Sparkle Blog by Brittany Crews

Last week I came across a saying, "Personal development begins where your comfort zone ends." That was so powerful to me - especially as I continue to coach young women for pageantry. 

My entire life I have been a "personal development junkie." I get REALLY excited over motivational speakers, goal setting, reading, and posting little notes all over the place with inspirational sayings on them. It took me a while to realize that not everyone is as "into" personal development as I am; however, I found my home in pageantry.

Pageant girls love personal development. If they didn't, they would never compete in pageantry. Each phase of competition pushes you to become a better "you." I always loved preparing for my competitions because it was a time of reflection, learning, and challenges that have molded me into the person that I am today.

Interview

Interview is a period of 10 minutes or so when a panel of judges gets to ask you several questions in possibly a rapid-fire style interview so that they can "get to know you." I like interview OK, but my favorite part about the interview portion of the competition was the preparation. 

I would spend hours writing in my journal hashing out tough questions that I wasn't able to verbalize quite as eloquently as I would have liked. I can remember nights in college when my friends were downstairs having a party and I was upstairs, sitting on my bed, passionately writing paragraphs about my beliefs, my goals, and the stories and events that made me who I am. I loved it! You need to understand yourself before you can explain it to anyone else. With our parents, friends, social media, and cultural expectations -you owe it to yourself to take some quiet time and really get to know you. 

You will see a huge difference when you walk into that interview room. Passionate sentences will just roll off of your tongue in a way that you never thought possible. Then you will have the judges attention.

Fitness

Many pageants have a fitness portion of the competition. For me, this area of the pageant taught me so much more than just looking smoking hot in a bikini (you can read about those things by clicking here). 

I have competed in every shape and size. Fitness was more of a feeling for me rather than the way that I looked. It was a feeling of pride, accomplishment, and pure confidence because of the work I had put in and the goals I had reached. 

The personal development happens when you realize that you are a busy student with an extracurricular activities list a mile long. When are you going to find time to train? Set goals, set your alarm, and set your mindset to positive because when your trainer pushes you to the next level you may not like him so much.

Evening Gown

I love wearing an evening gown. There is just something about putting that thing on that makes you want to strut your stuff. But I wouldn't just pick a random gown because of the color or fit. I would meditate on it for days, and truly manifest that gown in my mind. I would dream about it, and then I would go out to find it.

Just like in The Secret, you manifest positive and negative into your life. The visions that you allow yourself to have in your mind can and will come to fruition. 

Talent

Learning, choreographing, practicing, and executing your talent is a personal development feat in itself. I have always been the "queen of different (in fact, on my pageant resume, my "life motto" would always, without a doubt be, "Dare to be different.") This was VERY important to me that my talent stand out in a positive way.

I am a tap dancer - I will say, it was never a difficult art for me. It just came natural. They say on So You Think You Can Dance that the reason they don't have many tap routines is because it is a difficult dance to learn. 

I love it. It pushes me, and forces me to be creative with each next step. Isn't that how we should want all of our life's work to feel? Creative and challenging? Man! That's a good feeling. 

I would like to encourage you that, for your next competition, you spend more time on personal development than you do on choosing your wardrobe. When you know who you are and you are taking time everyday to expand your thought, set goals for yourself, and push to the next level, all that other stuff will just fall into place. 

Wearing that sparkly hat gives you great responsibility. A responsibility to create something much larger than yourself and your immediate wants and needs. It is about the people who got you to where you are today, the people you are working to help, and the legacy you hope to leave behind in order to inspire those women that come after you.

Legacy… now there’s a word that is too freely used. When I think of the word legacy, my mind always go back to the sorority that I joined. Alpha Gamma Delta is a legacy of women caring about the education, development, and well-being of its members, while supporting community efforts and raising awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

I remember looking at the composite photos framed on the walls of our sorority dorm right after I was just elected as president of our chapter and thinking to myself, I hope I can fill these shoes that other women have left before me. I also remember thinking, I don't want to leave anything that would cause hardship for those that come after me.

See, joining a sorority is about becoming part of a legacy that, in some cases has been built on a foundation of hundreds of years of tradition, service, and leadership. If you have had the privilege of joining an organization like this you know what I'm talking about. You don't want to mess it up! Wearing those letters on your chest is your pride and joy, and you wouldn't change them for the world. 

