A wonderful truth about princesses is that no two princesses are exactly alike. We come from all walks of life, each bringing our own unique princess perspective and history to our kingdoms. This is a truth to be celebrated and cherished - anyone can be a princess. Though we may be of different ages, sizes, races, and abilities, our hearts beat as one. By welcoming everyone to share in the wondrous princess feeling, we can learn so much from one another. Yet for all our differences, all princesses share five simple dreams within our hearts - and it is these dreams that create the five “C” points of the Princess Crown: Compassion, Creativity, Courage, Confidence, and Curiosity.
Compassion
Empathy can often be taken for granted in our busy and ever-changing world. However, a princess knows what great effects a simple act of kindness can have. Like a swan creating a ripple in a pond as it swims gracefully through the water, the echoes of compassion reach more hearts than we could ever know. Compassion is, at its core, the ability to understand what others may be feeling, and to treat them with kindness. This may be shown in many different ways - a princess might show compassion to a hard-working friend by surprising them with a batch of freshly baked cupcakes, simply to cheer them up. Or, perhaps she may show compassion by volunteering for a local charity that she supports. Compassion can be the smallest of actions, but can truly mean the world to our royal subjects.
Creativity
With a little luck and determination, any princess can be a creative force of inspiration. Creativity is not merely in the elegant brush strokes of a watercolor painting, but can help a princess in all aspects of her life. Creativity is looking at the world as it could be, not merely as how it is - and with some imagination, it can transform the mundane into magic. It is taking the time to try to learn a musical instrument, it is seeing the potential in lovingly restoring an antique jewelry box, it is gathering with dear friends to plan the perfect surprise celebration for a loved one’s birthday. Creativity is learning to think outside the box, to see the possibilities, and to delight in creating purely for the joy of it.
Courage
There are many moments in the life of a princess when she is called upon to show her courage. This is no small thing, to intentionally step outside of our comfort to stand up for what we believe in. And yet it is essential to our happiness as princesses. In our daily lives, we may be asked to have courage in many ways. Perhaps we may find ourselves as a witness to injustice, or in a position to speak out against a bully. This may be in a workplace, or at school, or even in social settings. It is our action in these moments, refusing to let cruelty win, that defines us. It is not always an easy thing to do, but when we make the choice to be courageous, our power as princesses flourishes.
Confidence
Confidence is a trait that many would have us believe is somehow self-important, that it lends itself to vanity and unkindness. This could not be further from the truth. Our talents and qualities are gifts to be celebrated. While it is important to be humble at heart, there is simply nothing wrong with being happy with who we are, and taking pride in all that we have accomplished. Even taking confidence in how we present ourselves, whether it is how we style our outfits or wear our hair, can add so much to our daily lives. Being openly confident in ourselves can improve our performance in our work lives, enrich our social lives, and most importantly, add to our daily happiness. When an opportunity presents itself for us to share an achievement, we should take it - who knows which doors may open themselves, if only we are unafraid to let our inner confidence shine through.
Curiosity
We are especially blessed as princesses in this modern world to have endless opportunities to learn new things, to seek out what makes us curious and to discover. The importance of curiosity is that we foster it, nurture it, and let it grow. A true princess never lets herself become complacent in her existing knowledge - she sets out to learn and understand different cultures, asking questions with respect and interest. She looks forward to experiencing new forms of art by sampling new music, and attending local performances. She tries new hobbies, whether they are learning French cuisine or trying her hand at tennis for the first time. We must remain curious and excited about the world around us, for there is so much to explore!