WHAT'S YOUR SUPERPOWER?

We all have a secret Superpower or two - it's just not always what we expect

SUPERHEROES AND SUPERPOWERS

Since time immemorial human beings have envied those fictitious characters in comic books and on our screens, who have Superpowers. We've grown up with Superman, The Fantastic Four, Wonder Woman, Spider Man, The Bionic Man, and countless others. 

I think we all secretly long for a Superpower of our own, but what if we already had Superpowers that slipped under the radar? What if I have something I think is normal, but others would kill for (well, maybe not kill for, but at least be a little bit jealous of?) This got me thinking and I came up with THREE Secret Superpowers that I wield with ease...

SECRET SUPERPOWER 1: SLEEPING IN


sleeping in late when you don't have any work or other deadlines - bliss

I don't sleep like the dead any more (thanks to getting older and sleeping more lightly) but when the conditions are right I can sleep in like a teenager. I love those mornings when I don't have to get up for work and there are no deadlines. If I wake up and it's still early, I snuggle down under the covers, roll over and go back to sleep - I can do this endlessly - but try to not go too late into the morning so some of the day is left.

Barking dogs are my kryptonite when it comes to the late morning snooze-fest. It's really hard to tune them out if they are incessantly yapping, or barking at every stray passerby. One day when I am Queen of the Universe I'll have soundproof domes installed over backyards to keep the peace.

SECRET SUPERPOWER 2: BABY WHISPERING


The baby whispering superpower - when babies can't help falling asleep in your arms

This is a Superpower I developed later in life. It didn't come into effect when I had my own small children (who incidentally were horrible sleepers) but now I just seem to have the gift of putting babies to sleep. If you hand me a cranky baby I can almost certainly guarantee that within a very short time that baby will be snoozing on my shoulder. 

I've figured out that this Superpower is related to my ability to talk the leg off an iron pot. I talk and sway and talk some more and all that droning and swaying is irresistable to babies who need to sleep. Before I know it, they are a soft, warm, dead weight in my arms and their mothers think I'm amazing - win/win.

SECRET SUPERPOWER 3: MINIMALIZING

ave nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris

I have been a minimalist since before the term even existed. You would be hard pressed to find anything worth throwing out in my house. Hoarders would weep in despair if they saw how little my husband and I have lying around our home. We've just never been into accumulating stuff or holding on to anything that doesn't have a purpose or a strong sentimental tie.

When our kids moved out of home, they took their stuff with them, and their rooms were converted to other uses - then we moved house and they didn't have an old bedroom at all any more, but plenty of spare room to stay when they come to visit. Family heirlooms are few and far between (things will be getting binned or donated when our parents pass on - they've been warned in advance) because we don't see any reason to keep something just for the sake of it - sad but true.


we all have a stupid superpower - have you thought about what yours is?


"STUPID" SUPERPOWERS

So, my Superpowers are pretty useless all things considered, and won't be changing the world or saving it from evil villains. I'm okay with that. I kind of like the idea of having a secret Superpower (even if it is a bit lame) that I can use to make myself or others happy. Maybe if everyone discovered their hidden Superpowers the world would be a sunnier place and we'd all feel a little bit more content.

Do you have a "Stupid" Superpower, or a more useful one than mine? I'd love to hear what you think you might be hiding without realizing it. I had so much fun doing this that I thought I'd share another five of my "Lesser" Powers in my Five Things Friday post this week - stay tuned!

What's your secret Superpower? Check out three of mine today on the blog

This post was shared at some of these great link parties
To keep up to date with my posts, feel free to add your email into the spot especially for it on my sidebar or follow me on Facebook

Midlife Monday - www.crestingthehill.com.au

40 comments

  1. I can link random comments to pop song lyrics - which are located in a separate part of my brain and link across to the rest of it in ways I simply don't understand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jo we are kindred spirits! I actually have a few more lesser superpowers I'm writing about on Friday and having a song for every occasion is one of them :)

      Delete
  2. I have a brain full of useless information does that count? I can come up with answers to weird and wonderful questions which actually impress my husband! I would love to have your superpower of sleeping in. Even when I can I still have to get up as soon as I wake up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You would be the perfect partner for a game of Trivial Pursuit Sue - useless information always comes in handy when you're playing. I also like to pull something random out of my hat to show my brain still works so I definitely rate that as a Superpower :)

      Delete
  3. Thank you Leanne for linking up at the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I shared this post on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Leanne for linking up at #overthemoon I've pinned your post and also your quote. Have a great day. I was a hoarder but have now started to declutter as we downsize.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love this post Leanne, and no superpower is stupid! Mine is having a 'Debbie smile' which means I always smile in photos and make others smile too. I was also nicknamed WonderWomanDebz!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've seen that Debbie smile in action on your blog - it is a Superpower to be proud of! My smile looks more forced with every year that goes by - hauling up the corners of the mouth must get tougher with age :)

      Delete
  6. Oh gosh, now you have made me think. It's not a superpower but I remember birthdays of people famous and not so famous. it's annoying in a way. That's it for me. Thanks for linking up for #lifethisweek 18/52 Next week: "My Mondays".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anything is a superpower if you can do it and others can't Denyse, so yours definitely counts!

