"You are a dragon. Be a dragon." - Life Lessons from Game of Thrones

Photo by Chris Rhoads on Unsplash

For those of you who watch Game of Thrones, the latest episode offers a profound spiritual insight. This gem comes as advice from Lady Olenna to Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons. As Queen Dany contemplates strategies to win her war, many of those around her offer differing pieces of advice.
 
Have you ever had to make a decision, only to find yourself with many people telling you different things you should do and how you should do it?
 
Queen Dany ends up making her choice, wise and sound as it may seem. However, Lady Olenna offers the Queen a forceful reminder of who she truly is.
 
“You are a dragon,” Lady Olenna tells her. “Be a dragon.”
 
In other words, when you are faced with a challenge, tune into what is true for you.
 
Sage advice, yes. However, if you’re like most people, it’s not always easy to know what is true for you, much less remember this truth.
 
Many of the clients I work with come to me with work challenges. Inside them are dreams that have been buried so deep that they almost forget them.

Many followed a path of finding a job in order to make some money, and they tell themselves that they’ll do this just for a little while. Years later, though, they find themselves surprised at where they’ve ended up.
 
It’s similar to you driving somewhere and your mind wanders. After a while, you wonder how you ended up in that part of town. You don’t even remember driving there.
 
This hazy way of living life are embedded in comments I hear early on from clients:
 

• “How did I end up getting here? So many years have passed by and I’ve wasted all this time. Is it too late for me to change?”
• “I’m making decent money but I hate what I do.”
• “There has to be more to life. I feel like I’m missing something.”

 
Over time, many of these people forgot the passions and dreams that were true for them.
 
The aspiring musician became a technology manager. The creative artist became an accountant. The wide-eyed film director became an Uber driver.
 
The dragon forgot that she was a dragon.
 
How do you tap into the truth of who you are when you've forgotten who you are?
 
The answer is: by bringing back passion and your dreams into your everyday life.
 
In order for the dragon to come out of hiding, the dragon has to be fed and nourished.
 
The dragon represents the parts of you that are your fire, your passion and your boldness to live life with authenticity and joy.
 
To help you get in touch with your inner dragon, here is your coaching assignment for the week:
 

• Ask yourself: what are some things that you would love to do but haven’t done in a long time? Make a list.
  
  Example: What haven’t I done in a long time and love doing? Hmm…I actually like baking, like cakes and pies. I haven’t done that in a while. There’s also going to the library and taking some time perusing different books. That’s been relaxing. I love going to museums and haven’t gone to one for like six months. It’s also been a while since I’ve been to a flea market / swap meet, which is a lot of fun to see what kinds of things people carry. Going on a cruise is something I really enjoy and haven’t done in years. Coming up with this list is really helping me to remember some things I enjoy.

 

• Looking at that list, is there one thing on there that you could do in the next couple of weeks?
  
  Example: Well, going on a cruise is something that I can’t do in the next couple weeks but I guess I can look at if there are any deals coming up in the next few months. When I see the other things on my list, I really feel inspired to bake something from scratch. I love getting my hands dirty and this feels like a lot of fun.
  
  
• Make a commitment and do that one thing.
  
  Example: I can definitely commit to baking something from scratch. Now my next step is to look up some recipes and see what I can bake. Maybe a Filipino dish, like bibingka. Now that sounds delicious!

 
When you engage in activities that inspire your heart’s passion, you nourish the inner fire and inner you that has been waiting to re-emerge.
 
The greater spiritual truth in all this is simple.
 
Once you allow the opening for the real you to emerge, you release an inner joy that shines a light of possibility for your whole life.
 
Maybe you’re a dragon, and maybe you’re not. But who you are is you. What would it be like to simply be you?
 
Imagine living your life unapologetically, embracing the totality of you.
 
Ultimately, this is what the world needs…more of the joy and beauty of you. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts about today’s post, and to hear about what activities feed your inner fire and passion. Please leave a comment below. And if you’d like some support in creating a more inspiring and purposeful life, I’d be happy to talk with you. You can sign up for a free life coaching consultation by clicking here.

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