Today, December 6th, is the Feast of St. Nicholas. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus.

The obvious recipients of our gift giving efforts this month are our children, family and friends. But why stop there?

As a family, go serve a meal at a soup kitchen. If your children have never been to a nursing home, make some homemade cards and cookies and go visit the elderly who wait for people to come visit them. Better yet, if your family is musically inclined work up some Christmas carols and sing for them. There are veterans in hospitals who would love nothing more than to see a friendly warm smile enter the room.

Here’s a radical suggestion. Instead of multiple gifts under the tree for each family member, buy one gift for each person (or set a price limit) and use the money you would have spent to buy food and gifts for people who have very little this season. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said “Self-sacrifice is the real miracle out of which all the reported miracles grow.”

If you are a titleholder, there are numerous opportunities for you to give of your time and talents to reach out to people in your community. When the public sees queens being of service, those actions are what begin to break down the myths of pageant girls being superficial. Crown or no crown. Get involved and be the “secret Santa” in your community. By the way, the word Santa comes from the Latin word Sanctus which means saintly or holy.

Happy Feast of St. Nicholas Day. Embrace the joy of giving and I leave you with a sweet little poem.

Santa's Christmas Prayer
By Warren D. Jennings

The sleigh was packed,
the reindeer were fed,
But Santa still knelt
by the side of the bed.

"Dear Father," he prayed
"Be with me tonight.
There's much work to do
and my schedule is tight.

I must jump in my sleigh
and streak through the sky,
Knowing full well
that a reindeer can't fly.

I will visit each household
before the first light,
I'll cover the world
and all in one night.

With sleigh bells a-ringing,
I'll land on each roof,
Amid the soft clatter
of each little hoof.

To get in the house
is the difficult part,
So I'll slide down the chimney
of each little heart.

My sack will hold toys
to grant all their wishes.
The supply will be endless
like the loaves and the fishes.

I will fill all the stockings
and not leave a track.
I'll eat every cookie
that's left for my snack.

I can do all these things Lord,
only through You,
I just need your blessing,
then it's easy to do.

All this is to honor
the birth of the One,
That was sent to redeem us,
Your most Holy Son.

So to all of my friends,
lest Your glory I rob,
Please Lord, remind them,
who gave me this job."

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).
She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.
She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

 

You’ve just had your crowning moment. Suddenly, you dream of being a celebrity, going to glamorous events, and making countless appearances. Great! How are you going to make that happen? Yes, I said YOU. Your primary responsibility is to get the word out about your accomplishments and set up appearances. The director may have a couple of sponsor related events for you to attend; but for the rest of the year, what happens as a titleholder is all up to you and your marketing efforts.

To market yourself, you’ll want to create a press kit. For your press kit, you’ll want to assemble a press release, a headshot, one-page bio, an introductory letter from the director on official pageant letterhead, and any other supporting materials in a clean new folder.

 

Have your press kit available in both electronic and hard copy forms. You will mostly use the electronic format but always have at least one hard copy folder with you as a contingency. Success comes when preparation meets opportunity. Always be prepared.This way you can book an appearance from an appearance. If you’re networking the event right, there will always be someone who will approach you about appearing at their upcoming event.

Press Release

A press release is a one page document that is sent out to local news papers which includes the following information:

• Facts about you: Name, age, parents (if you are a minor), city, your new title, and brief information about your platform or service cause you will be support during your year.
• What did you do to earn the title, and what you won as a result of competing.
• Information about the pageant system and the next level of competition in which you will be compete. For example, if you will be competing at the national pageant, include the dates, locations and what’s involved at that event.
• Pageant history, mission statement, goals, and contact information for both you and your director so that you can be reached to schedule appearances. Word of caution about your personal contact information, for your personal privacy and safety, set up a separate email address to be used only during your year of reign. You never want to give out your home address, phone number, or personal information for mass distribution.

 

Headshot

• Make sure your headshot, and any other photos are high-resolution images so if the organization chooses to reproduce them, the photos will be crystal clear. I burn a couple images onto a CD and include one 4x6 photo in my folder so they have choices.

Bio

• One page bio spotlighting your education, honors, accomplishments, community service, talent, hobbies, and career ambitions.

 

Introductory Letter on Official Letterhead

• The letter from your director will lend credibility and acknowledgment to your title. It should include your name, title and information about the pageant system.

 

Other Supporting Materials

• If you produce a newsletter with your platform, or if there is a brochure about the pageant system you are representing, include those as well.

 

Then you need to figure out what type of appearances you want to focus on. Do you want to do parades? Do you want to model in fashion shows? How about speaking to service organizations or in schools? Maybe you want to travel to other pageants and be visiting royalty. You’ll quickly need to decide. It could take several weeks, or months, of planning for you to be able to participate in certain events.
How many appearances do you want to make a month? How far do you want to travel? How many appearances will be “just for fun” and how many will be networking events where you can build relationships with people who will guide you to successful paths you may walk after you crown the next queen?

