MOTIVATION

Wikipedia's Definition:  Motivation is the driving force which causes us to achieve goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is generally used for humans but, theoretically, it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation. According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in a basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure, or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting, or a desired object, goal, state of being, ideal, or it may be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, selfishness, morality, or avoiding mortality. Conceptually, motivation should not be confused with either volition or optimism.^[1] Motivation is related to, but distinct from,emotion.


So... which one of your goals in life give you that secret smile of anticipated pleasure that DRIVES you to suffer a little bit of immediate pain and discomfort whether it be giving up some leisure time or sweating out another hard set of exercise reps in the gym?  Think about it:  THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES.  Sooner or later, you've got to pay the piper, don't you?  Better front load the process, pay for the pleasure you want in life and ENJOY the fruits of your labor soon enough.  NEITHER A LENDER OR BORROWER BE... Don't borrow on the future, PAY UP FRONT and learn to work hard to achieve the goals you dream about and SET YOURSELF FREE!


Until next time,


Kristyn Z

Okay, Time to Pay the Price!

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." - Leon J. Suenes


If you want to look good for personal reasons, an upcoming competition or get in shape to be better at sports there's NO REPLACEMENTS FOR PUTTING IN THE TIME AT THE GYM.  You can talk about it, think about it, plan to do it BUT UNLESS YOU GET YOURSELF IN GEAR AND START SWEATING IT OUT, you're not willing to pay the price to make your dreams come true!


I'm competing in the upcoming 2011 Miss Teen USA-World Pageant in Houston, Texas next June.  Getting myself in top shape takes a lot of dedication, work and SWEAT.  I guess that's what the term SWEAT EQUITY means.  


Have you ever seen the girl who wears size ZERO jeans and makes them look good?  Or, been to the beach and gotten jealous of the girl whose abs look so defined in her bikini that you get mad at your own?  Well, if YOU dream the dream and want those results GET READY TO PAY THE PRICE.


I am...


Until next time,


Kristyn Z

SO, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU IN LIFE?

“I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it’s not some place you can look for, ‘cause it’s not where you go. It’s how you feel for a moment in your life when you’re a part of something, and if you find that moment it lasts forever”          

Leonardo Di Caprio, The Beach.

Sometimes I feel lost and then all of a sudden things seem very clear, bright and real.  It's just that moment in life that let's you know where you belong, what's important to YOU in life.  When you feel that way, write it down, look at what you wrote everyday.  See yourself in that moment and start living that moment from that minute onward.  Believe me if you see it and believe it, dream it and live it, THAT MOMENT WILL BECOME THE REALITY OF YOUR LIFE.  Remember, you can only FIND YOURSELF IN YOU! 

Until next time, may the PEACE LOVE AND HAPPINESS YOU SEEK IN LIFE BECOME A REALITY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.  Thanks for reading this blog and sharing in my life!  Never forget when you have those moments in life you need someone to help you over the hump, 

"... Don't be scared, there's someone there.  To say these words you need to hear..."  

Kristyn Z.

Yesterday is Gone...

No need for colorful ideas or fancy statements today.  This one is simple as black and white.

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose." - President Lyndon B. Johnson

Ever heard the old saying, "Don't cry over spilled milk"?  Well it couldn't be truer.  Even though your actions yesterday may have had an immediate negative effect, TOMORROW is a brand new day and brings with it HOPE ETERNAL for better decisions, actions and prospects in your life!  Don't give up in life just because you've got that sinking feeling right now.  In fact, just "... pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again!"  You will be celebrating your beauty in life soon enough.

Wishing you Peace, Love and Good Fortune this Holiday Season AND for the rest of your life...

