The Power of Reinventing Yourself

I recently saw a film that just may have been the best movie I’ve ever seen. Better than Lord of the Rings, better than Star Wars, better than, oh dare I say it, The Princess Bride. Inconceivable!

The movie opens with a heart wrenching scene that left tears streaming down my face. I was searching through my purse looking for a tissue to wipe my tears and all I had was this butter stained napkin in my lap. So here I am dabbing the tears trying not to get popcorn salt in my eyes and the next thing I know I’m on the edge of my seat, gripping the handles, teeth gritted, unable to breathe. This movie was exciting. And it kept getting better. It had action, adventure, sword fighting, love, and romance… everything a woman wants in a film.

Any guesses on the movie?

Star Trek

I know what you are thinking. The only people that go see Star Trek are 40 year old men who live in their mother’s basements.

WRONG!

The theater was packed with people of all ages. Sure, there were a few single dudes but there were a lot more couples and even families.

As an aside, the movie is rated PG-13. We took our 10 year old daughter. There were some scenes where I had to cover her face.

When I walked out of Star Trek the first thing I said was: “Let’s see it again. Let’s see it again, now.”

It was that good.

I admit. I am a geek. And a Star Trek fan. My husband likes to tell people that he only married me for my Star Trek Christmas ornament collection. I once dated a man because he had a chirping Star Trek Communicator on his jacket. But I was never a huge fan of the original series. My favorite is Deep Space 9.

Well this new Star Trek movie is based on the characters from the original series: Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Chekhov, Sulu and Uhura. And they are on the Enterprise. But that’s about where the similarities to the original television series end.

Director J.J. Abrams and the producers took this 40 year old franchise and turned it into something fresh, current, and new. They set the stage with this film to catapult the Star Trek franchise popularity for another 40 years. In the 2060’s there is going to be a Star Trek Centennial and people who aren’t alive today, are going to attend this big centennial celebration dressed up like Klingons and Romulans.

J.J. Abrams reinvented Star Trek. He gave it new life.

My daughter’s latest thing is tap her imaginary communication device saying “Beam me up Scotty, this planet sucks.”

Does YOUR planet suck?

Think about it, maybe it’s not your planet… maybe it YOU!

Just maybe, it’s time for YOU to reinvent YOURSELF?

You’re probably thinking: I CAN’T do that! I don’t know how.

Well here’s a question: Are you are married?

Think about your spouse the day BEFORE your wedding.

Now, think about your spouse the day AFTER your wedding. Are you married to the same person with whom you walked down the aisle?

No. The very act of getting married, changes a person. You go from being an individual to being half of a couple.

Are you a mother? Did becoming a mother change you? Yes! You went from being a woman, to being a mother.

Have you changed jobs? Did that change you? Probably.

What about joining the military? Does that redefine you? Absolutely!

That reminds me, have you heard the Klingon army motto?

Join the Klingon army.

Visit exotic planets, meet interesting people, and kill them!

Okay, maybe you need to be a Star Trek geek to get that one.

This concept of reinventing yourself is very powerful.

Becoming a mother redefined who I am. Becoming a mother is major life changing experience.

Can you reinvent yourself without a major life changing experience?

Think about J.K. Rowlings, the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. She outlined the series of stories on paper napkins sitting at café when she was a single mother living on welfare. She certainly isn’t on welfare today.

She had an idea, she believed in it and she made it real. She reinvented herself.

How do you go about reinventing yourself? According to Napolean Hill, the fist step is to get rid of indecision, doubt and fear. The rest, is up to you!

Here’s a good example:

This string walks into a bar and says: “Bartender, I’d like a drink.”

The bartender replies: “We don’t serve your kind in here.”

Dejected, the string walks outside. Then he decides, he not going to be treated that way. So he gets himself all twisted up and takes his ends and messes them all up. Then he walks back into the bar and demands: “Bartender, give me a drink!”

Bartender says: “Hey, aren’t you string?”

“Nope. Frayed knot.”

The string reinvented himself. And so can you!

Live long & prosper.