When looking for a role model among celebrities, Queen Latifah is your choice. This exceptional woman is an exemplar of strength and determination, success achieved through hard work and perseverance, dignity and a truly royal sense of worth. Her musical career is as diverse as her filmography. The first hip-hop artist to be honoured with a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, CoverGirl spokesperson, co-founder of production company Flavor Unit Entertainment. And the author. In a little book Put on Your Crown, Queen Latifah shares her "life-changing moments on the path to queendom”.

The main purpose of this simply written yet very inspirational life guide is to let your inner queen come out. You won’t find a detailed instruction on how to become a queen. Inside every woman, there is a queen. You are the Queen, the Lioness.

Confidence is critical to being Queen. You can do anything, keeps repeating Latifah’s mother Rita Owens. Knowing that everything is within your powers is a queenly quality. Crown yourself. Be the Queen, and people will hail you.

Queen Latifah opens her discussion of queendom with the idea of success. We are capable of so much more than we allow ourselves to believe in. The goal is to explore and push your limits, striving for the best in any undertaking. Perfection, like success, has no borders. The intermediate achievements should not stop you from aiming at something greater. The knowledge that she is able to do more keeps Queen Latifah going and makes her succeed, be it hosting a talk show, voicing the mammoth Ellie in Ice Age, or launching her own perfume line.

Lioness is the embodiment of grace, elegance, beauty. Beauty is you. But you need to see this beauty in yourself. Latifah has chosen to be called “Queen”, because that is exactly how she feels inside. Be healthy, feel good in your own skin, and play up your best assets – she advices. – We become beautiful when we do things to take care of ourselves, inside and outside.

Queen Latifah looks at the concept of money from an unconventional angle – as a source of self-love and empowerment. The financial independence frees you up and gives you means to be yourself, make decisions based on self-worth. You cannot earn all the money; hence, appreciate what you have. Wealth is a blessing from God and needs to be taken with respect.

The binary of the femininity and strength is inalienable from the image of Queen – the Lioness. Self-love, self-appreciation, royal treatment make your crown shine. But wearing a crown requires strength. Strength to maintain your boundaries – giving yourself some space and time; otherwise, you will stop hearing that inner voice prompting you what to do. Strength to say “no”. The articulation of this short word requires a strong will, but if the integrity of your queendom is at stake – do it!

One of the greatest obstacles to becoming strong and pursuing your goals is fear. The Queen should fight this dangerous vice fiercely, like a Lioness. The chapter on fear, very powerful and inspirational piece, motivates the reader to fight and conquer. Many fears are very trivial – the fear of change, the fear of failure – yet, they can destroy your life. Queen Latifah says it all in few lines:

- Life means embracing change;
- Trust you gut;
- Try acting like you’ve got the courage and confidence…so you can trick yourself into believing it.

A few simple truths in order to have the heart of the Lioness.

Walking through life like Queen also means dealing with loss. Death is beyond our powers, but what is within our reach is the power to start living again. Despite the pain. That is what those who pass away would want us to do. Death reminds the living that life is short, so you should follow your dreams in the time you have.

Queen Latifah concludes her little book of wisdom with life-asserting chapter on joy. The joy of life. The importance of appreciating every moment you live through. Celebrate. Live full out. Wear your crown with pride. You turn the last page and you can’t stop smiling.

Put on Your Crown is not an instructional manual on becoming a queen. It is a confession. An intimate conversation. For those eight chapters, Queen Latifah becomes your mentor – your Lioness, a friend, who shares what she has learned from life and whose example inspires you to be the Queen too. To put on your own crown and let your heart of the Lioness guide you on your path.