Competing in a pageant is not for the faint of heart. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline in order to garner success and manifest a crown. This process can be much easier if you incorporate best practices into your pageantry journey. Here are my recommended 7 best practices when competing in a pageant.
- Seek or create a stream of income that is dedicated to pageantry expenses.
Let’s be realistic. Competing in pageant takes money. From registration fees to hair and makeup costs, the expenses can be rather hefty. By having a stream of income dedicated to pageantry expenses is one less thing you have to worry about. This can be a part-time job or multiple side gigs. I personally love side gigs, and they have proven to be quite lucrative when it comes to extra income. Some of my favorites are mystery shopping and working as a brand ambassador. If those are not of interest to you, create your own stream of income. Find out what you are passionate about and charge for that service. You may be passionate about dogs so start a dog walking service. You may even love cleaning, and a residential cleaning business may be right up your ally. There are ways to make money to fund your pageant career, and you have to be diligent in seeking those opportunities.
- Write and recite affirmations.
Before you can become successful at anything in life, you must first train your brain for success. You can train your brain for success by incorporating affirmations into your daily routine. Affirmations are statements of emotional support and encouragement. By incorporating affirmations into your life, you are training your brain to believe what is already true about yourself. Affirmations are only effective if they are written down and recited out loud. The key is to train the brain to think differently. Your manifested reality is due to your inner thoughts, and in order to change your reality, you must change your thinking. The following are great examples of affirmations:
- I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
- Beauty is me.
- I am fit, fabulous, and glamorous.
- I manifest the crown.
- I am improving each day in every way.
- I am a queen who serves her community.
- My God is pleased with me.
- There is a queen in me.
- I smile and light up a room.
- I am destined to win because I will see it through to the end.
- Read and study pageantry related publications.
A contestants needs to be well versed on the pageantry industry. Subscribing to pageantry related magazines and blogs will keep you abreast of what is going on in the industry. These publications also serve as great coaching tools. Remember, an educated contestant is a successful contestant.
- Seek the assistance of a pageant coach.
Pageant coaches are excellent resources to utilize while you prepare for competition. I highly recommend them especially if you are a novice competitor. Pageant coaches normally have several years of experience in the industry and have worked in multiple arenas (competition, judging, or directing) so they have a vast understanding of the industry as a whole. Many pageant coaches have fees attached to their services. If you cannot afford to hire a coach, find a former competitor who may be willing to offer his or her services on a volunteer basis.
- Develop a pageant preparation schedule.
A pageant preparation schedule is essential for consistency and staying on track on your journey to the crown. A schedule needs to include days and times of everything that is necessary for pageantry success. While you are focus on mastering the interview and perfecting the evening gown walk, don’t forget to feed your mind, body, and spirit. Incorporate into your schedule time to read, exercise, and meditate.
- Journal the journey.
Journaling is a helpful tool in pageantry. Journaling your pageant journey can accomplish the following things:
It helps to shift your mindset.
A mental shift begins to occur when you write down your thoughts or things you have accomplished. Writing down affirmations is also helpful in shifting the mindset as well. A perfect example of an affirmation I used is “I am Ms. African-American United 2017.” I wrote down this affirmation in my journal for weeks, and my affirmation became a reality. It is important to write in the present tense what pageantry title you want to manifest. You will be presently surprised with the outcome.
It helps to track your progress.
Keeping track of interview questions that you have studied or how many times you have rehearsed your talent can enable you to see how far along you have come in your pageant preparation.
It helps to track your successes.
Writing down your pageant successes is beneficial. It will keep you motivated during your pageantry journey.
It allows you to celebrate your wins and accomplishments.
As you journal your journey, you will begin to see things manifest. This will in turn help build self-confidence and allow you to attract more wins and accomplishments.
- Be still.
I know this may seem unrealistic while you are busy preparing for competition, but you need to take time each day to be still and meditate. Clear your mind of the clutter and mental garbage that enter into your thoughts on a daily basis. Your mind is a powerful tool, and you must protect it at all times by purging any thoughts that will sabotage your success. Taking time to be still and quiet your mind is crucial for manifestation.
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