Being a Mentor

As our journey continues on Real Life Radio Network, I am so proud to be part of such a unique community. Being able to be a Mentor is just part of the process.

You would not know it by the way I write and talk, but as a youngster, I suffered from extreme shyness. If someone looked at me in a certain way, I would burst into tears. In the classroom at school, if the teacher called upon me to recite or contribute to the lesson, I was mortified. What changed all that? My mother sent me to counseling sessions with a local family therapist. During the therapy sessions, it was finally brought out of me that one of the reasons for my shyness was insecurity over my name. I have a very ethic sounding (and spelling) of my first name and last name. My first name is really Elin, however, when I was learning to write my name, it looked like "elf". Oh, boy, did the children at school make fun of me from that point on! When I got home from school, I burst into tears and begged my mother to let me write my first name the "American way", which is Ellen.

My therapist was in fact my mentor and I felt comfortable enough to break down the barriers and allow her to guide me on the path of self esteem. After that, I was able to confront obstacles.

In my adult life, I have been able to be a mentor for children, young adults and yes, even ex-offenders that are working very hard to get back on track after a dark period in their lives. It brings me much joy to know that I am able to provide the right guidance, a person that they can call up and talk to, or sending an email to discuss matters. I find being a mentor has enriched my life in so many ways and feel truly blessed. Yes, I do inspire others, and in return, they inspire me.

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