To become an elite contestant you’ve got to have the emotional courage to polish you skills in all areas of competition. Looking yourself in the mirror and being honest about what you need to change is one of the most challenging things you’ll do.  Here are 3 swans that had the courage to make their pageant dreams come true:

1. The Timid Beauty:  The Timid Beauty contacted me for coaching after she competed in her first pageant and didn’t place.  She made it to about 80% of her scheduled appointments and didn’t do her homework in between her sessions. She didn’t place for the second time and was frustrated when a first-timer captured the title.  She decided to compete one more time and called the new titleholder to find out what she had done to win.  “Simple”, said the titleholder, “I did exactly what Valerie and my support team told me to do”.  So Timid Beauty called to set up her appointments and told me that she was prepared to do exactly what she was told to do, exactly how she was told to do it.  She changed her hair color, the type of gown she wore, never missed an appointment, and was prepared for every coaching session.  It was hard for her because at some level she didn’t really believe she was worth the investment we were asking her to make in herself.  While she gave 100% to others, she never really gave herself that same level of commitment.  At her pageant not only did she win the crown, she was voted Contestants Choice as well as Congeniality.  Why?  Because she was ready to step out of her comfort zone and Do Something Different in order to get a different result.  She had always said she wanted to win, but this time she actually Prepared to Win!

2. The Unsure Beauty:  I first met the Unsure Beauty after she had failed to place at her pageant. At our first appointment she was restrained and uncomfortable as she explained that she had been abused as a child and sexually assaulted in college.  She was still working through the issues of being a victim and wanted to feel beautiful, but just wasn’t sure how to get there.  I referred her to a personal trainer, set her up with a well-known make-up artist, and encouraged her to get involved in abuse support groups and take a leadership position in helping other victims.  When she arrived at the pageant this year she was completely unrecognizable.  She lost 20 pounds, changed the cut and color of her hair, learned how to apply her own make-up correctly, and dresses with style every day.  But that’s not really what makes her unrecognizable.  She’s unrecognizable because the pain and confusion on her face have been replaced with a captivating smile.  She’s comfortable talking to almost anyone and her poise and confidence shine through in everything she does.  She came to terms with her past and is now in control of her future.  It took a lot of emotional courage to change how she thought about herself and how she interacts with others, but the changes she made on the inside have turned her from an Unsure Beauty to a Glamazon Swan who’s ready to pursue her dreams!

3. The Reluctant Beauty:  The Reluctant Beauty said she wanted to win her pageant but had very firm ideas about what every aspect of her wardrobe, interview and overall look.  She had competed for 5 years and never even placed in a pageant. I sent her to the best makeup artist, referred her to a leading pageant clothier and insisted that she do her homework in-between our coaching sessions.  She said she was up for it and so we began.  But that’s when the trouble started.  She fought the make-up artist on every single change, nearly had a fit at the photographers, and told the wardrobe stylist exactly what she wanted to wear.  I had to call her on her “stuff”, so I explained that she had the best support team in the business and that if she really wanted to get a different result at her pageant she couldn’t continue to be in charge -  she’d been in charge for her last 5 years and hadn’t liked the results.  After taking an honest look at what she’d been doing, she reluctantly turned control over to her support team.  After she was crowned, the other contestants buzzed all around her and tried to get her to spill the beans about who she’d been working with.  She just smiled and said nothing.  It took a lot of courage for her to be honest with herself and see how she had been sabotaging her chances for success.  Her ability to be open to coaching allowed her to transform from a Reluctant Beauty into a Perfectly Charming Swan!

Love and success,