Over the years pageants have been likened to that of a sorority. Many times I have heard it called a sisterhood. Just like you get that sense of pride when wearing your Greek letters on your chest, you get a great sense of pride when placing the crown on your head and walking out the door to represent your organization. When that crown is on you become part of an organization that you love, support, and promote with passion.  Over the years, that crown will become part of you. So much a part of you that you won't even need to wear it on your head anymore, but you will still continue to love, support, and promote.

What legacy are you leaving when you pin that sparkly hat to your head? Are you leaving a strong foundation for others to stand on or are you breaking down what those before you have built? Think about it. You've been given this great responsibility for the year. What are you going to do with it? If you haven't been awarded this responsibility yet, how are you going to tell the judges that you are the best person to continue the legacy?

When I first started competing in pageants I literally chose the competition I wanted to do based on what the crown looked like. If I didn't like the crown, I wasn't interested. Granted, I was 6 years old at the time. As I grew and became more involved in pageantry I met several young women (who seemed so grown up at the time) that taught me that the crown represents so much more.

When I was 12, I won the title of Jr. Miss North Carolina. It was a wonderful year with lots of great memories of making appearances along side Kelly Trogden, Miss North Carolina 1999. Kelly was my role model. I wanted to be just like her. I can distinctly remember sitting at one of her appearances, cross legged on the floor while she spoke to a group of children about being Miss North Carolina.

It clicked! That moment when she pointed to the crown on her head and said, "This is just a sparkly hat. It doesn't define me; rather, it's what I do with this sparkly hat." I totally got it! At the age of 12 I realized that the crown represented something so much more than just winning a competition. It represented a legacy of women before me, it represented the work that I could do, and it represented something so much bigger than myself.

I have worn several "sparkly hats" since that day, and every time I had one pinned to my head for the first time I always had Kelly's words of wisdom in the back of my mind. I had worked hard to win the opportunity to wear my sparkly hats, but it wasn't about me. It was about the people who got me there, the people I wanted to help, and creating a good name for the world of pageantry. It is easy to show the judges your passion for wanting to take home the title when you you understand what the crown means to you.

Who is it for?

Sometimes it is hard to share your dreams, goals, and aspirations with others. I can remember several times, even to this day, that I have had people look at me with a blank stare because they thought my dreams were silly or unobtainable. Let those blank stares fuel your fire. There are plenty of people that are in your corner. Sharing your goals with those that care about you takes your mission to the next level. It becomes something bigger than yourself because other people are involved.

What is it for?

Every one has a story. How can you use your story to encourage and inspire others? You need that crown as your microphone to share your experiences with others. Maybe they are good experiences or bad experiences, but none the less others can learn from you. You can make a difference, save a life, spark a dream, and be a positive role model for that little girl that will always look up to you - even when she becomes a "big girl." Always be confident in that.

Don't let someone take your crown.

Understanding who and what your crown represents will help you express why you need it. Each girl should have her own definition of her crown. Share that vision with the judges. Don't let the girl before or after you walk in and take your crown. You deserve it!

Did you know that it only takes seven seconds to make a first impression?  Holy cow, that's barely enough time to look someone in the eye and shake their hand! In pageantry, what do you think makes up your first impression? Maybe your hair, the way you dress, or the way you carry yourself across the stage... Not exactly. Your paperwork is your first impression, and it is more important than you think.

I have seen numerous contestants breeze through their paperwork, turn it in with grammatical errors, and no meaning. It just makes me cringe when I read paperwork that is not a full reflection of you. Why would you do yourself such an injustice?

Your paperwork is the first impression your judges have of you. It is your first seven seconds of meeting the panel. It should be thoughtful, genuine, and include all of the outstanding things about you. Essentially, that paperwork is the resume you just handed in to the hiring manager that will be interviewing you for the job of your dreams. That one piece of paper will be the only thing the judges get to see, and could potentially determine whether or not they are looking for you during interviews on the day of your competition. Sure, you could turn that first impression around with a great interview, but why work twice as hard?

Here are a few things I almost always find in contestant paperwork:

Too many generalities that can lead to the judges asking tough, off-the-wall questions.

The use of vocabulary words that the contestant doesn't understand or would not use in their everyday speech.

Sentences that the contestant's mother wrote.

Spelling and grammatical errors.

