Page 117 - Demo

www.MOSTmag.com || FITNESS MAG A ZINE || 117industry is certainly not cheap, but there are ways to limit spending to fit into your own budget. As Miss California International, I competed at the national pageant in a wardrobe that was entirely borrowed. This decision allowed me to make larger investments of time and money into other elements of competition like photos, coaching, and advertisement in order to accomplish my competition goals. When you create a budget, you suddenly become much more decisive, creative, resourceful and focused. Create a budget that makes sense with what you are able to spend and aligns with your personal values and vision of success. I don%u2019t want you to accidently overspend on a pair of shoes and then not be able to afford a make-up artist on the day of the pageant. Or worse, wake up the day after with no crown wondering how you%u2019re going to pay off your credit cards. Plan in advance for how you%u2019ll spend your time and money and then stick to it. Many people believe that the point of a beauty pageant is to select the prettiest woman. They%u2019re wrong. Most beauty pageants are selecting the most beautiful contestant. Confused? I don%u2019t blame you. Our culture has trained us to believe that %u2018beauty%u2019 is the same as %u2018attractiveness.%u2019 But, you%u2019ve probably heard of the saying %u2018beauty is in the eye of the beholder.%u2019 The definition of beauty is %u201ca characteristic of a person, animal, place, object, or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure or satisfaction.%u201d Did you see that: %u201cperceptual experience%u201d not %u201cactual appearance%u201d? Instead of being so overly concerned with outward appearance, I train my clients to focus on the experience others have when they are in the contestant%u2019s presence. To practice this, next time you met someone new, make your interaction all about them by being kind, generous, and serving them authentically. If this new friend has an experience that%u2019s positive, pleasurable, and satisfactory, the person is sure to described you as %u2018beautiful.%u2019 Pageant contestants must realize that beauty is far less about them and more about how they treat others. Pageantry is an exciting hobby that has a lot of overlap with real-life experiences. When you don%u2019t win a pageant, the heartache is real. But, it won%u2019t last a lifetime; I promise. The reputation you build through the relationships you create will last a lifetime if you treat them with care and respect. When I was competing, one of my mentors told me not to cry if the five strangers in the front row rejected me. I was only to cry if my friends and family members that came to support me, cheer for me, and hug me when it was over rejected me. Fortunately, even when the judges didn%u2019t select me to win a pageant (which happened more often), my friends and family never rejected me. I was always reminded that the relationships I create in life last far beyond the game of pageantry. I%u2019m always rooting for every contestant to win a pageant %u2013 if not this one, then the next one. It%u2019s fun to win and makes for a memorable year of professional development and personal growth. I know that just competing in pageants develops a woman%u2019s spirit, personality, and strength. My hope for you is that you will see pageantry as a way to share your true beauty with others to impact the world positively around you. And, of course, that you%u2019ll win a pageant.