Get your calendar and mark out the dates you already have commitments. Then start surfing the web and contacting people for the activities that fit your plan. You have been given an opportunity that has a expiration date; but the connections and friendships you make during your year, will not.

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Now's The Time to Brush Up On Your Interview Skills

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.

Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

Courtesy of: Appelbaum Wellness LLC.

"Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices."-Betsy Jacobson

It's a new school year. With it comes a long list of possible activities that you and your family can get involved in. Are the activities you’re participating in helping you to reach your goals, or are they creating more stress in your life? How balanced is your lifestyle? When you look at your calendar, is it filled with one type of activity (such as sports) or is there a healthy balance between personal time, family activities, community involvement, church activities and school events? If it’s unbalanced, now is the time to make changes.

What does this have to do with pageantry? Everything.

• Participating in pageants is both time consuming and expensive. If you don’t have a clear plan as to which pageant you are going to compete in, how you’re financially going to make that happen, and how to keep competition in its proper perspective, you will experience more stress than fulfillment from the situation. Take some time to set healthy boundaries for this year so you don't over commit yourself. Before committing to a new opportunity, ask yourself, "will this create more joy in my life; or more stress?"

• A well-rounded contestant is more effective in the interview room and as a titleholder. If you predominately have only one thing in your life (academics, sports, your career, competitive cheer, or pageants), you’re not going to relate to a large cross section of people. If your judge knows nothing about cheerleading, all of your awards in that area will mean nothing to them. There is strength in diversity.

When working on your bio, never and I mean never, do you want to lie, stretch the truth, or put anything that is misleading on your resume. Don’t even put future events on there because the future can change in a heartbeat. You only put on paper what you have done. Now if there is a question about “what are your future plans”, well, yes there you can talk about the future.

When I’m working with a client, if I see their life is a bit lop sided, and you know your life is lop sided if you don’t have anything to put under a particular heading on your resume, together we will explore how she might be able to balance her life better by adding different activities to it.

By adding more community service or exploring a new hobby, you will add another dimension to your personality and you may discover a hidden talent or passion of yours. Now, you’re missing the point entirely if the only reason you volunteer at your local soup kitchen is to be able to put it on your resume, or get recognized so you have an award to put down on your bio. That is not what I mean. Serve because you want to give and make a difference. Give without expecting praise or anything in return. Any other intension is a bribe not a gift.

The reason you want balance in your life is to become a better person and to fully develop into the person God wanted you to be. It is in TRUE giving (expecting nothing in return) that we receive. I want to end today with this wonderful article I found that dovetails nicely with today’s topic.

 

Five Balls Of Life

This was written by the CEO of Coca-Cola Brian G. Dyson.

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air.
You name them - Work - Family - Health - Friends - Spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?

1. Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

2. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

3. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

4. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

5. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

6. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.

7. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

8. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings

.
9. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

10. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

11. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

12. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

 

 Brush Up On Your Interview Skills

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

 

WTP Pageant Bootcamp In
Columbus, Ohio

This two-hour bootcamp is for you if you're preparing for a pageant and you want to take your skills to the next level. I will provide face-to-face training to strengthen your abilities in the following areas:

• Interview
• Modeling Technique
• Personal Introduction
• Answering Onstage Questions
• Mental Attitude

By working in a small group, you’ll benefit by listening and watching each other; expanding your knowledge of pageantry; mastering your own skills; and receiving personal feedback at an affordable price. Space is limited so reserve your time now.

Saturday, September 10, 2011
Location:
Hilton Garden Inn | 3928 Jackpot Road |Grove City, OH 43123 |
614-539-8944

Directions to Hotel: Take Exit 100 off Interstate 71South of downtown Columbus. Turn left onto Stringtown if you're coming from the north, right if coming from the south. Turn left onto Thistlewood (it’s the first big intersection with a stop light). Turn left onto Killdeer at the stop sign - (there's a Home Depot on your right- Putt Putt on your left). Turn right onto Jackpot road. The Hilton Garden is on the right behind the LaQuinta Hotel.

Session 2
Sat, September 10

1:00pm - 3:00pm

$139

Take this opportunity to Register NOW!

• You can participate in one session, or all of them. It’s up to you. The more you practice these skills, the more natural they’ll become. In each session you’ll be actually practicing your interview, modeling, personal introduction, onstage question and mental attitude skills.

• I’ll be giving you immediate feedback the entire time so it doesn’t matter if this is your first pageant or you’re a seasoned professional wanting some extra polish. I’ll meet you exactly where you are and take you to the next level.