Here are some things that are missing from contestant paperwork:

The reasons why you need the crown; remembering that why you want the crown is much different.

The story that paints the picture of why you chose your platform, and gives reason to why you are so passionate about that subject.

A good plan for marketing yourself and the pageant system. No, saying "I plan to use Social Media" won't cut it.

We remember things in images. There have been several scientific studies that conclude the act of associating an image with an event or list can help you remember those things for longer periods of time. I once sat in on a class with two time USA memory champion, Ron White. He taught us how to memorize a list  by associated images with each random item. Imagine your paperwork is a blank canvas to paint a picture of your life, your passions, and your vision for the future for the judges. You want the panel to remember everything on that piece of paper.

Please, please, please spend the time on your paperwork. You always want to make a good first impression. It's just a lot easier than trying to reverse a bad first impression.

"Practice makes perfect." We've all heard this saying at least once in our lives. I've also mentioned in some of my other posts about Malcolm Gladwell's theory that you need to have 10,000 hours of practice under your belt in order to achieve 'mastery' in your field. So why are you still not practicing?!

**Newsflash: Winners put the work in.

If you leave your pageant feeling disappointed, go back and do some reflection on your pageant prep. Did you follow a healthy nutrition plan and workout regularly? Do you have a journal filled with your thoughts, goals, and answers for tough interview questions that best describe you? Did you schedule time in your calendar for regular talent and stage presence practice? I have won and lost many competitions in my life, but the only times I ever left feeling bummed was when I knew I hadn't put the work in.

You can leave your competition with your head held high when you put the work in. Even if you don't take home the crown this time, you know you've done everything in your power to prepare and be the best that you can be.

I love asking contestants how they prepared for the pageant. The answers are almost always the same for the girls that do well, but never win - they talk about working out, selecting wardrobe, practicing for interview, etc. But there are some other things that winners complete during their practice sessions as well. Here they are:

Do the unassigned homework.

To be successful, you have to do the unassigned homework. At this point, are you thinking, "what the heck is unassigned homework?" My point exactly.

The unassigned homework isn't about walking, talking, or curling your hair. This homework is about you growing in a personal way - reading a book, writing in your journal, and truly understanding the core values that make you, you.

Most contestants don't think about completing this unassigned homework. Even if they do think about it, they don't truly put the time and effort into it. It makes all the difference when you do. By studying yourself and taking action on your personal growth, you will be better prepared to take on a job as a local, state, or national representative.

Practice 3 hours per week or 30 minutes per day.

This part is about walking, talking, and curling your hair. If you are meeting with a coach, you should be dedicating 3 hours per week or 30 minutes per day outside of your coaching sessions to practice what you have learned. You will see your progress move much more quickly if you do. Also, as a coach myself, I can't even begin to explain to you how sad it makes me when girls lie to me about the amount of time they practiced during the time we haven't met (by the way, I can tell when you haven't practiced...). It makes me sad because, by not practicing, you are cutting yourself short. No pageant girl should be cut short because they all are passionate and have the potential to do great things. Don't cut yourself short, schedule time to practice.

"I don't like to practice until I get it right, I like to practice until I can't get it wrong." - Jonathan Sprinkles

Do it full out.

You should ALWAYS practice full out. This goes for talent rehearsal, modeling, interview practice, and even hair and makeup trial runs. You are doing yourself an injustice if you are not practicing full out. Do you think Olympic gold medalists halfway practice their performances? Probably not. What about professional speakers or actors? Nope. They do it full out. Practice perfectly every time. That way, you are doing everything in your power to prevent poor performance. You should be able to perform your talent, interview, or even do your hair and makeup with your eyes closed, backwards, using your non-dominant hand, while driving down a bumpy, dirt back road.

Hard work will always beat talent alone. Make sure that you practice, practice, practice like you are the greatest, always remembering that the actions you take daily over a period equal a high level of success.

Miss America aired this past Sunday on ABC. As you may know, there has been some controversy around the pageant for several different reasons - a judge admitting that he chooses an evening gown based on what he believes his wife would wear, Kathy Ireland wearing no shoes on national television (click here to see the article- my tweet was quoted! Follow me @_bcrews) ,Miss Nebraska’s not-so-lady-like camera shot, and of course the infamous red cup. I really had some strong feelings about this year’s pageant, and took a few days to really hash them out in my mind before posting here.

