bolster your courage, if you need to call something out or have a difficult conversation, is to role-play your strategy beforehand with a partner. Have your partner play the role of the person you want to confront--whether it's a boss, a teacher, or someone else. Then launch the conversation just as you plan to do it in real life. Afterwards, take a few minutes to debrief. What worked about your approach? What could have been better? And did practicing the dialogue help you feel more prepared for the real thing?

Why is it so important for people to look for ways to be heroic?

That's a great question, because being heroic does mean taking a risk on behalf of another person or a larger principle without expecting any reward. In its most extreme form, heroism can actually involve laying down your life. But true heroes still feel like what they do is worth it, because it gives them a deep kind of satisfaction to know they made such a difference to another person. Heroism, everyday or otherwise, brings the kind of fulfillment the Greek philosopher Aristotle called eudaimonia. It's a sense of happiness that doesn't come from momentary pleasures, but from knowing you've lived a good life.