• For bootcamp contestants, I’m offering an optional 45 minute private coaching session the same day of the bootcamp. This individual time is to help tailor the material to fit your specific needs. These are scheduled on a “first come” basis so schedule now to get your choice of time. Time slots will be before and after the bootcamp.

All fees are nonrefundable and must be paid in full prior to the bootcamp or coaching session. If you prefer to pay with a check, please contact me throughinfo@winningthroughpageantry.com. Checks must be received at least one week prior to the date of your session. Your date is officially confirmed once payment has been received.

Once payment has been received, you will be contacted to schedule your private 45-minute coaching session.

There are only eight private sessions available each day.

Private sessions will begin at

10:00am through 12:45pm

and

3:15pm through 7:15pm

click here to register

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

So you want to do a pageant? Believe me when I say, if you want to win a crown, there is a pageant for you somewhere out there. With hundreds to choose from, how do you decide which pageant is right for you?

Pageants are much like a job.

Each pageant system has prerequisites so you need to make sure you have the qualifications they are looking for to ensure your best possible chance at winning the title. I’m going to tell you upfront, pageantry is an expensive hobby sport. If you want the greatest return on your investment, do your research and plan wisely. You’ll want to enter pageants that score highest in the areas where you are strong and avoid those pageants whose focus is on the areas where you are weak.

For example, if my goal was to be Miss USA, depending on which state I live in and how many contestants there were competing, I might win the state title only being 5’3”; but my odds of winning the Miss USA title are a long shot. In my 40 years of watching the pageant, the shortest Miss USA I’ve ever seen crowned was 5’5” and she had other assets to make up for being on the shorter side. There are always exceptions to the rules but image how frustrated I would have become competing year after year in a system where the odds were against me. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow your heart if that’s truly your dream. Just be realistic in understanding that whenever you’re going against the odds, the journey may be harder.

 

Oh yes, I know some of you reading this may be thinking “but the paperwork says nothing about a height requirement and the director told me it doesn’t matter how tall I am”. Remember, there are always exceptions to the rules and a director doesn’t want to discourage contestants from participating in their pageant; but, this is where your power of keen observation will serve you well. Read the guidelines and watch what is actually happening at the pageant.

 

Another statement that you will see on applications is that “pageant coaching is not necessary”. But I am telling you, 99% of all titleholders have received some degree of coaching, advice, or help (whatever you want to call it) from an inside pageant person. This may occasionally happen in small local pageants or small preliminaries, but not in big pageants.

Before you enter any pageant, check out its credibility. Here are a few things to look for.

• How many years has it been operating?
• How many contestants enter the pageant each year? How many contestants return?
• Does the website provide complete information with names of the directors, email addresses and a phone number to contact them?
• Does the website have current photos of titleholder and up to date information on it?
• What are the qualifications of the people running the pageant?

 

When I go to a website, if there isn’t a name and complete contact information easily identifiable on the home page, red flags go up in my mind. This is just me personal, but I want first and last names of the people running the pageant, not just some “production company”.If a person has integrity, they’re going to attach their name to whatever product they are selling to make it easy for me to reach them.

 

If the pageant has been around for more than 5 years and the number of contestants remains the same or grows each year, it has a track record for you to check. Do your research. Most importantly, talk with current and former titleholders and contestants. Ask them about their experience. If possible, go watch the pageant first or ask if there is a DVD you can purchase so you can see the quality of the production. Believe me, the money you spend going to watch a pageant pales in comparison to how much money you’ll spend competing.

Make a personal assessment list.

Do you make good grades? Are you heavily involved with a service project? Are you a strong public speaker? Are you extremely photogenic? Do you know how to work the catwalk? Do you want to do pageants t hat have bathing suit competition? Do you have a strong talent? What do you want to do with your title? How old are you and what is your marital status? Once you have your list, start looking for pageants that showcase your strengths.

 

Know how much money you want to invest in a pageant and how far you are willing to travel.

If you have a grand total of $1000 to spend on a pageant, then you need to look local and small because you will easily spend at least $500 of that $1000 on your interview attire and formal gown alone. Realistically, you’ll spend $1000 just on your shoes, accessories, interview suit and gown. But there are pageants at all price points. The key is you must have clear boundaries upfront about your budget or you will quickly get in over your head financially. Instead of experiencing the fun and positive benefits you can develop through pageantry, you’ll be left feeling stressed out and have a bitter taste in your mouth about how much money it cost you.

Start small and work your way up.

If you insist on doing one of the big pageants your first time out, do yourself a huge favor and get a qualified coach to help guide you through the process. I’ve seen too many contestants spend their entire budget on a gown they thought was wonderful and it was not appropriate for the pageant system they were competing in. Not only did they not have a competition gown, but there was no more money for additional clothing, training, hair, makeup, professional headshot, travel expenses, and other required pageant fees.

