The Princess School :: Personal Growth Princess

When women hear about self-help book summaries, they are typically very excited and can’t wait to sign up. When they hear the term “Personal Growth Princess”, which is, simply, self-help book summaries taken a little more lightheartedly, they have one of two responses – they either love it and embrace the joy and playfulness inherent it, or they are turned off.

I find that fascinating. Not because a particular name or brand doesn’t appeal to someone – that’s actually a sign of a great brand. It’s good that people recognize themselves in a brand or not.

What I’m fascinated with is the vehemence with which some women react to the word Princess – separate from any association with self-help book summaries. It’s as if it’s degrading.

I’ve got to wonder, when did the word Princess become such an insult?

I think it happened somewhere between childhood (when it was OK to think about princesses) and our first jobs – when we had to buckle down, get serious, and get others to take us seriously.There was no room for being playful and taking ourselves lightly. Believe it or not, I was once told by a colleague that no one would take me seriously because I smiled too much. (I was working in the field of education at the time.) Imagine how much you would start to hide your true nature if you thought that were true!

No wonder we learn to hide who we really are!

The term Princess is often used by judgmental people (both men and women) to tell a woman she’s asking for or expecting too much. That somehow she has stepped outside the boundaries of what she deserves and is getting picky or demanding. (I remember my sister being referred to as a princess when she bought a 5 year old Toyota Prism, that dared to have air conditioning, to replace her 10 year old, broken down robin’s egg blue Opal.)

It’s this negative use of the word Princess that sticks with us and holds us back.

That is EXACTLY why a site dedicated to women being fully and authentically who they are, embracing the joys as well as the sorrows, relishing in the light and finding the value in darkness, is called Personal Growth PRINCESS. Read More→

Princess stories – with a twist!

Jane B. Mason and Sara Hines Stephens have written a fun, inspired, and empowering series of books about princesses. So rather than sitting around waiting for the next Princess Diaries book, get the Princess School series and settle in for an afternoon of sweet reading. PrincessSchool The Princess School the book series for empowered princesses

(They are written for girls, but I found that they apply to the Inner Princess we have, even as grown ups. And if you have young girls, I wholeheartedly recommend getting these for them. They are published by Scholastic.)

While the Princesses themselves will sound familiar – Ella (Cinderella) , Briar Rose (called “Beauty”), Snow White, Rapunzel – their antics and adventures are anything but. Rather than waiting for their prince or knight-in-shining-armor to arrive and save the day, these young princesses set about learning about how to be a proper princess and how to take care of themselves in the process.

Think “Harry Potter” – only not so complex and not as much evil-doing. The princesses are attending school – duh – and have evil witches (who attend Grimm School) to deal with, as well as some nasty step-sisters and grumpy old fairies with a grudge. Of course there are other classmates who can’t handle how competent and kind the princesses are. And sometimes the princesses get a bit snippy, too. Just like real women.

In one of the books, Rapunzel dresses as a knight and participates in the jousting contest being held at Charm School – the boy’ school next door. And, you guessed it, she wins. But, not before she goes through the internal struggle of what will happen to her friendship with Prince Val if she beats him. This is the same dilemma many smart and talented girls go through as they grow up – what to do when the boys can’t deal with how smart you are. And, it’s also the dilemma many of you tell me you go through at work. Maybe not so much as before, but women in the workplace still face pressure not to be too strong or successful, and how to deal with it if their boss is intimidated.

In the first book, If the Shoe Fits, Ella does have a pair of glass slippers – but they are too big, so she stumbles around and gets blisters trying to keep them on her feet. It’s the first day of school, her fairy godmother Read More→

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When did “Princess” become a bad word?

The Princess School – the book series for empowered princesses

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