September 8th- what a sad day for the world. It is amazing the impact that the death of Queen Elizabeth had on so many of us. I can picture her bright outfits and smiling face, reigning over the past 70 years. The Queen was admired by people of all ages. My teenage girls and their friends were very saddened by her death as well. She was the ultimate female leader- ahead of her time in so many ways while still remaining quite dutiful and traditional. No one can deny that the Queen enjoyed 96 years of a life well-lived.

I believe that we can all learn alot from her life in so many ways. Here are a few of my lessons and key takeaways:

  1. Remain Dutiful. The Queen pledged to serve her people and that’s exactly what she did for such a long time. She stuck to her word and was the ultimate role model and leader, never waivering in terms of her duties. Queen Elizabeth worked right up until the end with an unparalled work ethic. We can all take a cue from her drive and desire to serve others.
  2. Dress the part. The Queen was always dressed appropriately for every occaision. I can picture her colorful hats and suits brightening up many events and visits. There is something to be said about dressing for your role (or the role that you hope to get), and the Queen’s ability to do so is something that we can all take a lesson from.
  3. Suck it up. I’m sure that there were a lot of times when the Queen probably didn’t feel like attending a royal function, but did so anyhow out of loyalty and service. We should all take a few notes from her reliability. The next time that you feel like binging on a Netflix series instead of going to an event, think about the Queen and suck it up.
  4. Don’t forget to laugh. I’ve read many accounts of little jokes told by the Queen, and it seems that she really was quite funny. A sense of humor always helps you in life and the Queen used humor appropriately and often. You should, too.
  5. Stand by those you love. Despite the royal scandals and the typical drama that all families encounter, the Queen seemed to stand by her family, no matter what- still showing tough love as appropriate. This balance can be challenging, but she appeared to have it mastered.
  6. Remain grounded. I’m sure that it’s quite challenging to be a member of the royal family and still come off as down-to-earth, and yet, the Queen was able to do just that. We can all take a page out her book by remaining humble despite our successes.