It might be hard to believe, but this year is going on my 9th year of doing entertaining for children. 9 years of princess costumes and uncomfortable shoes. 9 years of dancing to the chicken dance in high heels. 9 years of hoopskirts and long sleeves in the scorching summer heat, and 2 years of being Elsa pretending that the biting, bitter winter cold doesn't bother me (The cold doesn't bother me anywaaaaays).
Before I go on, I have to say that I couldn't have done it without my mother. She's the one that has been doing this for decades. When I was a little girl, I remember sitting in her office, bored on weekends and weekdays, waiting for her. My mother would stroll in - clad in a sequined blue Cinderella gown, her whispy blonde hair up in curls and pearls around her neck. She was the most beautiful princess I had ever seen - and I wanted to be just like her.
As a teenager, at laugh at myself now. I was so stubborn, and argumentative, like all teenagers are. I argued with everything my mother told me to do. Study for the SAT's - try hard in math - apply for colleges and college scholarships. No, you can't skip that party I booked you for this weekend. No, you can't get a nose piercing. Nothing came without an argument. Why was she making my life so difficult? My mother was and is, as she describes herself, a hard-ass. And guess what? I'm still argumentative. And we still argue sometimes. But it's funny, because now I look back on my teenage and childhood years. And I look at now, and where I'm at. And I see the struggles with money and work and life and responsibility that many of the people I've known have gone through. And I can't thank my mother enough.
Because of her pushing me, she has made my life as an adult so much easier than it could have been. If she hadn't pushed me to take those AP and college classes, or study for the SAT, or apply the the scholarships I did, I wouldn't be where I am today. And furthermore, if she hadn't sat down to take the time to teach me face painting, balloons, and how to be a princess that doesn't disgrace herself, I would have struggled a lot more in my life than I have. Thanks to her, I can truly say that I am in a good, stable place: I've never had to struggle in ways that a lot of my peers have (though I've had struggles in my own way), I've never gone without a job because I've created one for myself, and I'm proud to say that's because of what she taught me and the hard work I've been inspired to pour into my life. My mom inspired me to face my life with passion, fire and inspiration, and it has never failed me throughout all of my trials.
Adulthood has brought the same unexpected financial hardships that anyone my age has likely gone through. Car accidents, break ups, hospital bills, tuition, and so much more. My parents have never been able to give me a lot of money, but my mother did something better - teach me the tools to create a business that has allowed me to save up enough to not have to struggle month to month. Teach me the tools to empower myself. Teach me that I can do business - I can talk to people - I can be whatever and whomever I aspire to be.
Being a princess has taught me so much more than just being able to do the chicken dance in high heels. It's taught me to think on my toes and to be creative. To come up with party ideas and activities that I'm not always completely comfortable with, such as filling an hour with music and games for 8 year olds.
It's taught me responsibility: if I'm going to go out and party, I still have to be ready for work at 9 am the next morning. I do not cancel parties unexpectedly, no matter what: sick, overwhelmed, busy, heartbroken, whatever. Over the years, I've had to drag myself to parties during the midst of all of these things, and it's been hard. It's hard to smile when your heart hurts. It's hard to dance when you're not feeling well. But being a princess is a commitment I take seriously, and I take making children happy seriously. If I ever do have to cancel for some reason - I will find you a replacement that you like, because it's the right thing to do. Being responsible also means juggling ordering balloons, placing phone calls, writing invoices, collecting payments, sewing and maintaining costumes, and rushing to work right after school despite a full time Graduate or college school schedule. It means training other princesses or entertainers if necessary. It means battling stress and exhaustion and not letting it show when I'm at events.
Being a princess has taught me to talk to people. I've had to get over my fear of phone calls and my shyness and cold call people. Discuss things with clients I have never met. Send professional emails. Settle issues calmly and professionally if they arise. Make small talk with confidence, be optimistic and bright, act confident even when I'm shy and unsure.
Being a princess has taught me to take things in stride. Things aren't ever going to go perfectly, You can plan a whole party and then have it all go differently. Maybe no one except the birthday girl shows up and suddenly you're just entertaining her. Maybe the kids don't want to do games and you have 30 minutes to still kill. Guess what? It's ok. Just roll with it. I've learned to rely on myself and my instinct, because I have experience and I know what to do. I can teach kids to swing dance. I don't know how to sing well? Well, being Elsa means I know how to sing now - so put on Let it Go and fake it! Fake ice powers! Practice princess lessons! Whatever it takes to make kids feel special and happy, because that's what it's all about. I help to create good memories. And it's extremely fulfilling.
Being a princess means strolling headlong into unknown situations with confidence. It means learning cultural competence - many clients will be offended if you don't partake in their food after the party. Some clients want you to come dance with them. Take your shoes off when you get indoors. Don't play the limbo. Act cool around blaring rap music. Brainstorm when the sweet birthday girl is in a wheelchair and the 40-people party suddenly has to be in a trailer indoors because it's raining - and nobody speaks English.
Situations can get difficult, but it means not breaking out of character even for a moment. Even when clients accidentally call Elsa by her "real name" or ask her what she's going to college for.
Being a princess means learning patience. Even when you've painted 30 kids and there's always just "one more"... and it's past your time and you're exhausted. Sometimes, it's just the princess thing to do and stay and make that one extra kid happy. You paste a smile on your face and keep going. (Being a princess also means knowing how to nicely say "you have to go back to the castle" though, too. :)
When it comes down to it, I could go on for days about what it means to be a princess. But at the end of the day, the crux of the matter is that it's been an extremely rewarding and fun filled life experience. My life has been so colourful and fun thanks to what I do. I've seen almost every corner of the state of Georgia. I've met mayors and basketball players and Doctors and physical therapists and so much more. It's costed me: I've gotten speeding tickets, I was in a car accident that nearly costed my life, I've spent more money on balloons than I probably spend on myself every year, and if you know me, it's also made me a bit of a workaholic, which I am working on.
But I'm glad for it all. I'm very proud of what I do, because it's helped to shape who I am. Sure, my closet is filled with princess dresses that battle for room with my other clothes for which ones can be hung up. Sure, I kind of talk in a permanent Disney princess voice even when I'm not trying to. But I'm also more business savvy, financially smart, professional and responsible, culturally competent, optimistic, strong willed, quick-minded, creative, and people-smart than I used to be before I ever did this. I'm confident: I have juggled this business for as long as I've been in school, and if I can manage the responsibility of a business every weekend - doing as many as 5 parties in a single day sometimes - while passing a full-time Doctoral program and juggling every day life - I'm confident that I can do anything. And that's why being a princess is one of my proudest achievements. That's why it's an achievement I'll proclaim loud and clear. Because I'm proud of who I am, and proud of who my mom taught me to push myself to be.
And with that, this princess is going to bow out and go back to studying for her musculoskeletal exam tomorrow - so that one day I can be Lacy Ball (Mason), Princess and PT, DPT. How's that for a resume?
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