I’ve decided I like going to the gynecologist much better than the dermatologist. At least the gynecologist is only focusing on ONE embarrassing body part (okay maybe two others,) but the dermatologist is looking at all of it!! And every time I go, and I mean every time, I’m always hit with, "Mrs. Werteen, do you mind if a couple of students come in? They are male." Of course they are! Who am I to block education? So my response is usually, “It’s fine, as long as you dim the lights a little.” Ummm no. For a full body skin check, it’s bright lights, my birthday suit and magnifying glasses.

This year when the doctor said, “I don’t like that spot on your face,” and I stifled a snarky, “I don’t like your whole face,” response, I was happy to let them focus on my face instead of everything else. When he said he would need to biopsy this spot, the only thing I worried about was if I could get my clothes on before they did it.

Fast forward and now I’m waiting for a date for a more extensive procedure on my face as the biopsy showed a basal cell carcinoma. This has me looking for the metaphor and the symbolism in all of this, and here’s what I have arrived at. Kim and I are always researching and we came across the concept of Queen energy.

Queen energy says that you are in charge of your life, you honor your body and embrace who you are right now. Unlike the Princess, who's always looking outside of herself, the Queen looks within and knows who she is and what she values. It’s a concept that is especially relevant to middle aged women. It’s about loving who you are right now, without wishing for what was or stressing about what will be.

Positive psychology expert Caroline Adams Miller (who you’ve seen on our television show and heard on our podcast) says for years, increasing numbers of middle-aged women are suffering from "diseases of despair" including eating disorders, suicide, alcoholism, depression, and prescription drug abuse. The solutions, she says, are for women to celebrate life, surround themselves with hopeful friends, and look to role models and guides for help. So now we are planning a spring event to do just that!! Stay tuned for more information.

In the early 1900s Dr. Carl Jung introduced the concept of psychological archetypes into the field of Psychology. He defined 12 key psychological archetypes, and explained that we experience them as energy in our lives. Dr. Jung proclaimed that we all have these 12 universal energies inside of us, yet often they lay dormant as latent potential. One of those archetypical energies is the Royal energy. This energy has both masculine and feminine distinctions, King and Queen respectively.

As young women, our royal archetypical energy is typically that of a Princess; yet as we mature and gain clarity about ourselves and our lives, we have the potential to grow into our Queen energy. Queen energy is full of power, confidence, and femininity. Queens are humble leaders, clear communicators, and advocates for self-love and self-resilience.

The Queen archetypical energy is not catty or competitive, but rather wants to see all people thrive in life. A Queen knows that true elegance comes from within. It’s not about what other people think nor is it about how she looks on the outside; it’s about how she feels internally. And, that feeling radiates as powerful and humble.

The Queen archetypical energy is one we should all aspire to embody. As a Queen, you are the creator of your own experience, and your main role is to master yourself and create a kingdom that you’re proud of.

Here are some tips for how to ascend to your Queen Energy:

• Approach everything with a growth mindset (recognizing that we must take risks and view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow)
• Spend time alone, reflecting on your values, and noting whether you are living in alignment with them
• Improve your self-talk (tell yourself constantly that you are beautiful, intelligent, and worthy of love)
• Set a positive, uplifting tone for your day (start each day with empowering affirmations, mantras, quotes, or videos/playlists)
• Keep learning and growing throughout your life (challenge yourself to learn something new each day. Use your strengths and sharpen your skills in new and interesting ways)
• Surround yourself with other confident Queens (ones who recognize, appreciate and cheer you on for your Queen energy!)

Looking forward to seeing you at our Royal gathering of Queens (AKA our Spring Retreat!)