1 week until I compete for Mrs. Los Angeles County! So excited for this competition. I wanted to share this blog all about how I’ve prepared for this pageant. First of all, this will be my 3rd pageant…ever… and I’m 31. After getting sober last year, pageants have been a perfect way for me to rebuild my confidence, discover who I am and get back to working in the community. I’ve loved the experience and feel blessed to have the opportunity get better at competing.
Going into my first pageant, Ms. North Hollywood, I knew nothing about pageants,so I did a lot of research. Going into my 2nd pageant, Mrs. Hollywood, I did even more research and amped up my pageant practice. I placed 2nd runner up at both pageants. Now going into Mrs. LA County, I am taking all my learned skills and working on improving them even more. I’m really focusing on my questions and answers so I can nail the personal interview and stage questions, which have been my biggest challenge from the beginning.
My favorite part of competing in pageants is that it is a challenge. It gives me something to work for and something to look forward to. I’ve built a platform and have goals I would like to accomplish if I win. And if I don’t win, I still have goals I want to accomplish. I’ve learned that it’s not all about the win. My good friend and sponsor tells me that I’ve already won… Just by putting myself out there. I take pride in what I do. I’ve known from a young age as a figure skater, that competing takes determination and the ability to let go of fear.
So what do I do to prepare?
- Healthy Eating: I eat low carbohydrates, more protein, veggies, fruits and limit snacks. Tons of water w/lemon, and supplement with protein powder after a workout. It’s no mystery that when you eat better, you feel better.
- Exercise: Running, walking and strength training. You don’t have to over do any of these. My favorite exercise is a 2 or 3 mile jog or walk outside and a 30 minute weight session at the gym. I do something everyday. I also love to incorporate dancing, figure skating and aerobics when possible. Exercise releases endorphins and music on the headphones and endorphins = a good day!
- Practice walks and posing: This I do at home, at the gym and at rehearsals. I practice working it on the catwalk with the music. I’ve also watched hours of videos on youtube studying the walks for Miss and Mrs. pageants all over the world.
- Pageant Interview and Stage Questions: Again, for this I have watched hours of videos on youtube and read many articles. The best way to prepare for these is to practice answering questions in front of the mirror, in the car, with friends or a pageant coach.
- Platform: Building a Platform. I’ve worked on figuring out what I’m passionate about by working with different organizations and realizing how my own personal experiences can benefit others. For Mrs. LA County, my platform is all about women empowerment and helping raise awareness for the stigma associated with mental illness, addiction and trauma. A pageant platform is important because it allows judges to see what you are passionate about and what you would accomplish if you won the title. Being a titleholder means being a spokesperson, so you must be able to communicate and deliver what your passionate about and what makes you different.
- Mental Preparation: Pageants are jam packed with beautiful girls. Some have years of experience and some don’t. The important thing to remember is that you’re not really competing against any of them, your competing against yourself. If you can put together the best you and compete with poise and confidence you will do well. Even if you don’t place, you already won, because you’ve done something that so many other girls and woman haven’t even attempted. You are the only you, so own your uniqueness!
For a woman in recovery like me, I’ve struggled with low self-esteem for most of my life. Pageants have been a way for me to build confidence, and be humbled at the same time. I haven’t won yet, but I also haven’t given up. In the past, if something got hard, I gave up. I didn’t ever think I was good enough. There have been times during this past year when I’ve wanted to give up, but I have skills through doing the work in my recovery program that are teaching me to have faith, do the work and don’t worry about the outcome. I would recommend pageants to any woman who needs some work in the confidence corner. They’ve really worked for me and it’s been super fun too! 🙂