 

There are new pageants springing up every year. If you’re a young girl or woman who wants to experience a pageant, there is one that is a fit for you. To find them, contact your state festival board, search online and ask people around in your community.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Peak Pageant Season Is Here!

Now's The Time to Brush Up On Your Interview Skills

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.

Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Occasional my Facebook posts seem to hit a chord with people. I received so many direct inbox messages on this one that I thought it would be good to share with all of you in case you’re not on Facebook. I feel it is especially timely coming off a pageant weekend when there were so many deserving girls and women who were competing for one opportunity.

“You always pass failure on the way to success-Mickey Rooney.” When we're in the moment, disappointments may feel like failures. However, it's been my experience that they are merely rest stops on the way to our final destination. It's our choice as to whether we keep driving forward to get there, or stop in our tracks. The choice is ours, and I say put the pedal to the metal and press on :). Of course, this has resulted in a few speeding tickets in my life (LOL) but nothing ventured, nothing gain.
www.facebook.com/RhondaShappert.WinningThroughPageantry

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

When a girl, teen or woman decides to enter a beauty pageant, there will always be someone in her life who will make statements about the negative effects that competing in a pageant  will have on her self-image.The conversation gets even more heated when a mother puts her baby, toddler or young child into a beauty pageant.

 

Usually, the negative statements will come from people whose only exposure to the world of beauty pageants is what they've seen on TV shows like Toddlers and Tiaras or read in the tabloids. Believe me, I know the positive effects of pageantry, and at times, I will shake my head in disbelief at the behavior I see captured by the cameras.

The thing you have to understand about the media is that it's a business. In order to stay in business, a profit must be made. To make money, people need to watch the shows, or buy the magazines. Advertisers will only invest their money where the masses are watching and the ratings are high. Drama is what captures the attention of the viewing public; so the media is going to feature the outrageous, extreme actions of the few dramatic participants that will keep their audience wanting more.

To make the assumption that all pageants will have a negative effect on a woman's self-image and self-esteem isn't accurate. The 80/20 principle applies to the world of beauty pageants as well, meaning 80% of the drama comes from 20% of the participants. So if you're in a pageant with 10 contestants, there will be 2 people who will create the drama. But let me ask you, which contestants are people going to focus most of their attention on? The 2 contestants who are stirring the pot, of course. It's like a car accident. You know you're supposed to stay focused on the road in front of you, but you can't help looking as you drive by.

Parents ultimately decide if a minor participates in a beauty pageant. And just because the child expresses a desire to do a pageant, doesn't necessarily mean they should at that time.

 

Children and teens physically develop at different rates. This has a huge impact on a young girl's self-esteem and self-image. Parents need to be mindful of this transitional phase in a girl's life. Listen to what your child is saying before, during and after competitions. If you hear or see any of the warning signs listed below, seriously consider pulling your child from pageants until they are physically and emotionally ready for a competitive environment.

If you're a woman and you hear your inner voice saying or feeling any of the following warning signs, the same goes for you. There may be unfinished business in your life that needs to be dealt with before you compete so your experience will be a positive, healthy boost to your self-esteem.
Warning Signs:

• I'm not good enough because I didn't win.
• I need to beat the other women because you're either a winner or a loser.
• They don't like me because I wasn't chosen as the best.
• I'm a loser and worthless because I didn't win.
• I'm ugly because the judges didn't pick me.
• What did I do wrong? Why didn't they like me?
• There's something wrong with me.

There's something wrong with me. Basing your self-image and self-esteem on the subjective feedback and approval from a panel of strangers is not healthy. If you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to the other contestants, stalking them on Facebook to learn everything about them, or doing pageant after pageant chasing the crown, that's a pretty good sign there's something else going on.

If the only time a girl or woman hears the words "you are beautiful", "I love you", or "I am so proud of you" is when she's wearing makeup, nicely dressed, physically fit, or when she wins the title, the potential for pageants having a negative impact on her self-image is great.

 

You need be honest with yourself. What do you want from the beauty pageant experience? For women, there's nothing wrong with a pageant competition to recharge your battery, or to experience a glamorous, fun event. The last time you may have dressed up in formal attire was your prom or wedding. It's very positive to take some time for yourself to enjoy the company of other accomplished women and celebrate you. However, if there is a little voice inside telling you that "capturing this crown will finally prove I'm beautiful"; or " I'll finally be someone important as Miss/Mrs__", rethink competing at this time.

Participating in a beauty pageant will build self-esteem and self-image if used as a tool to polish the complete healthy person that you already are. Pageants open career doors, provide an opportunity for community service, develop confidence and communication skills, and are fun. A professional, experienced pageant coach can help keep you on track. I can't stress enough the importance of surrounding yourself with people who make you feel better about who you are when you're with them.