Until next time,

Kristyn Z

Life is a Parade

Parades are so much fun. Smiling faces, marching bands, fire engines, sirens, drums, beauty pageant queens, fancy cars, horses and riders ... if only life could be a constant parade? This weekend as 2011 Miss Teen Delaware-World, I had the pleasure of attending and participating in not only one but two hometown holiday parades; Dover's Home for the Holidays in Kent County and Seaford's Christmas Parade in Sussex County. Being a resident of the most northern county in Delaware it's fun to travel south into rural Delaware and visit with some of my neighbors and friends below the Canal while representing Delaware in the Teen-World crown and sash. So is life a parade for you?

If it is, don't forget those less fortunate around you.  Filled with the Spirit of Christmas, reach out and help them along their journey in life.  Volunteer your time during winter vacation for some worthy cause, donate a toy to Toys for Tots, help out in a Needy Family Food Drive, do something for someone else.  There are so many ways to help others.  BUT, if your life is not a parade, don't be afraid to reach out to your friend, parents, teachers, guidance counselor, minister or someone you trust to HELP YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY IN LIFE.  There's someone there to help you!  

I'm so very thankful for all of you who take the time to read this blog, maybe take heart and feel better about yourself OR better yet give of yourself to others!  God bless you this Holiday Season.

Until next time,

Kristyn Z.

VIP - VERY IMPRESSIVE PERSON(S)

Today was a special day. Kyle Haggerty, a nationally prominent and highly successful Beauty Pageant Impressario and Coach, Dancer, Movie Star and all around VIP (Very Impressive Person) invited me down to Washington, DC for one of his pageant planning events AND to participate in the filming of the MTV Reality TV Series, MADE for an Episode called Pageant Queen.  I was thrilled to be asked to participate and personally meet THE MAN (and woman BTW) behind too many winning pageant queens to mention.  BUT, let me tell you Kyle's worked with and coached the current Miss America as well having his "girls" just win BOTH the Miss Virginia USA and Virginia Teen USA pageant titles! He and his partner, Kelly Ann Clay (THE WOMAN BEHIND THE MAN) are wonderful. I'm excited to be associated with them and hope to learn a lot more about being a pageant queen from BOTH Mr. Haggerty and Mrs. Clay! Thanks for having me!


Until next time...
Kristyn Z

Hope I make the final edited version of the show!

Let YOUR Light Shine!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”


Nelson Mandela
 

Do you ever wonder what drives great men and women to achieve their success?  I've thought about it, a lot.  Some people say FEAR is the greatest motivator.  I don't think so. Do you?  I think it's the ability to overcome fear; fear of the unknown or the fear of success that drives great men and women to success.  Join me in abandonding fear in life. Let YOUR light shine.  Celebrate YOUR beauty.  Besides, what's there to be afraid of anyway?
 
Until next time...
Kristyn Z.

ZEST

"Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest." ~ Christian Dior

According to Merriam's On-Line Dictionary, ZEST is an enjoyably exciting quality! There's a lot to be said about the certain JOIE DE VIE (French for JOY OF LIVING) that someone exudes when they're not afraid to be beautiful.


It's probably easier to see than explain ZEST.  So I decided to post a Christian Dior Ad photo representing ZEST, don't you think?   I'm also reposting a Christian Dior's quote I just saw on Fred Wright's Facebook tonight.  Liked it so much thought I'd share it with everyone here!  Fred is the Director of the National Teen All American Pageant and just a wonderful person I admire a lot.  He knows a thing or two about BEAUTY!


Until next time,

Kristyn Z

The Best Treat of Them All - FRIENDSHIP

The greatest sweetener of human life is friendship. To raise this to the highest pitch of enjoyment, is a secret which but few discover.  - Joseph Addison


Have a happy and safe Halloween!


