#SquadGoals

It’s no secret that throughout our lives we freely enter into and out of relationships and friendships with others. Leaving a friendship or relationship is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, people are only in our lives for a season. Think about the best friend you had in Kindergarten...maybe they stayed your friend all the way up through high school, but then when you both parted ways to enter college or the working world, your friendship drifted away silently into the background. For many people this is a reality. For others, that Kindergarten best friend was the Maid of Honor in their wedding or their child’s godfather. The point is, some people are placed in our lives to guide us, befriend us, and be with us for only a season, while others are there for a lifetime. Be careful not confuse the two.

We are always in the process of fostering relationships. While I could go on and on about my experiences with wonderful (and not-so-wonderful) seasonal people, I am going to focus more on the lifelong people in this blog. A very dear friend of mine and former Miss International 2016, Amanda Moreno Young of Amanda Moreno Consulting gave me some of the best advice I have received to date. She said, “You have to figure out who is on Team Kaylee. Those people, whether it benefits them or not, will always push you towards what is best for you. If you have more than a handful people that are truly, all Team Kaylee, consider yourself blessed!”

I am humbled, honored, and blessed to say I have a solid, supportive team behind me. The best advice I can possibly give to anyone is the same advice that was given to me. Find your teammates! I say teammates instead of team members because, while you are the captain of Team *insert your name here*, the people on your team need you on their team too. Be a loyal supporter of others dreams, ambitions, and aspirations. Be there to encourage them, caution them, and push them when needed. The best team captains are also teammates.

To my family, friends, mentors, and coaches- thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping my best interest in mind, for steering me away from destruction when I was unbeknowingly headed for it, and for praying for the Lord’s will to be done in my life above all else. I owe the woman I am, the Miss International I am, and the Christian I am to all of you.

Choosing Bravery,

Kaylee Ewing
Miss International 2018