At 49, I’ve finally cracked the riddle of life. Solved it. Understood it. Mastered it. Or so I confidently announced to myself, and then Instagram, that uninvited life coach, served me a book. You know the kind, the one that make you pause mid-scroll and make a same day online book order. It was “Awakening The Heroes Within” by Carol S Pearson on the“12 Female Archetypes“ Apparently, according to the book and insights from its contents , I’m a glorious mash-up of Creator, Sage, Huntress, and Mother. Which sounds epic. Mythical. Almost Marvel-worthy. Until you translate it into real life, where it simply means: I decorate cakes, write columns, chase stray dreams (and stray cats), and spend half my waking hours asking my teenager, “Did you eat?” Now, let’s break this down, shall we?
The Creator aka The Woman With Icing Sugar in Her Hair
Archetype charts describe “The Creator” as innovative, artistic, visionary. In my life, that translates to: a woman who can spend three meditative hours sculpting a showstopper wedding cake, but will absolutely forget to close the main door after the last-minute Blinkit butter delivery for the salted caramel filling. Truth be told, I thrive when I’m making things, edible art, emotional essays, or experimental dinners that my family politely calls “interesting.” Creation energises me. Chaos follows me closely. The downside? I genuinely believe “Pinterest” is a legitimate money saving, business strategy for artists. So looking ahead, I’m leaning in bravely, joyfully embracing this side of myself, and with slightly better lighting. If I’m destined to create, then I’ll create boldly: cakes that defy gravity, essays that defy aging, and, if the universe is feeling generous, abs that defy physics. Then Comes The Sage Part In-house Chatgpt in a Chef’s Coat, Nike Running Shoes, and a Heart worn on the Sleeve. This is the archetype of wisdom, reflection, and perspective. Which sounds very serene until you realise it’s mostly me yelling, “Drink more water!” at my family like an emotionally invested hydration reminder. To my credit, I’ve turned life stories into columns, midlife hormones into punchlines, and marital misadventures into… well, publishable anecdotes. I’ve realised that saying things out loud helps you accept your situation faster, and also shuts up the overthinking brain that insists on replaying conversations from 2013.
It also helps that I thrive on hope. Stubborn, ridiculous, essential hope. The book states the Sage thrives on perspective. So my future plan? Keep sharing life stories, but with tighter edits. Think Oprah meets self-deprecating stand-up comedy, minus the billion-dollar empire, the book club, and the private chef. Now, coming to “The Huntress” part She’s fierce. Independent. Unstoppable. In real life, she’s also the woman who trained for marathons until a dog mistook her leg for a chew toy. But Huntresses don’t quit. They limp dramatically, write about it, continue carving cakes religiously, and then sign up for more run events, preferably outstation ones, because pain feels more meaningful with a cold weather induced swelling allergy and trip to the ER.
Also most importantly, my Huntress energy is what’s taught me to say NO. No to toxic people. No to unpaid emotional labour. And occasionally, a very spiritual no to answering the eternal question, “Will you be cooking this weekend ?” Looking ahead, my Huntress plan is simple: keep running, sometimes literally, sometimes metaphorically, towards goals that scare me just enough to give me occasional mini victories that make me whisper, “Yesssss.”
Finally, The Mother
The Mother / Caregiver: CEO of Snacks & Sanity Archetypes call her nurturing. I call her the woman with permanent under-eye circles who crawls into bed by 8pm like it’s an Olympic sport. My teenager believes I’m an over-enthusiastic project manager of her life. An average workday at my Sugar Art Academy includes swinging between last-minute school crises, helping with English presentations, sourcing “power words,” and wondering over some chamomile tea at 6pm about why I haven’t sat down for a breather since I got up at 6am. But truthfully, the Mother in me has been my anchor. Decorating cakes not just for customers, but for comfort. Creating soulful corners at home so to snuggle in any room with a book break. Checking in on friends like it’s a full-time job with no annual leave. For the future, I’m however, adding a clause: The Caregiver must also care for herself. Yes, self-care will now include face masks, naps, and saying “I’m busy” without guilt, even if I’m just busy watching Netflix with the cat or rearranging my book shelves by “colour”
So, in Conclusion, Who Am I?
Well according to the good folks who wrote the book, At 49, I’m not just one archetype, I’m the entire circus. A Creator dusted in flour and icing sugar. A Sage with too many books and not enough shelf space. A Huntress in running shorts with battle stories. And a Mother who stocks the fridge with endless healthy snacks no one eats. Looking forward, I’m choosing to continue embracing the chaos but this time with some mulled wine. To laugh at my contradictions and inconsistencies. To continue to create boldly, speak wisely, run fiercely, and love deeply. Because who I am is not a single archetype.Who I am is the woman who, despite the many roles, is still a woman becoming louder, softer, stronger, all at once That truth settled in as I come to the end of my column. I am who I am today, and I trust the woman I am becoming. Just saying it out loud feels like a “quiet victory”. That is enough to makes me feel like “The Luckiest Girl On The Planet.”