Until next time,
Kristyn Z

ON BULLYING

We've talked about BULLYING here before.  BULLYING amongst teenagers has been getting a lot of attention in the news media because of several unfortunate incidents. I guess it's so EZ to put someone down because they may be different.  I enjoy pageants.  They've helped me over my shyness and reluctance to speak and appear in public.  Beauty pageants are a competitive sport and no less demanding than any other competitive sport.  Unfortunately because of being a "Pageant Girl", I've felt the sharp sting of a Bully's words and actions.  Believe me, BULLYING needs to be dealt with imediately before it gets out of hand and unfortunate. Check out this article from PAGEANT PLANET one of my favorite pageant publications:

The Ugly Side of Beauty

Posted by Steven Roddy on October 22nd, 2010 | Posted in Pageant Preparation Tips

Recently there has been an outbreak of hate crimes against my girls so I thought that I would give you a little ammunition.

What are these hate crimes I speak of? Typical high school drama where girls who are catty talk about other girls (meaning you) because you compete in pageantry, have goals, are charming and oh yeah, just happen to be beautiful as well.

Here is the deal…being beautiful is a gift just like singing, writing or being able to play sports. Being beautiful can open up doors of opportunity for you that will be denied to others. When you are beautiful studies have shown that people stereotype you as healthier, smarter and wealthier than the average looking Sally (no offensive if your name is Sally).

However, with every good thing comes some negative. Its the whole ying and yang thing that I am still working out.

Because you are beautiful if you do not reach out to other people first you will be considered stuck up. If you pop an attitude then you are being a B%!*@. If you wear an outfit that flatters your figure then you will be marked conceited. And honestly the list continues…So what do you do about the negativity?

Recognize people who treat you like this do so for basically 4 reasons:

1. Insecurity – When they see you they see what they are not. That scares them so they project the negative feelings that they have about themselves on you.
2. Jealousy – Which is a quiet form of admiration if you think about it
3. Personality Clash – Certain personalities clash…they get on each others nerves. This still happens to me. So I distance myself from people I clash with. Realize you can’t be friends with everyone.
4. You pissed them off – If you did mess up (and we all do) then say, “I’m sorry.” If you didn’t then just move on and forget about it (Saying “forget about it” works so much better if you say it in an Italian voice)

Lastly, realize that small minded people focus on small minded things because they do not have a BIG vision for their life. Keep focusing on your BIG dreams and in doing so their voices don’t carry as much weight as they once did.

 "Can't we all just get along?"  - Rodney King

Until next time,

Kristyn Z

  

Are You At a Roadblock In Life?

First of all, take a minute and breathe in deep!  Let it all out and take a look around.  Isn't the fall scenery BEAUTIFUL?  I love this time of year, don't you?  Let's put everything into perspective.

Even though the hot and exciting days of summer vacation have come to an end, fall is majestic, clean and fresh isn't it? After we CELEBRATE fall's natural BEAUTY, take a minute and consider the following quote from H. Jackson Brown Jr.

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins -- not through strength but by perserverance."

Don't let life get you down.  If something is in your way, keep at it even though the obstacle seems insurmountable at the current time.  Don't give up.  Sooner or later, life will provide you with a way around the "rock" in your way.  Keep your eye on the ball and your goal.

Until next time,
Kristyn Z

"Life starts all over again ..."

"Nature’s first green is gold, 

Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay."

Robert Frost


This is such a wonderful time of year!  The whole world changes color, temperatures cool down, the fall winds arrive and life takes on a completely different flavor.  Enjoy, I am!  Remember F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote... "Life starts all over again, in the fall."

 

Until next time,
Kristyn Z

So Excited to be Working with Kristen Lober!

‎"I would rather lose a good earring than be caught without make-up." ~ Lana Turner

Kristen Lober is a top shelf professional make-up artist who works from New York down to Miami and has done make-up for the likes of Jennifer Lopez. Delaware's premier GO TO make-up artist, we're very fortunate Kristen has graciously decided to share some of her knowledge, secrets and tips with all of us regular girls on Delaware Online!  I've had the fortune of working with Kristen at the Teen All American Pageant in Philadelphia and can tell you she's the best!  I'm so excited to be doing some things with her soon for her new Blogsite on Delaware Online.  Check out the Make Up Monday with Kristen blogsite below:

Make Up Monday with Kristen

Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Let YOUR Light Shine Through!

