Try, Try Again

I first competed for Miss Florida International two years ago. Out of seven women, I didn’t even place top five. Of course, I was crushed! As I drove home I played every scenario in my head about what went wrong. After some tears and some sleep, I finally was at peace. As much as I wanted to say that I gave my all, I knew it wasn’t true. This was an important moment for me to be honest with myself.

How could I truly say that I was 100% ready for the job when I couldn’t even recall what questions I had been asked during the interview? I was not fully present. The day after competition I had final exams to take. This meant that before the interview, instead of focusing on the task at hand, I was reviewing my study guides. I wouldn’t call this a mistake, because my school had to be the priority. But it was my reality at the time. Had I been crowned Miss Florida International 2016, I would have been distracted and pulled in too many directions. I trust that the judges saw that and they chose the best woman to be crowned that year. However, in 2017 I was ready! Being Miss Florida International became my #1 priority and all of my actions reflected that goal for nearly six months.

If you have ever competed in a pageant and only given it one or two tries, I highly encourage you to reflect inward before you give up! It may not be that you missed the gym a few times or that your dress could have had more beadwork or even that you slightly tripped on stage. Sometimes it comes down to the timing and calling of your life. COULD THIS BE YOUR YEAR?!? You’ll never know if you don’t try again!

In health and happiness,

Kelsey

Miss International 2017