I’ll be honest, I did not have Kira Kazanstev chosen as my winner. In fact, based on the performance I saw Sunday night, I did not even choose her for my top five. However, she grabbed my attention when she opened her mouth during the on stage question portion of the competition. She was well-spoken and handled what could have been a tough question for some with grace.

Now, while talent was always my personal strong point of competition you can understand why I am critical of the red cup. The performance, to me, was lackluster and had a negative “wow factor,” forcing the “non-pageant” viewers to believe the level of talent was mediocre at best. There are plenty of artists - singers, dancers, actors, etc. that compete for the title of Miss America that would have made for much better entertainment on Sunday night. Many of the contestants that compete in the Miss America Organization choose the competition because it allows them to showcase the incredible talents that they possess, and to be rewarded for the hard work they have put into perfecting their art.

I read several tweets and Facebook posts commenting that Kira’s talent was a mockery. Maybe it was. But, after I recovered from my disappointment in her performance, you have to appreciate the symbolism of the red cup - to show that anyone can perform any talent on the Miss America stage and be successful. Not to cut yourself short. After all, pageants are about being you and pushing yourself outside the box, right?

Do I wish I had come up with the red cup idea? Absolutely! But here’s how I would have done it:

1. Sang acapella. The back-up music completely made the cup irrelevant. The cup should have been used as an instrument and not just as a random prop. Just like in this clip from Pitch Perfect where the inspiration for the act originated.

2. Had several cups. Plastic cups, glass cups, big and small cups. I would have had them all! I’m a tap dancer and I love making music with my feet. Adding more cups to the acapella performance would have increased the difficulty factor, and would have given better dynamic to the rhythm being created.

3. Covered more area on the stage. I get it- sitting on the floor directly in front of the judges performing a talent that you know is going to be highly criticized takes GUTS! I mean you are literally looking into the eyes of the individuals that have all control over how the next year of your life will look. But Miss America is a show, and it’s a big stage, and there are more people to entertain than just those five. Chances are, if you are entertaining the entire audience then the judges are entertained as well.

All in all, it boils down to one thing for me, and I’m really excited about it- dare to be different. I spent my entire pageant career trying to stand out. It was even on my resume that my life motto was “dare to be different.” I wore the most unique dresses I could find, performed the hardest, most out-of-the-box talent selections I could think of, and when all the other contestants were getting hair extensions I would chop my hair off in an effort to stand out from the crowd. In some cases I was rewarded with the highest of honors. Other times people would look at me like I was crazy and I would leave my competition empty handed. To me, it shows the pageant is moving in the right direction by choosing women that are relate-able, inspiring, and different.

So after moments of shock and a brief stint of anger, I have come to the conclusion that I am glad Kira Kazanstev is our Miss America. Style, Service, Scholarship, and Success - the four points of the Miss America crown remind us daily that we should strive to be a well-rounded woman, not just talented, just smart, or just beautiful. Kira did demonstrate all four points of the crown. You have to give her that.

Do I agree that Kira’s performance on Sunday night was the best of the top 16? Absolutely not. But I do believe that her little red cup will be a catalyst for change in a world that turns more negative everyday. I believe she can impact the young women of our country with a positive message that it’s OK to try something new and fall flat on your face doing it. It makes you stronger, and one day your “uniqueness” will change the world.

One last thought - as pageant contestants, we are criticized every day of our lives. “Oh you’re perfect like Barbie,” “ha! Pageants?! Why would you subject yourself to such degrading activities?” “You wouldn’t understand because you’re pretty.” Ever heard any of that? Pageantry is our thing! If you’re like me, you’ve been involved since you were a little girl. We should lift one another up. Pageant contestants are some of the most successful women in the world because of the work ethic, passion, and well-rounded qualities that we possess due to our pageant experience. Pretend like you are the pageant girl that just won Miss America. How would you want the supporters of your organization to receive you? With open arms or closed minds?

So I hope you can fill your red solo cup half full, and be a positive voice for our pageant community and our new Miss America.

Presence. Now, this is a word I am very familiar with. Have you ever  thought of it past the walking, the clothes, and how you fix your hair and make-up? Presence is so much more than that.  Just like your signature on a piece of paper, your presence is unique to only you, and it is made up of several different entities.  

