Chin up Like Buttercup

Princess Buttercup is 59 today…

More specifically, Robin Wright, the actress who played the Princess, is celebrating her 59th birthday today.

I love the movie The Princess Bride — and I love its lead female.

Here’s why…

Buttercup is no action hero. She doesn’t swing a sword or storm the castle.

She grieves. She struggles. She suffers.

She loses the love of her life — or so she believes.

She’s forced into a sham marriage with a deceitful prince. She’s trapped, powerless, stuck.

But through it all, she persists.

She doesn’t scheme or rage or grandstand.

She plans.

She believes.

She holds on to the hope that true love will win.

And when Westley returns — broken, bruised, mostly dead — she doesn’t hesitate.

She trusts.

She takes his hand.

She’s ready.

That’s strength.

That’s faith.

That’s a great story for this moment of economic turmoil and uncertainty.

Yes, the stock market is down.

Yes, some say a recession is on the horizon.

Yes, business is hard.

And yes…

This is the moment when you get to choose:

You can be Princess Buttercup — grounded, patient, hopeful — staying the course with quiet conviction…

Or you can be Eeyore, the gloomy donkey from Winnie the Pooh, who thinks…

Every day’s a bad day.

Every cloud means rain.

Eeyore shrugs, sighs, and assumes nothing will get better.

Buttercup never stops believing.

Persistence isn’t about charging ahead blindly.

It’s about showing up again and again — with purpose and heart — even when the road gets rough.

It’s about holding on to the vision of what’s possible, even when it seems impossible.

Faith + Action = Transformation

That’s what Buttercup teaches us.

And that’s what your audience, your clients, and your business need from you right now.

So… which character will you be?

Princess Buttercup or Eeyore?**

You know the right choice:

Choose to be Buttercup.

Believe.

Create.

Keep going.

Sure, there will be times you feel stuck.

And when that happens, choose to keep going.

One way to do that…

Reply to this email. Tell me what you’re working on. Share what’s holding you back.

I’ll reply with useful feedback and actionable advice…

…so you can keep going and create content that attracts great clients — even when times are tough.

Go ahead and hit “reply” if you want to keep going.