In art such as literature and film, the Threshold Guardian is a common archetype or trope in a classic and prevalent narrative: the hero’s journey. This can be found anywhere from Homer’s Odyssey to The Wizard of Oz to Black Panther.

In real life we can embark on our own heroine’s quest to obtain what I call your Vision of Success.

Next time you are feeling afraid to continue or even embark on your heroine’s quest consider this! The heroine encounters a “threshold guardian” at the entrance to the zone of magnified power. This guardian stands in the way of the heroine moving on to the next level!

In literature, the Threshold Guardian’s job is to ensure the protagonist is worthy of passing the threshold, and thus they act as part of the tests the protagonist must face in the journey. A heroine who depends on her strength might attempt to overcome Threshold Guardians, while a heroine who depends on her wits might evade, bribe, learn from and even convert the Guardians to her cause. Needless to say, running away from a Threshold Guardian is not a successful way of dealing with one.

https://medium.com/@Ash_Capes/the-threshold-guardian-from-the-hero-s-journey-2c11184044d0

Palermo to Taormina and back again. Fun, food, adventure and more food! Travelogue and reviews of restaurants and hotels.

Then a ploughman said, Speak to us of Work. And he answered, saying:

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.
For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons,
and to step out of life’s procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.
Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.
But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,
And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,
And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

You have been told also that life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.
And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,
And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,
And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,
And all work is empty save when there is love;
And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart,
even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.
It is to build a house with affection,
even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy,
even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.
It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,
And to know that all the blessed dead
are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, “He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.
And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet.”
But I say, not in sleep but in the overwakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;
And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible.
And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.
For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger.
And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.
And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

Gibran, K. (1923). On work. In The Prophet (pp. 25-27). Alfred A. Knopf.

This mini-mini series is based on an exerpt from The Adventures of Isabelle Book II: Journey to Orphalese now on Amazon.

Crossing the Equator: On the day the fleet crossed the Equator the sky was clear and bright, but the wind, which had been growing steadily weaker over the last week, died from any direction of the compass. The crew had gone as far as they could without the aid of the wind and were now exhausted. In anticipation of this eventuality, Commodore Déjois ordered the fleet off their course to Orphalese and vectored toward the Bay of Kali, where they anchored in a lush palm tree-protected cove.

Thanks for joining Princess Isabelle on this phase of her journey! To read The Adventure of Isabelle Book II: Journey to Orphalese visit Amazon.

Please like and subscribe to my channel on YouTube!

Wishing you all the best on your quest!

Nicole

I had the pleasure of sharing this cross-generational discussion with Marcella Roberts of WUSA Channel 9 News in May, 2019.

Is 2023 Your Breakthrough Year?

If so, you will want to join us at this weekend beach retreat to facilitate your Spring Emergence after a long Winter! You will clarify and reset your Ideal Vision for your life, eliminate obstacles holding you back, connect with your inner heroine and be rejuvenated through rest, relaxation and pampering. This is YOUR time to retreat from the stress and imbalance of this fast-paced world to return rested and ready to tackle the next phase of your Heroine’s Quest!

During this retreat, we’ll lead you through workshops geared to help you clarify and achieve your Vision for your ideal life and break through blocks that might be holding you back! All this in a relaxing, fun and supportive environment. We will combine indoor discussion and exercises with outdoor activities in a serene beach community (weather-dependent). Consider this your Spring Awakening! 

You Will…

1. Clearly define your Ideal Vision for your life.
2. Create your Personal Strategic Plan to achieve your Ideal Vision!
3. Learn techniques to break through any barriers holding you back!
4. Connect with yourself, relax, rejuvenate & revive your senses!
5. Get inspired by likeminded powerful women!
6. Master your power to slay the dragons on your path!

What’s Included:

• 15+ hrs of exercises and lessons designed by Dr. Nicole Cutts, Success Coach and Clinical Psychologist to increase your success.
• Tools and techniques and handouts that you can take away and use throughout the year.
• A tangible and workable plan for your fulfillment in 2019 and beyond!
• One-on-one success coaching sessions with Nicole
• Daily hot breakfast and afternoon tea (for those staying at the retreat hotel and spa).
• Snacks and beverages during workshops.
• Support from other powerful successful women on the Heroine’s Quest to live their Vision of Success.
• Gentle morning exercises.
• A tranquil setting in a quiet beach community. 

What’s not Included:

• Lodging (See the Bellmoor today to secure a room at the retreat location. There are also ample lodging options close by).
• Spa services (also available at the Bellmoor Spa)
• Lunch and dinner (retreatants take lunch and dinner on their own with group dinner and lunch optional).

Agenda:

The dialogue surrounding diversity and representation in media has become increasingly vital, highlighting the necessity for narratives that mirror the world’s true diversity. Despite strides towards inclusivity in various media forms, there’s a notable deficiency in the portrayal of princesses from diverse backgrounds.

My focus on princesses, as opposed to other royal figures, is deliberate. Fairy tale princesses play a crucial role in shaping the perceptions of beauty, leadership, and societal roles among young girls and women. They offer lessons on femininity, treating others kindly, and the importance of using one’s privilege to uplift others.