When we think of the word, presence, the first thing that comes to mind is, probably, what I like to call “the outside stuff.”  You may think of the clothes that you wear, or the way you stand and walk.  This makes up your image. It is simply what you would like to project to others around you. 

Having a solid image is great, but there has to be more when it comes to presence.  The second half of your presence is your personal style.  Having a well-defined style takes your presence to the next level.  Here are a couple questions you may want to ask yourself about your personal style:

What are the key personality traits I possess that make me, me? Am I outgoing, introverted, creative, organized, bubbly, etc.?

What are my personal core values? Some examples might be family, stability, honesty, etc.

  Now that you have the image and the style, it’s time to add in the talk. The goal of this whole presence thing anyway is to turn heads when you walk into a room.  Now that you have their attention, how do you keep it? You teach others how to treat you. How can you expect others to treat you nice if you are always putting yourself down? Talk nice to yourself. Read positive affirmations. Post encouraging words around your home. When you can see and believe how wonderful you are, others will too. And that, my friend, is how you assemble a head turning presence.

As you may know, most pageants include a fitness category into their competition. Outsiders make jokes about it, parents may not think it’s appropriate, and some pageant contestants actually dread this portion of their pageant. I will readily admit, it wasn’t always my favorite or my strongest portion of competition, but training for those 30 seconds onstage prepared me for more of life’s little obstacles than I ever could have imagined.

Change will take place in your life whether you like it or not. Throughout my pageant career my body has gone through several different transformations. Some happened on their own and I had no control, and others I made happen. None the less, change took place. From 127 lbs to 160 lbs, I have competed in every shape and size that my body comes in. There will be several different versions of you over the course of your life. None of them are right or wrong. If you find a version of you that you are not happy with, make a change. If you can’t make that change on your own, it’s ok to seek help from others.

Be aware of your surroundings. “Birds of a feather flock together,” they say. There will be times in life that you need to delete people from your everyday routine. It could be a friend, a co-worker, or even a boyfriend. If they find it difficult to support you in your goals, then you don’t need them. Preparing for fitness competition revealed several nay-sayers and unsupportive people that were in my inner circle. They had to go. Yes, I have to get up early to go to the gym. No, I can’t drink beer with you tonight. Sorry, fried chicken isn’t included in my nutrition plan. It’s hard to delete, but adding positive influence around you will only lift you to being a better you.

Time management is a necessity. Oh how I love time management! Finding time to be involved in your community, do a good job at work, have a social life, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Phew!! It makes me tired just to think about it. Time management is probably one of the most important life lessons that training my body for a pageant ever taught me. Prepare meals for tomorrow,tonight; drink water every 30 minutes; eat 5 meals per day; walk 60 minutes minimum - there are lots of little things to add into your schedule when training; however, you have the same 24 hours in your day as the next person. In life, you just have to get it done.

In my 20 years of competing in pageants, I never won a swimsuit award. Though, the lessons that training my body for a pageant taught me make it all worth it.

Competition. That one thing standing between you and your crown is the girl that is your competition! I know you've thought about her. What is she like? How the heck does she always win? How are you going to beat her? 

These might be questions you are thinking about. What you should really be thinking about is what you can learn from this girl. She is your competition; therefore, she must be pretty good at what she is doing, right? 

The next time you are competing, remember these 7 things about your competition. You may even learn something from her:

1. She doesn't care about you. That's right you heard me. The last thing on that girl's mind is that you are competing. She's not wasting her time on you. Why should you spend so much time on her? 

2. She has a coach. I've mentioned this before. All successful professionals have coaches/mentors. Get yourself a coach to be competitive. There's no need to struggle to do it on your own. Seek guidance from those that have blazed the trail before you. 

3. Her goals are written down, and she reminds herself of them every day. Goals can be kept anywhere. Write them in a journal, in your smartphone, or even on a vision board. If you are not clear on what your goals are for your next pageant, you will never pass "go." 

4. They do the things they have to do, when they don't want to do them. You are passionate about your pageant prep 100% of the time, right? WRONG! Some days you will wake up and say, "I just don't feel like it today." Just remember that when you decided to sleep in a few extra minutes, your competition is at the gym getting in a few extra miles. 