If however, you're using beauty pageants as a way to try to fill an empty hole or prove to someone that you're good enough, that's a danger zone and I would recommend you working with a certified Life Coach to work through some unsolved life issues before competing.

I just happen to be both a professional experienced pageant coach and a certified Life Coach. If you are preparing for a pageant, and want to fully experience positive pageantry, contact me today.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

In life, we use different opportunities to develop skills and qualities within ourselves. Every opportunity is a different tool. Just like I would never use a hammer to cut a piece of wood, or a saw to pound in a nail, pageants are just one type of tool that can be used to build a contestant's confidence, speaking skills, and self-image. It's not the right tool for every girl or woman.

 

The building up or tearing down of your self-esteem and self-image takes place in all areas of your life: business, sports, dance, academics, beauty, cheerleading, service etc. The activities themselves are neither bad nor good. Instead, it's your attitude while participating in the activity that will produce either positive or negative effects in your life. You just need to find the right development tool for you.

 

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.

Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

---

Time to warm up for the summer pageant season and at the same time raise money for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

Saturday, May 14, 2011
11am-2:30pm
Location:
Teays Valley West Middle School,
200 Grove Run Road |Commercial Point, OH 43116
20% of all registration fees will be donated to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life event taking place the same day on the track.

AWARDS and PRIZES

WWW.PUREAMERICANGIRL.WEBS.COM

Each queen will receive a certificate for $100 off the fees to the national Pure American Girl pageant, June 3-5, 2011 in Gallipolis, Ohio.

Each contestant will receive a certificate for $50 off the fees to the national Pure American Girl Pageant, June 3-5, 2011 in Gallipolis, Ohio.

http://www.ohioamericancoed.com/

Each queen will receive a certificate for $200 off the fees to the Ohio American Coed pageant, August 19-21, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio.
Each contestant will receive a certificate for $100 off the fees to the Ohio American Coed pageant, August 19-21, 2011 in Columbus, Ohio.
Each contestant will receive a gift bag, tiara and sash for participating.

More prizes being added by the day. Click on the link to learn all the details to participate in this pageant. Feel free to pass it on to your friends.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy.For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

Everyone wants to win whether it's in a pageant, sport, relationship, or career. We want to know the winning combination to help us achieve it and we want it right now.

At times, we forget that everything in life has peaks and valleys. There's a time and place for everything that happens to us. With everything being so instantaneous in our society, it's hard to be patient; but, it's one virtue I feel is the foundation to a strong moral character and there's no better teacher of it than life events. Patience will help you rejoice when you're on the mountain top and sustain you when you're in the dark valley.

So let's talk about these peaks and valleys. We humans are physical, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional. The physical growth and changes are easy to see. In pageantry, physical beauty is key. Yes, the other areas of life are important too, BUT, it is first and foremost a physical beauty pageant so basic external components must be present to win a national title. Remember, beauty is subjective and everyone has their own opinion .

 

However, as I look over the photos of my life, I can clearly see periods of time when my physical make up was at its peak and when it was in the valley. Peaks for me were ages 5, 17, 22, and 38. My entire middle school years, junior high years and the pregnancy decade were definite valleys. Oh my, were they valleys!

Hair textures, body fat distribution, skin clarity, height and changes in our teeth are drastically different at various times in our life. With as much money and time that goes into pageant preparation, I feel it is important to take these changes into account.

At times, it may be better to wait to do a pageant while these growth periods take place.  It’s been my experience that the most valuable personal insights and growth lessons have taken place when I was in the valley.  Then when I did reach the top, my appreciation of the experience was so much greater.

If doing a pageant during this "valley" period of a person's life helps them to feel better about themselves and builds them up, by all means do pageants. But, if a young girl wears glasses, braces and struggles with her weight decides to do a pageant, and she develops a negative self image; then waiting to do a pageant until the hormonal changes are complete may be wise.

We also hit peaks and valleys in our mental, emotional and spiritual growth. So, there may be times when physically we peak, but emotionally, we may not be ready for the responsibilities of a national titleholder. Physical changes, for the most part, happen quicker than the mental, emotional and spiritual areas of our lives.

 

You'll have the greatest opportunity of winning the crown when you're competing at your peak than when you're in the valley. If you're in the valley, be patient and wait. Your time is coming to peak. If you're peaking right now, be humble and appreciative because you won't stay there permanently.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

When the girls were done with interviews, we went to Downtown Disney to watch the new Harry Potter movie.It was refreshing to do something outside of the pageant world that we'd been immersed in for the past 10 days.

Just taking a few hours to leave the hotel and do something "normal" (LOL) helps to break up the stress that can be felt at a national pageant. I don't know if any other mothers can relate to that.

But you want to keep the fun in your relationship with your daughter especially at a pageant. Don't turn it into a stress feast.