“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

 

Today's message is real simple.  Don't worry about who anybody else wants you to be, FIND YOURSELF IN YOU.  Just let YOUR light shine through and...

CELEBRATE YOUR BEAUTY.

Until next time,

Kristyn Z

Read This Please

Bill Gates Speech: 11 Rules Your Kids Did Not And Will Not Learn In School

.Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one!

*   *   *

Kinda makes ya think doesn't it?   Until next time,

Kristyn Z 

.

KEEP RISING TO THE TOP AND REACHING FOR THE STARS...

Don't let anyone put out your fire!  Walk in the path God has chosen for you.  But remember, beauty is what is found INSIDE.  The outside is just a bonus.  Now, let your light shine 'round the world.  


Until next time,
Kristyn Z

Back to School with this Thought!

"A girl should be two
things....classy and
fabulous" ~ Coco Chanel


BTW, I agree.  My junior year in high school is going to be a lot of fun!  Hope you're as excited about getting back as I am today.  It's been a great summer.


Until next time,


Kristyn Z

Believe in Yourself /Have Faith in Your Abilities

Two very important statements aren't they?  If you BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and we've talked about that a lot in the past here and HAVE FAITH IN YOUR ABILITIES, sooner or later you will accomplish your goals in life!  But you've got to have a plan as well.  It's real good to motivate yourself with a positive mindset BUT nothing in the world can replace PLANNING and HARD WORK when it comes to achieving your goals.  My goal is to represent Delaware and win a Miss USA title someday soon.  I've been working real hard since my first attempt last year where I was fortunate to be the 4th Runner Up in the Miss Delaware Teen USA Pageant. 

Since then, I've competed in several pageants in an effort to build up my ability to present myself appropriately and contend for another shot at the Miss Delaware Teen USA title.  Most recently, I was fortunate to be among the 6 Finalists at the Miss Teen All American Pageant together with Miss Aloha Ashlee Kozuma who won that presitigious title from Hawaii, Kelsey Landy a multiple Miss Pennsylvania Teen World, Teen Coed and Perfect Teen, the 2009 Miss ConneticutTeen USA title holder Tiffany Texiera, the 2009 Oklahoma Teen USA title holder Chelsea Colvard and the 2009 Kansas Teen Title Holder Alexis Rewalt!  As the youngest contestant I can tell you I learned a lot from these fine young women some of whom will be 20 years old this year!  But more important I learned so much from my mentor Nicole Bosso, Miss Delaware USA 2007 and coach Vincenza Carrieri Russo, Miss Delaware USA 2008 and dear friend and supporter Ashley James, Miss Delaware Teen USA 2005.   They all taught me to PLAN TO WIN then WORK MY PLAN. 

So even though you've got to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and HAVE FAITH IN YOUR ABILITIES, listen carefully please never forget to PLAN YOUR WORK and WORK YOUR PLAN!

Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Living Your Dream

"GO CONFIDENTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR DREAMS!  LIVE THE LIFE YOU'VE IMAGINED."  - THOREAU

Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Preparation

In getting ready to compete in the Miss Teen All American Pageant I've been fortunate to learn a critical lesson; GETTING THINGS DONE ON YOUR TO DO LIST.  Let me quote my pageant coach, Vincenza Carrieri-Russo, Miss Delaware 2008 so you can understand where this lesson started.  Vincenza has taught me:

 "It's better to be busy than be bored."

And so much like her my favorite way to spend my last few weeks have been checking things off my TO DO list, and there's been plenty!  Thanks Vincenza for becoming a part of my life.

Until next time...  Kristyn Zd raI’d rather have a productive day checking things off of my “To Do List,” because I’m very goal-oriented. My motto is "Better be busy than be bored!her have a productive day checking things off of my “To Do List,” because I’m very goal-oriented. My motto is "Better be busy than be bored!”