Many of us may recall watching ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ a children’s film which, over time, has become a Christmas Special- there was even a re-make starring Michael Jackson! The film is delightful with a fantasy angle children find really appealing, along with the red shoes of course and the biggest surprise of all... no real magical wizard; instead, a little guy who created a huge myth. The cleverest part of the film is when the wizard breaks down the Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion and Tin Man’s perceptions of themselves followed by the beauty of their self realisation as they become aware of their achievements and magically ‘fix’ their flaws.
As adults, we all have flaws however we should be able to identify some ‘OZ’ in ourselves and make time to find the ‘OZ’ in other people. We have already studied ways of challenging our own self perceptions and trying to see ourselves as others see us, so how about finding ways of helping others to identify their strengths?
Whatever situation you are in ... work or play... you have the privilege of being able to listen to others, observe how they operate and give the benefit of your opinions to them in a skilful way to enhance their confidence. Observation enables you to make valid assessments and comments. For instance, if a friend believes that they are no good at standing up for themselves you may be able to give an example of when they stood up for their child or challenged an alternative point of view. You may be able to identify the factors that helped them to do this. Factors may include: compassion for another person, a good knowledge of the subject, the certainty that they were right, a natural way of getting along with others that they may need to fine tune.
If there is something in life that you are fearful of, the reason you are fearful is usually relatively straightforward... we are not discussing phobias which are entirely different... even if you were locked in a dark cupboard for hours and need to sleep with the light on, this too can be addressed! I am thinking in terms of situations where we do not fully meet the specifications. The point is- that if you have never done something before that does not render you incapable of doing it. It simply means that at this point in time you are not YET competent to carry out the task. I am undergoing First Aid training. Yesterday I got quite a few things wrong... educated guesses are not always right!! Now that I have an understanding of basic injury I know which side to place the casualty on when putting them in the recovery position. Previously I may have exacerbated the damage whereas now I can minimize it. This does not mean I wasn’t capable before however I clearly wasn’t competent. The ‘OZ’ in this situation is knowledge. Personally I have held a resistance to doing First Aid for many years, having completed the course 20+ years ago & literally walked into an accident. I didn’t feel very competent & luckily a doctor came rushing up and took over BUT it was enough to put me off. Therefore, the second OZ I had to find to do this course was a mini dose of courage. As it turns out I enjoyed the session and am looking forwards to the next one!
Like the Cowardly Lion, I think we all have courage but sometimes we actively prevent ourselves from testing it. I agree with reggae artist Spoila Ranks who summarized in his status that everything we need in life is within us... and that is the key to OZ. We have it... and at different times in life we need to use it... whatever the IT of the moment is- you were born with IT. Life is a balance of nature/nurture but regardless it is mainly a challenge to yourself whatever your circumstances. We know this because children within a family often turn out very differently to one another and it’s not all about the genes or home situation... it’s about attitude- either letting go of the OZ or having the determination to grab it and work with it.
What is so beautiful about the Wizard of Oz is that is shows us OZ can be any number of things. It is not your inner spirit, concentration, patience, natural abilities... OZ is the very thing you need right now to move yourself forwards. Take love for example. If you need love, you have it in you... share it, spread it around and it will come back to you... maybe not as quickly as you would like but a generous person is attractive... likewise, active people are attractive; courageous people are attractive and so on. Whatever is holding you back in life, find your inner OZ and tackle it... & while you are at it, help others find theirs too.
Jaz McKenzie
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