Representation is critically important. For young children, seeing characters that resemble them can significantly boost their self-esteem and aspirations, reinforcing their identity and the notion that they can be protagonists in their own stories. Yet, girls of color often lack such representations in mainstream media, limiting not only their imagination but also societal perceptions of beauty, royalty, and leadership.

When media does feature princesses of color, their stories often weave in rich cultural histories, resilience, and strength. From Princess Tiana in “The Princess and the Frog” celebrating African American heritage to the inclusive casting of “Bridgerton” and the powerful narratives in “The Woman King” these characters embody themes of hard work, ambition, and success, resonating deeply with all children, especially girls of color.

Nevertheless, the current offerings are insufficient. There’s a need for an expanded narrative that includes a broader array of princesses of color from various backgrounds, each with unique stories and challenges. These characters should populate both fantastical and realistic settings, reflecting the diverse experiences of the African diaspora and other cultures.

Moreover, existing portrayals often adhere to traditional gender roles and heteronormative narratives, perpetuating sexism and heterosexism. The inclusion of non-traditional princesses, who defy stereotypical gender roles and explore various forms of love and identity, is also necessary.

Furthermore, the portrayal of princesses of color should transcend their struggles, celebrating their joy, creativity, and community impact. These narratives should not only highlight individual achievements but also their contributions to society at large.

The call for more diverse princesses in media is a call for inclusivity that enriches our cultural narrative. By championing these stories, media creators can inspire a generation to dream inclusively and recognize the beauty in diversity. It’s imperative for media to fully represent the spectrum of human experience, ensuring every child can see themselves as the royalty they truly are.

I recently conducted a survey of working women to find out what their biggest challenges are. Some of what I found was surprising but some was not. As I know, not just from my survey, but from real life, you don’t have a lot of time so I will get right to the point. The two biggest challenges identified by the 53  working women who responded to my survey were 1) Stress Management (42%) and 2) Time Management (39%).

The next four greatest challenges were:

3) Lack of Clear Vision (30%)

4) Need to Develop Leadership Presence (19%)

5) Difficulty With Boss/Manager (15%)

6) Influencing Skills (13%)

To further assess the needs of working women I asked respondents to rate their interest in 14 training topics on a scale of 1-5 ( 5 being the highest). See their top 6 picks below.

In order of preference women chose:

1. Time Management: How to be more efficient (3.88)
2. Developing Effective Leadership Presence (3.74)
3. Destressing for Success: Including self-care (3.73)
4. Influencing Skills for Women: How to Get What You Want (3.65)
5. How to Achieve My Vision of Success (for my life’s work) (3.48)
6. Harnessing My Creative Power (3.22)

Discussion:

Since as far back as 2010 women have consistently reported higher levels of stress than men. Not surprisingly even a brief review of the literature also uncovers a trend where women have more responsibilities than men. While gender role expectations may have changed over the past 100 years there still exists an expectation for women to handle more of the household responsibilities than men and this includes the extended family. Men are expected to focus on themselves and their work while women are expected to work while focusing more on others and less on themselves and their own self-care. And as if that’s not bad enough, we are told that men aren’t as good at multitasking. The truth is, neither men nor women are particularly good at multitasking.

The reality is that employees of all genders are consistently being asked to do more and more with little regard for their well-being. And we keep thinking something is wrong with us, or that we need to get better at managing our time. While many of us could benefit from some helpful time management and stress reduction strategies, the truth is that WE CAN NOT PRODUCE MORE TIME!

Where we can, we need to set more boundaries and take back some of the time we give to others so that we can take better care of ourselves. And STOP FEELING GUILTY! For many work has become a drudge. Companies pay lip service to work/life balance but don’t support this either structurally or culturally. The work culture of the United States is largely unhealthy. This is what needs to change. But, until it does we have to focus on what we can change. This is why I’ve provided some free tools for women which can be found HERE.

If you are a leader of an organization ready to create a high-performing work culture that thrives on well-being please drop me a line at dr.cutts@cuttsconsulting.com I’m happy to discuss how.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month but our emotional well-being is something we need to address year-round. Check out this vid of my appearance on Channel 7 News DC and read below for ways to improve your emotional well-being!

These last few years, in particular, have taken a toll on many people’s mental health, so now more than ever, you need to engage in all facets of self-care. 

This is why I’m sharing this helpful Emotional Wellness Checklist with 6 tips from the National Institutes of Health that you can download and use! I recommend you download the checklist and see how you are doing with your emotional well-being.

It addresses 6 actions you can take to improve your mental health:

1. Brighten Your Outlook
2. Reduce Stress
3. Get Quality Sleep
4. Be Mindful
5. Cope With Loss
6. Strengthen Social Connections

Pro-Tip: Be of Service!

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine.” But you don’t even have to have an actual volunteer position to get these benefits. Just helping out a friend, family member or doing a good deed for a stranger can lead to you feeling good about yourself and the world. It also helps you to focus less on your problems by getting you outside yourself. If you don’t already do this, give it a try and let me know how you feel.

I hope you found this post helpful. Feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts and if you are interested in a 25-minute Free Consultation visit my page at Psychology Today!

Click here for more FREE SUCCESS TOOLS!