National pageants are very high maintenance and it's important to take a time out once in a while to help keep everything in perspective whether that means taking a dip in the pool, going out for ice cream, or to a movie. Remember; don't let things get too serious. If they do, give yourself (and your daughter) a time out.

However, I have to admit, I needed a bit of a pick me up after seeing this movie. I really missed the humorous interplay between the characters that was present in the previous films, and quite frankly it was downright depressing for me-nothing that a little sweet food couldn't cure though :).

Advent starts this week where Christians around the world start to prepare for the Christmas season. I wonder what the holiday season would look like if everyone focused on loving and giving to their fellow man with the same focus and intensity that pageant contestants use for their pageant preparation.

Plan right now to "give" one thing away each day to someone you encounter. It could be a smile, a word of encouragement, a blanket to the homeless, or a meal for someone in need. Let's see what kind of an impact we can have this December.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

Doing More Pageants May Not Get You Better Results

There is a fine line between pleasure (when something is helpful to us) and pain (when something is harmful).

This goes for anything in life- food, work, exercise and pageants. When the activity we’re participating in becomes too much of a routine for us, it loses that edge of excitement that attracted us to it in the first place.

People can tell the second they look at you if you’re really enjoying yourself or simply going through the motions. If a contestant is going through the motions in pageantry, here are some of the burn out symptoms that may be exhibited:

• Trying too hard which may be interrupted as arrogant or desperate- they NEED to win.

• The walk and smile are fake.

• Answers are too memorized.

• There’s a lack of excitement around them.

It’s been my experience that doing one or two pageants per year, and taking a year off in between pageant years helps to keep things fresh and natural.Contestants run the risk of pageantry becoming a job when they do multiple (3-6) pageants in a calendar year. The attitude suddenly switches from a “want to” mode which is energizing and invigorating to a “have to” mode which is totally draining because it feels like a chore.

It’s the quality of an experience not necessary the quantity that builds skills in us. If a contestant enters the acquisition frame of mind (the more titles I collect the better I am) the whole experience becomes counterproductive. After all, what is the magic number of titles a contestant needs to win in order to feel successful and valued?

Do you have a burning question about your pageant experience? Be sure and join me on my Live Q&A call on Tuesday night November 30 at 7:00PM EST where you can ask me any question to help move you forward in your pageantry experience.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD is entitled Cana. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With great excitement you've paid your pageant fee and have received your information packet from the director. Woo Hoo! But wait…what's all this paperwork? "Oh well, I'll read it later", you might say as you toss it onto the huge paper pile in the corner, or if it's digital, put it in the "to read later" folder. You eagerly jump into your car and head to the nearest mall to begin shopping for your pageant wardrobe. You find some really cute things on clearance and buy them on the spot.

 

Weeks go by and you receive an email from your director informing you that she hasn't received your necessary paperwork yet and it's due tomorrow.What? You had to send in additional stuff? Now you're in panic mode. Where's that paperwork , you say to yourself as you frantically hunt for it. Alright, you found it.

 

Great, this will just take a few minutes and you'll be done … so you think. That is until you start reading what's in the paperwork. Come to find out, there's $500 due to pay for a mandatory ad page which needs to be printer ready in digital format and there are mandatory tickets sales. Where are you going to come up with the money? Plus, you have no idea how to create an ad page on your computer.

Then, you see a sheet that says judge's bio ( or contestant fact sheet). It's asking you to list all of your career information, awards, hobbies, community service, church activities, and why you want to be "Miss All That and More". Your mind goes completely blank. You can't remember anything important to put on the paper. Worse yet, upon reading the wardrobe guidelines, you realize the outfit you bought for interview isn't appropriate for the pageant. Since you bought it on clearance and can't take it back, you have to go shopping again. Ugh!

 

I wish I could say this was an exaggeration of what happens, but I've had too many last minute calls from panicked clients saying "HELP ME" who were in the situations I just painted.

Read every piece of material sent to you from the director before you do or buy anything. You've heard the old saying, haste makes waste. Well, in pageantry that haste could cost you hundreds of dollars and waste priceless time if you aren't clear on what is expected of you. You must have a clear understanding of the clothing guidelines and the dates you need to have things turned in. Take out your calendar and put big red circles around the dates the director needs the materials. That doesn't mean that you should mail them in on that day. Materials need to be in the directors' hands by the dates that are indicated. If the directors extend their deadline dates, that another story. It's your personal responsibility to meet their deadlines.

If you have your personal information and records organized before the pageant, creating a professional bio full of substance and free of errors is easy and enjoyable. Your paperwork makes your first impression with the pageant staff and judges. Poor grammar and misspelled words may be acceptable on Twitter or Face book; but not in a pageant. Allow several weeks and many drafts to do a thorough job on your paperwork.

