All in the Attitude

Hello Again Crown Connoisseurs!

Today I’d like to take you through the journey of a confident woman who not only donned the crown on her own but also brought her mother along to revel in the Crown Rules experience together. This fabulous participant’s story demonstrates being the kind of leader that others want to follow.

As a fan of White Branches from its inception, I humbly accepted the invitation to participate in the Crown Rules Experience. Though I wear many “hats,” and have worn more than a few “masks,” I have never worn a crown. The whole concept of the experience intrigued me, but I wondered if I really had what it takes to incorporate a crown into my daily wardrobe. While my self-perception is of a strong and confident woman, I will often avoid drawing attention to myself. Going out in public with a rhinestone tiara on my head was going to be venturing far beyond my comfort zone.

For my first venture out, I wore a crown to work – night shift nurse in a mental hospital. I knew I could count on my patients and co-workers to be brutally honest in their critiques; and, they did not disappoint. The smiles and greetings from folks I passed in the parking lot seemed a little more genuine that night. The young man who held the front door open for me bowed as I entered. Peers and staff got a good laugh at my grand entrance and commented on the crown’s beauty.

The only criticism received, from the fashion-police patient, was that my red tiara clashed with my blue glasses. A favorite patient, Elizabeth, asked “If you’re the queen, why are you doing all the work and just letting those clowns sit around doing nothing?” Why, indeed, Elizabeth? I managed to maintain the look for 3 hours into the shift before the crown began to weigh heavy on my head. With glasses, an N95 mask, a surgical mask, and a full-face shield, I just couldn’t bear having one more thing on my head. Still, it was a good trial run.

So, now I had to come up with a way to really take the Experience to the public. Easy - Just get Mom to do it with me! No problem since I picked out a crown for her, too, and was presenting it on her birthday. Cheating a bit, perhaps, but also more fun to share the experience with someone who would truly embrace it.

As expected, challenge accepted. Mom and I wore tiaras everywhere. Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, restaurants, and coffee shops. Everywhere we went, people commented on how much they loved our regal appearance. When asked why we were wearing crowns, Mom & I gave very similar responses. In short, “why not?” Several people commented that we had just made their day. Several more stated that they agreed we all need a little more sparkle in our lives right now. The crowns have gotten a lot of wear in the last 2 months; I may have to purchase a couple more, maybe one to match my glasses.

I’ll now leave you with a few of her personal takeaways from this experience, and of course her very own Crown Rules…

• It’s all in the attitude

• Always make room for fun, whimsy, and sparkle in your life

• It really does not take much effort at all to make someone smile and bring a little light into someone’s day

Her Crown Rules

• Be the kind of leader others want to follow

• Embrace your power & hold your head high

• Take risks/break the mold

• Choose beauty, grace, and light: Shine!

We would love to hear your thoughts and your Crown Rules mantra in the comment box!