And The Winner Is…

I was new to the world of pageantry. Interview always grabbed my interest until my pageant coach (yes, they exist, especially in the South) asked me the unthinkable. “Jane,” he said. “Who should win this pageant?” My brain and mouth froze. Seeing the look on my face, my coach challenged me and asked, “Why are you here? Do you want to be the winner or not?”
I made the decision to be a winner…at life.

I remember my first competition as a newbie to the pageant scene. I was invited to compete in the Flowertown Festival in Summerville, SC. At the time, I was not a seasoned pageant girl and the other contestants were polished young women who were competing in the Miss South Carolina Pageant in just a few weeks. I knew my chances of winning or placing were slim but there was another title to win, Miss Congeniality.
When the awards were announced, I was named the Flowertown Festival, Miss Congeniality. And here is how it happened; I asked Miss Lexington to vote for me and I voted for myself.  
Someone told me a story about a pageant with twenty contestants competing and the vote for Miss Congeniality was a twenty-way tie. The contestants had to vote again—for two girls they wanted to be Miss Congeniality. After the second vote, they had a winner.
I learned that if you want to win in life, you have to outrageously believe in yourself. Basically, you vote for yourself.
So I ask you: “Do you want to win or not? Do you want to land your dream job? Do you want to achieve your personal best?” If your answer is YES then believe in yourself, work hard and pray. And believe this; all things are possible.
Pass this on to those who need to vote for themselves and believe they can achieve their personal BEST!