This information is not only important for a pageant; but also when you’re applying for colleges, jobs, scholarships and membership to organizations or boards. Quantifiable information about you will expedite your desired results. Everyone should have an up to date resume, or bio, created regardless of their age.

 

Yes, a 7 year old child's bio is not going to look the same as a married woman's; but mothers, your ability to document your children's lives will reap benefits in so many ways. Start today if you haven't already begun.
Here are three of my recommendations.

• 

  Have a separate composition book for each member of your family. This will be the chronological journal where the entries are listed in order. In this book jot down the detailed facts (who, what, when, where, how many, why) of what happens in the areas of family, education, community, organizations, sports, grades, recognitions, awards, accomplishments, church, service, and career.

• 
  For example, if Sally went door to door in her community collecting old candles and blankets for the homeless shelter; count and write down how many candles and blankets were collected, how long it took her to collect them, which shelter she took them to and take a picture of her boxing them up to take to the shelter. Document your travels in the same way. Some days you may not have an entry. That's ok. Just write down events while they're still fresh in your mind.

• Have a three ring binder of 8 ½ x 11 plastic protector sheets to store your certificates, test scores, programs, newspaper clippings and paper documentation. Again, one for each family member. You can keep

  

  this in chronological order as well if you want to keep things simple. The point is to have all of the loose documentation in one place. It's easy to access, move around and reorganize into different categories depending on your needs.

• Have an accordion organizer for each family member. Here you can store photos until you put

  

  them in an album. Purchase one that is photo safe so if you lose track of time, your photos won't prematurely fade. You can put special greetings cards and other mementos in here too.

I also scan ribbons and artwork. For three dimensional projects, trophies, medals, and things too big to scan, I'll take pictures of them. When the appreciation time is over, we recycle the object to get rid of the physical clutter; but have a permanent memory of it in a more manageable format. When these things are saved digitally, you can easily create 8x10 photo collages to show with your paper documentation.

This is extremely helpful if you're doing optional academic or community service competitions. Not to be redundant, but you're going to need all of this information when it comes time to apply to colleges anyway. Do yourself a huge favor, and start now.

If you're a stay-at-home mom, quantify and document your life, too. You may reenter the work force (or enter a pageant) at some point, and all those volunteer hours at the school, church or Boy Scouts will come in handy.

Putting together pageant paperwork is one of my favorite things to do. If you're having issues with this, ask for help. Contact me and we can get you on your way to having pageant perfect paperwork.

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

A note from Steve:

Six weeks into the fitness challenge and Steve's waist has gone from 42"to 40". How are you doing with the goal you've set? We have eight weeks left in 2010. What do you want to accomplish before you ring in the New Year? Put a date on that goal.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

 
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

You may absolutely share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy!
The Pageant Secrets™ Newsletter is an award winning e-zine written by Rhonda Shappert, owner and creator of  WinningThroughPageantry.com.

The pageant contestants I have coached know what sets them apart from the others. They are thoroughly prepared, and experience less drama in their lives.

Coaching isn’t a hobby of mine or something I do on the side. While being a full time Certified Professional Coach and an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner through iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching), I am also a member of the International Coaching Federation. When you combine my professional coaching certifications, my decades of extensive experience in all areas of pageantry, and the unique process of how my clients and I work together, you have a winning combination that’s different from other pageant coaches.

 

Some hairstylists, makeup artists, personal trainers, wardrobe stylists, modeling/talent instructors, and photographers call themselves pageant coaches when in reality they’re consultants. Consultants give answers to specific external needs. The problem is their advice is usually one dimensional and isn’t always integrated with the other areas of your pageant preparation. Plus, if the person is inexperienced within the pageant world, their expertise isn’t going to benefit you to the fullest extent.

 

Usually,with consultants there’s very little accountability or follow up to make sure you stay on track. Plus few are Professional Coaches who are skilled at addressing both the physical and mental obstacles that come up when preparing for a pageant (and we all know that most of the drama within pageantry is caused by internal issues, not external).

 

I’m a unique blend of a consultant and Professional Coach. My expertise within pageantry allows me to address all the external needs, however, unlike the traditional consultant I integrate all pieces of the pageant puzzle. As a Certified Life Coach, I partner with you to create a plan based on your agenda that will help you grow internally and live the life you want. I help you work through the internal and external obstacles, and hold you accountable to what you say you’re going to do.

 

I absolutely love what I do and have a passion for coaching, teaching and learning. I started teaching dance lessons at age 14 and have continued throughout my life. Family is central to me, and especially the relationship between mothers and daughters. I’ve home educated my three daughters for the past 12 years. This has been a blessing in more than one way to our family. No two people learn in the exact same way. I have developed my ability to isolate a person’s learning style and speak their language so the information makes sense to them. By knowing how to take big principals and break them down into easy understandable parts, both children and adults can relate to me.

