Fear of the Unknown

“It's fear of the unknown. The unknown is what it is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that--it's all illusion. Unknown is what it is. Accept that it's unknown and it's plain sailing. Everything is unknown--then you're ahead of the game. That's what it is. Right?”

- John Lennon

I was recently interviewed by a local newspaper columnist Jennifer Hayes of the Middletown Transcript who asked me how I got into Beauty Pageants last November.  I told her my story...

Last November, one of my Barbizon Modeling School instructors and 2007 Miss Delaware USA Nicole Bosso encouraged me to compete in the Miss Delaware Teen USA Pageant. I had been a tomboy and "jockette" up until this fall.  But you want to know something I always like to try new things, and Beauty Pageants are so opposite of the way I lived, I thought I’d just give it a try.  Since then I've gotten hooked and will be competing for the highly coveted Miss Teen All American title once held by Halle Berry, Shana Moakler and Jenna Edwards later this summer.  But that's not the important part of my message today.  The reason I write this blog is to let everyone know once in a while you've got to push beyond your comfort zone and STOP BEING AFRAID OF THE UNKNOWN.  Stop chasing your dreams and start living them.  I know so many kids my age who are afraid just to be themselves, find and celebrate their special beauty. 

If I can help even just one person out there to overcome the hurdle of fear in life, writing this blog will be well worth it.  Take the fear that prevents you from taking control of your life and use it to motivate yourself.  Whenever you get butterflies in your stomach, your face gets red and heart skips a beat getting ready to try something new DON'T LET IT STOP YOU and keep you living in a SAFE ZONE being forever average and doing the same boring thing over and over again in life.

Those feelings are normal.  They are good.  Don't consider them warnings, think of those feelings as a "RUSH" in life.  Welcome them and you'll stop being afraid of trying something new.  Believe me whenever I get up on stage, I feel flushed, scared and excited.  But those feelings are exactly why I get up on a Beauty Pageant stage.  I think about getting up on that stage everday sometimes by myself other times with my coaches and mentors who've done it before.  I want to be Miss USA someday and imagine what it will feel like when the crown is placed on my head!  I know that's what I want in life.  If I can help you see your dream and live it, just get in touch with me.  That's what life is all about.  Helping each other overcome the fear of the unknown!

Until next time...

Kristyn Z