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.

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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.