5. She is obsessed with herself. I know. We spend our entire lives trying to be humble, and not to brag, and blah blah blah. Who will believe that you are the best person for the job if you don't even believe it? Get obsessed with yourself. You deserve it!

6. She doesn't sweat the small stuff. Things will happen. Keep your eye on the prize. A little bump in the road can't stop you!

7. She is really clear on her vision. Have you envisioned your crown being placed on your head? Really pictured it in your mind to the point where you can feel them pinning the crown to your hair? Use your imagination, and believe your vision to be true. If you can believe it you can achieve it! 

You trained, you practiced, you packed, you did your best... but you didn't win! Now what are you going to do? Will you sit back and wait until next year, or will you be active in making yourself better than before?

What was your weakest link? Watch the video of your pageant, and call your coach. (click here if you need to know why you should have a coach.) Your video will give you the real deal on what happened during your competition. Your coach can also give you a different perspective on how you could improve or change for the better. 

Practice, practice, practice! Just because your next pageant is a year from now, continue to practice. Find venues where you can perform your talent, make appearances with your local title to improve upon your speaking skills, and move forward with your healthy lifestyle so that swimsuit competition is not a struggle but truly a lifestyle. 

Live your platform. You may not have a crown, but that will never change the appreciation that the people that support you feel for the hard work you have put into raising money, volunteering, and enriching the lives of the community. The more you live your platform, the more you have on your resume, and the more you have to talk about in your pageant interview. 

Throughout my years in pageantry I have met several people who will watch videos of past competitions as part of their pageant prep. Every pageant has a videographer, and usually these videos are pretty easy to get your hands on. I believe this form of pageant prep is useful until you begin to become what you are watching in the videos. Let me explain:

Yes, it is great for a pageant “newbie” that isn’t quite sure what to expect. Watching videos can provide insight into the appropriate wardrobe for your pageant, the usual modeling pattern, or to see how last year’s winners stood out. In some cases, you can even get a copy of the private interview portion of the competition. Watching others' body language, and using the questions asked in the video for practice can also be helpful.

The downfall to watching videos for pageant prep is that you can begin to lose yourself. If you find yourself trying to copy a past winner or wanting to change your style because of what you’ve seen, it may be time to stop watching those videos. Keep in mind that the judges for the competition in your video will not be the same judges that you will have. How many times have you heard it, "we could go back next week with a different set of judges and have the exact same competition with different results."

In conclusion, there are several ways you can train and be prepared for your pageant. Videos may be a tactic that you use. It was never one that worked for me. Just be aware when you are using them to gain knowledge, and when you cross that line of being a “copy cat" it's time to move on. You are unique, and should never disguise that with another person's identity.

I recently read an article that was a Q&A with Sharon Lechter, Author of Think and Grow Rich for Women. In her response to the question, "How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?" she said that her father would always ask her, "Sharon, have you added value to someone's life today?" She did not realize until later on in life that her father was not just asking her a question, but rather igniting a very important leadership skill in his daughter. This realization did not come for Sharon until she heard another person say,"Leadership is not about what you do; it is about what you help other people do."

As a pageant coach, focused on stage presence and modeling, this rang true for me. My mission as a coach is to help the young women I work with feel confident. Whether they are walking onto the big Miss America stage or simply down the mall, my hope is that through my coaching they have gained confidence to hold their head high and the skill to turn heads as they walk by.

I had a great sense of pride last weekend as I attended the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant.  It wasn't about me, but rather the two brilliant ladies that I had the pleasure to work with have the coveted crowns of Miss North Carolina and Miss North Carolina's Outstanding Teen pinned to their head. (Congratulations Beth and Karson! I couldn't be more proud of you!)

They worked tirelessly on their preparations for their competition, and I am so honored that they chose me to be a part of their journey. When looking back on our time together, I remember the thought provoking conversations that we had and the lessons that I learned myself (I think both of them even sparked an idea for a blog post or two;) ). I am so excited for these two ladies to represent our great state of North Carolina. They certainly have added value to my life, and I know they will do the same for all others they come in contact with during their year of service.

This particular leadership trait of serving others comes naturally to pageant contestants, and sometimes when something is so natural we don't give ourselves credit. I believe it's important for us to acknowledge that pageantry instills this trait into us, and that we recognize ourselves as leaders within our communities. Also, don't forget to ask yourself at the end of every day, "Have you added value to someone's life today?"