      Delete
  7. I'd like to borrow your minimalist superpower to tackle my clutter. My superpower? Maybe the ability to juggle "all the things" for everyone in our house. We all have ADD/ADHD so someone has to keep us in line. Also, I can find just about anything or anyone on the internet in under five minutes. Yeah, completely useless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Internet ninja-ing is a Superpower of great usefulness Lisa - nothing worse than scrolling through Google and not finding what you're after. And for minimalism - "if in doubt - chuck it out" is my motto!

      Delete
  8. I would love your super powers! There is a new career in your future in being a Declutter Expert for other people. Seriously. I used to be able to communicate with dogs, but I lost that power when I went trough chemotherapy. It never came back. I consulted a Voodo Queen in New Orleans one time and she thought my powers would return with my health but I am still waiting. Oh I am not making this up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is so funny Haralee - your dog whispering skills disappearing like that! I do hope you get them back because they are on a par with my baby whispering :) Maybe I could just have a deal with a skip haul company and drop a big bin outside people's houses and just say "sorry this has to go" with all their "treasures"?

      Delete
  9. Hmmmmm. Mine is definitely not minimalist or minimizing :-) I think mine would be normalizing everybody else's wacky life. Because the stuff I do in the embarrassing situations I get myself into makes everyone else's life appear sedate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was wondering how you were going to justify the "normal" thing Carla - you are definitely in a league of your own - I'm not sure if you normalize or inspire us to jump off the edge more often :)

      Delete
  10. My super power is helping everyone else keep their life in order...while mine is a mess! I dont know what you would call that...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe it's a reverse Superpower Renee - you need one of those scenes where your power hits a mirror and bounces back - usually that's a backfire, but in your case it might have great results :)

      Delete
  11. I have an amazing ability to reply with sarcasm to almost any comment made to me. But, perhaps that's more of a super "villain" power......

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing like a bit of sarcasm to keep people on their toes Melinda - my daughter-in-law is gradually learning this skill after a few years of being exposed to our family!

      Delete
  12. Sorry to break it to you Leanne, but we share a superpower. :) Left to my own devices and without anything pressing to do, I can sleep like a champ. I can leave the TV off (which my hubs thinks is a superpower in itself) and snuggle into the quiet and sleep away. Your commitment to minimalistic living is very impressive. I'm still honing that power. Fun article. #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I’ve shared your post on social media.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't mind sharing the sleeping Superpower Clearissa - there are many Midlifers out there who would be envying both of us because their sleeping has gone to the dogs! I'm happy to be able to nap like a champion :)

      Delete
  13. I love your superpowers, Leanne. I don't think that they are useless at all! I am especially envious of your ability to sleep in. I'm with Sue on having a head full of trivia. It does come in handy at game nights....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe it's that head full of trivia that you and Sue have that keeps your brains busy - it's good for fighting off dementia but not great for letting you sleep in - too much to think about instead of sleeping :)

      Delete
  14. I think my superpower might be patience. I've had people tell me many times that I have so much patience. But, I really don't see it, myself. My stupid superpower is that I can balance on a float in my pool while drinking wine out of an acrylic goblet (no glass in the pool area) and NOT spill a drop! This is a talent that I've cultivated, and I put it to good use every year, starting right about now and going through September. Thank you for linking up at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I'm sharing your post on social media.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so envious of your patience Superpower Carol - I would love to be more patient! I get so frustrated with all the little niggly annoyances of life - a mellower approach would be much appreciated! And that floating and sipping one fits very nicely with your profile pic :)

      Delete
  15. I am not sure if this one is a good superpower or a challenging one. But, I am extremely intuitive and can feel when others are troubled or in need of support.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow Ellen - the Empathy Superpower - now I am really jealous. I have been trying to cultivate that one but I've still got a long way to go. I think those who have it naturally are truly blessed!

      Delete
  16. Hi Leanne I've shared on social media from the #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sleeping In and Baby Whisperer are two of my super powers - but definitely not minimalism - I'm pretty good at solving my kids & grandkids problems too. Thank you for sharing at#BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nice to meet a kindred spirit Lori - isn't baby whispering the BEST superpower ever? :)

      Delete
  18. Replies
    1. Me too Leslie - you can't help but win - happy baby, happy mother and lots of warm baby snuggles!

      Delete
  19. I'm back again! I like your super powers, don't think I have any though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You'd be surprised Dee - maybe yours is being the Midlife blog linkerupperer - where all Midlife bloggers go to be seen and heard :)

      Delete
  20. I wish I had the minimalist superpower :) My useless superpower would be the ability to cry easily :P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had the cry easily Superpower for a couple of years Sanch - can't say I loved it particularly and I was glad when it finally left me alone (hope it didn't decide to move to you instead!)

      Delete
  21. Stupid or not, I think your superpowers are pretty neat! I wish I had you here when my baby wouldn't sleep. Or I myself for that matter. You could have talked us both into snoozing!
    God knows I might use help in downsizing STUFF in our house. I have been working so hard on it for several years, and still there is so much clutter.
    What am I good at? "Winging it", I guess. Finding a quick solution to a situation on hand. Also juggling multiple responsibilities - which is actually due to NOT being good at saying no. So my plate becomes full, and I have to deal with it, and I do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think "winging it" is an amazing Superpower Tamara - to be able to go with the flow and not get flustered when things pile up is a great gift to have - you must be a lot less stressed than me :) And if you weren't so far away I'd come and talk you to sleep any time :)

      Delete
  22. Hi Leanne,
    My word for the year is minimalism, so I pick that one.
    Thanks for coming to the Pit Stop.
    Janice, Pit Stop Crew

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your comment - it's where the connection begins.