Why I Chose to Compete in Miss Kansas USA

It may have been random or a surprise to some, while others might not be surprised at all that I would choose to compete in Miss Kansas USA. Those that know my love of glitter, dresses, heels, and the sort might be thinking this is right up my alley. Others that know my past experiences in creating BUILD Beauty and things I have written about might be scratching their heads. I think it is important for others to know the many reasons I am on this adventure because it’s not just for me to get pretty for a day and wear a gorgeous dress on stage. That will be a perk and a reward.

1.     Overcoming obstacles & fears

When I was in high school, I had looked into pageants, but I would see the money I had to raise or pay and get discouraged and think I couldn’t possibly do it. Then I would give up on it. Raising money, asking for sponsors, etc., was always my least favorite thing when it came to the organizations I was involved in and all the events I had to plan. It is a weakness I struggle with. I started to revert back to that fear when I saw I have to raise $900 in sponsorships and thought of the extra costs that will go along with it, but I told myself I can’t keep getting discouraged and I need to challenge myself to do it. It will be a good challenge for me and can help my business communication skills, which I could apply in my future. I’m at a point in my life where I am tired of fear winning so much.

2.     To keep up a healthy lifestyle

After competing in my first pageant at my heaviest and most self-conscious time of my life, I decided to kick my butt into gear by eating better and getting back in the gym regularly. I had a dress I wanted to look good in by a certain date and had a trainer that helped me along the way. I saw a lot of progress and made changes. And it was an amazing feeling being able to feel good in that dress. I wanted to compete in a pageant where I had a good amount of time to actually train hard and work my butt off for. Also, having an end goal keeps me motivated to stay in a healthy lifestyle.

3.     Timing

I just graduated college, moved back home, and have a part time job. The last 3 years, I have been used to juggling school, two jobs, 3-4 organizations, event planning, and more. I felt this was a good thing to keep me busy and challenged. The timing was great since I am not tied down to a full time job or school. I could have time for it.

4.     Avoiding more regrets

I am not a fan of the word: regret. I try not to use it and I try to avoid it. I know experiences like studying abroad are amazing and I wanted to so badly, but always had some excuse: timing, too busy, too expensive, too long, etc. Now I hate that I didn’t do it. So this was another thing that I didn’t want to pass by. I don’t want to look back and ask why I didn’t just do it.

5.     Applying the BUILD Beauty motto

Here is the big question some may ask, “How do you promote for girls to go makeup-free and to learn to love themselves naturally, but you are going to compete in a pageant where you wear a lot of make up and get judged for how you look?” There are times where I have felt like I may look like a hypocrite and I have put a lot of thought into it. Beauty Peace Day is what inspired me to start BUILD, but loving yourself makeup-free is not the only message of BUILD. It is to Believe in yourself, Un-do negative thinking, Inspire others, Live fully, Dream. I’ve always wanted girls to be the best they can be and to do whatever they want to achieve. I am going to have to believe in myself to do this adventure. It takes a lot of guts. I am going to have to un-do negative thinking and constantly remind myself not to compare myself to the other girls in a bad way. I hope to inspire others to fight their fears and do something that may be scary, but wonderful at the same time. One of my friends is also competing because she was inspired when I was accepted. She was the same way: scared, but didn’t want to look back and know she didn’t try. Now we are helping each other. I am living fully because I am overcoming fears and pushing myself mentally and physically. I’ve watched Miss USA and Miss America with my mom ever since I could remember and it has been a little seed of a dream of mine. So why not chase it? That’s an example of BUILD Beauty.

This is going to be an overall learning experience and that excites me. I don’t like being complacent. I like a challenge and experiences. There are always ways to improve, learn, and better yourself. This will be a good adventure to do so!

Want to keep up on my adventure? “Like” my Facebook page: Rachel for Miss Kansas USA

If you would like to donate, you can by visiting my Go Fund Me page at http://www.gofundme.com/awudew

If you are part of a business that wants to sponsor me or know of a business that can be a potential sponsor, please contact me! I have tax write off sheets and receipts pages. Any other questions, feel free to ask!

Thank you for the love & support!

Sparkle & Shine.

Rachel

@theglitterylife

A video on how you can support my journey to Miss Kansas USA!