Here I am kissing the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle- Ireland 1985
Legend has it that the single block of bluestone, the same material as the megaliths of Stonehenge, is half of the Stone of Scone.
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. Every March 17th, I think back to the six weeks I spent traveling Ireland with Up With People in 1985. What an incredible time in my life. Here's a picture of me kissing the Blarney Stone. Legend has it that the 'gift of the gab' (great eloquence or skill at flattery) and good luck are bestowed upon to all who kiss it. Kissing the stone was no easy feat years ago.
Participants were held by their ankles and dangled upside down over the edge to kiss the stone. When a pilgrim fell to his death, they installed safety bars and an assistant to help people achieve this feat safer. You still have to extend a couple feet over the edge upside down to get to the outer wall, but how many times does a person get a chance like this.
The WTP bootcamp was this past Saturday. It may have been raining like crazy outside; but inside the room it was shining with all the energy coming off the stage :). The next opportunity for stage practice and a workshop is Saturday, April 24 at the WTP Pageant. http://www.winningthroughpageantry.com/dream-star-pageant.aspx
Question: This is my first pageant. When should I start preparing?
Answer: If you can watch the pageant in person the year before you enter, that’s ideal. This way you can see firsthand the type of clothes, modeling style and the “look” of the pageant system before you enter. Buying a DVD of the pageant to watch and analyze would be the next best thing. Six months is a good timeline if you need to get sponsors, develop your modeling and interview skills, shop for your wardrobe and decide on your hair and makeup look. It would be a benefit to hire a professional coach to help keep you organized, focused and on track.
The Inside Scoop To Beautiful Skin
Like it or not, in many beauty pageants facial beauty receives a score. As a pageant coach, I am quick to point out to all my clients that beauty is subjective and there isn't ONE definition of beauty. Everyone possesses features that are beautiful. For some people, it may be their eyes while other may have a great smile. However, the foundation to health and beauty lies in your skin.
It is true that some people are genetically blessed with flawless skin. However, we can all take action to nourish and condition our skin so that it's radiant and glowing.
Gently Cleanse Your Skin
Use a cleanser formulated for your skin type and DON'T squeeze pimples. This will cause damage to the under layers of skin and can cause scarring. Instead, look for cleansers that will dissolve and release the impurities from your skin. If you feel you must squeeze – try to follow these precautions in order to minimize damage.
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Be sure to steam your face to open your pores.
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Take facial tissue and place it as a barrier between your fingers and the area that you are going to gently squeeze.
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Only apply enough pressure to release the clogging. If you are hurting yourself, you are only doing more damage. Also, don't repeat squeezing in the same area, once over should be sufficient.
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Apply a mild masque when you are done.
Drink Water
Did you know that if you waited until you felt thirsty to drink water; your body is already partially dehydrated?Headaches, lack of energy and feeling tired can result from being mildly dehydrated. The secret is to consistently drink water throughout the day to keep your body working smoothly and your skin to look its best. Don't consume all your water at one sitting.
Eat a diet rich in vitamins A, B, C, E and omega-3 fatty acids (EFAs)
This would include fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt, legumes, eggs, vegetable oils, whole grains, green tea and water. Here are some specific examples of high quality foods.
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A-Mangos, low-fat yogurt, cantaloupe, carrots,
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B-Whole grains, sprinkle wheat germ in yogurt, avocados,
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C- Acerola cherries (usually in drinks) spinach, broccoli, green beans, and berries.
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E- Almonds
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Selenium-Cottage cheese
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Omega-3 (EFAs) found in salmon, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseed and safflower oils. Just one teaspoon of flaxseed oil per day provides 2.5 grams of Omega 3s, which, in turn, hydrate the skin. Essential fatty acids also dilute sebum and unclog pores that otherwise leads to acne.
Wear Sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun
The most important way to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, freckles, age spots and rough, dry skin. Sun exposure can also cause more-serious problems, such as skin cancer. For the most complete sun protection:
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Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is when the sun's rays are the strongest.
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Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. You might also opt for special sun-protective clothing, which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays while keeping you cool and comfortable.
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Use sunscreen when you're in the sun. Apply generous amounts of broad-spectrum sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every two hours, after heavy sweating or after being in water.
Exercise, eliminate unnecessary stress from your life and get plenty of sleep
Exercise will keep things moving through your body, reduce the effects of stress and burn those extra calories that want to stay in your fat cells. The skin repairs itself at night when you sleep so try to get those 8 hours.
Our outer appearance is a reflection of our inner substance. We all know that when we consume higher quality foods and drinks, our outer appearance reaps the benefits. The same holds true of every thought and feeling we have as well. Positive thoughts and feelings produce positive actions. This week take a look at your mental diet. What types of information and dialogue have you been feeding your brain lately? Your outward actions are a direct reflection of what's going on inside. Are you getting the results you want? If not, contact me and let's take a look at what we can do to design a healthy mental diet.
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Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach and an iPEC trained 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. In the pageant world she has held multiple local, state and national titles. 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.
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The Pageant Secrets™ Newsletter is written by Rhonda Shappert and WinningThroughPageantry.com. If you have any questions or comments, please send them to: Info@WinningThroughPageantry.com.
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