 

Finally, what sets me apart from others is how I view pageantry and winning. Pageants are a fun tool that women can use to develop themselves and strengthen their relationships. My definition of winning doesn’t refer to just the crown. If you’re looking to achieve winning results in your life THROUGH pageantry, then you’ve found the right expert pageant coach. Welcome to Winning Through Pageantry®.

Receive weekly pageant tips directly to your email. Sign up for my free award winning newsletter. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

One of the wisest thoughts my pageant coach shared with me when I was competing was this: in order to improve in pageantry, you need to advance to the next level of competition.

There was no way I was going to become an elite pageant titleholder if I continued to compete in small pageants where the numbers were small and there was limited competition. Please don't miss understand what I'm saying. All you really need are two strong contestants and you have competition.

However, your skills are really tested and brought to a new level when you compete with 50 or more polished contestants from across the country. I've seen it time and time again where contestants will stay at the festival or small pageant level because they feel comfortable there and generally do well. Small pageants are at the entry level position, and the numbers tend to be smaller with most of the contestants having little to no knowledge of what is expected of them. It's easier to gain confidence and win a title at this level with little to no help. It's a great place to start. That's where most people, including myself, started.

But the growth at this level is very horizontal not vertical. A contestant usually stays the same with few challenges that stimulate growth. Again, I'm not knocking small pageants. They provide a very important and needed opportunity for the mass number of contestants who want to try pageantry with minimal expense. But if you want to capture a more prestigious crown, you need to step up your game and enter the big leagues.

 
True personal growth takes place when you constantly raise the bar and keep putting yourself out of your comfort zone. Contestants need to attend and ultimately compete in a national pageant so they can see the caliber of contestants outside of their local and state pageants. There are many advantages to attending a national pageant, but I have chosen three to highlight in this article.

• Overcoming your fears. Most of the fear we experience is fear of the unknown. We think of every possible thing that could go wrong at a pageant and at some level feel we're not worthy of being there. By immersing yourself in the top levels of pageantry, you begin to picture yourself in that environment and suddenly the reality becomes a possibility in your mind instead of the impossible dream. You start to realize, if she can do, so can I.
• The standards are much higher. Everything at a national pageant is bigger including your nerves. The wardrobe, hair, makeup, communication skills, stage, lights, production and caliber of the contestants are unlike what you experience at preliminary state competitions. If a contestant isn't expecting this, it could really throw them off, and they will quickly spiral downward into the land of "I'm not good enough. Why did I ever come here?" We want to stay far, far away from this land.

 

• A better understanding of what is expected of the titleholder, their responsibilities, and broader opportunity for appearances and service.Riding in parades and helping with grand openings for businesses are only two opportunities for titleholders to make appearances. Some people think these are the only types of events that they can participate in. But, let's be honest, riding in parades are more of a fun PR opportunity than they are for personal growth. Your speaking and mental toughness skills are not developed sitting in a gorgeous convertible.

 

National titleholders are well spoken, well rounded and professional put together young women or ladies. The only way you'll improve and grow is to move up to the next level of competition, associate with people of higher standards, get out of your comfort zone, and work with a skilled pageant coach. Yes, titleholders have pageant coaches. I'm going to cover the topic of pageant coaching next week, however, please don't be deceived by anyone who tells you that they have made it to the top all on their own. It simply isn't the truth.

 

The cream of the crop is supported by a foundation of family, friends, hairstylists, makeup artists, wardrobe consultants, speaking coaches, directors, photographers, fitness trainers, and multiple pageant coaches. Some people use a few or all of the above professionals; but everyone has help. The label you put on the help doesn't matter. Help is help. Paid for or free. The end result is the same.

I would love to help you go to the next level in pageantry and in your life. If you're ready to take it to the next level, visit my website at www.WinningThroughPageantry.com to see how we can work together.

 

Receive weekly pageant tips directly to your email. Sign up for my free award winning newsletter. Just click the GET YOUR FREE REPORT button at the top of this page. Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

My girls learned so much this past week by going to the Ohio State Fair for judging of their 4H projects. Multiple times, I heard them say, "Wow, that was a lot better than what I saw at the county level" or "Look at all the detail and depth that person put into their project. No wonder they placed so well. I'll do that next year."

 

You see, we need to expose ourselves to new people and opportunities for us to continue to grow and learn how we can improve. Keeping things the same is fear based, not building of one's confidence. What area of your life have you kept the same from "fear of the unknown?" What one thing could you do this week to step out of your comfort zone and open the door to possibility?

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach and an iPEC certified personal development life coach. She created Winning Through Pageantry™, to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation and achieve winning results in life through pageantry. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world, was Mrs.Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.