"DREAM IT, BELIEVE IT, ACHIEVE IT!"

I don't know where my title quote originated BUT I learned it from one of my favorite people and teachers, Nicole Bosso.  She is an inspiration to me.  Nicole taught me an important lesson that let me DREAM and ACHIEVE my goals, to believe in myself.  Now I want to return that favor and wish her GOOD LUCK in her upcoming bid to become Delaware's First DUAL Miss Delaware Title Holder.  Nicole is the 2007 Miss Delaware USA.  She is now competing for the 2010 Miss Delaware America crown. 

Even though there are some really talented and beautiful women competing for this year's title of Miss Delaware America and each one of them is a wonderful role model for teenagers like me, I don't know anyone in the whole world who could be better suited to be Delaware's first 2x Pageant Queen than my special friend and mentor, Nicole Bosso.  My heart is with her every step of her journey! 

Nicole here are some more neat inspirational quotes for you and everyone out there wanting to live their dreams.

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." ~ Anatole France

"Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision." ~ V. S. Naipaul

"Our imagination is the only limit to what we can hope to have in the future" ~ Charles F. Kettering

"Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen." ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"Nobody succeeds beyond his or her wildest expectations unless he or she begins with some wild expectations." ~ Ralph Charell

"If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Seize the Moment!

“I remember one morning getting up at dawn, there was such a sense of possibility. You know that feeling? And I remember thinking to myself this is the beginning of happiness. This is where it starts and of course there will always be more. It never occurred to me it wasn’t the beginning. It was happiness. It was the moment. Right then.”

— The Hours
 
Relish every moment of your life.  Until next time...
 
Kristyn Z

You Are a Masterpiece!

"Today is a blank canvas upon which you can create a masterpiece" - Ralph  Marston

This simple little quote says so much doesn't it?  Join me in turning your life into a masterpiece.   It's simple.  You've got to start with liking yourself.  Everything God gave you fits together into a wonderful puzzle.  Never question the ultimate Artist again.  Once you stop looking at the pieces and see the whole picture, it all begins to make a lot of sense, doesn't it?  Some people travel the world and spend their entire lives searching for themselves.  Others take a simple moment and look within to find themselves never missing a single minute of living.  More thoughts from Ralph today...

"You won't solve all your problems today, but you can take care of one or two of them. You probably won't get all the way to your destination, but you can definitely make some progress.  Every day offers numerous opportunities to make progress. Make use of as many of them as you can.  Steady, persistent effort may not seem like it's having much effect at the time you're doing it. Keep going though, because over time those little steps forward can take you a long, long way.  Right now, there's a valuable difference you can make. Instead of just letting the next few moments pass by with nothing to show for them, choose to invest them wisely. \Move your world forward a little bit. No one else may even notice, but you will know, and you will benefit, and so will they. By fully appreciating and utilizing the smaller opportunities, you attract the bigger opportunities into your life. Use what you have, with persistence and faith, and you'll most surely get wherever you wish to go."  The Daily Motivator -- Ralph Marston        

 http://greatday.com/

Have a great weekend!  Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Bullies; A Real Problem in School

Whoever thought bullies were all talk and no action needs to view this National School Safety Center video, produced to help school administrators educate faculty, parents and students about the severity of the schoolyard bullying problem. The video is a docudrama "trigger film" designed to stimulate discussion and strategic planning among students, educators, parents and community leaders in the development of bully prevention plans. The message is clear: Bullying hurts everyone. The video tells the dramatic story of a bullying victim and how the problems adversely affects his life as well as the lives of the bully, other students, parents and educators.

Check out this video.  If you're a victim, TELL SOMEONE!

Until next time...

Kristyn Z

To Thine Own Self Be True

“Take chances if you can handle the repercussions. You want to be an individual; can you handle it? Because it’s lonesome. That means not running with the pack. The pack don’t want you when you’re an individual. Pack wants you to be the pack. The phrase, TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE, it’s real. But it’s hard.”    —    Whoopi Goldberg

My Babci (Dad's mom) and me... Don't forget to wish your mom and grandmom, Happy Mother's Day!

Until next time...  Kristyn  Z.

Above All Things, Believe in Yourself!

“When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.”  ---  Walt Disney

Until next time,
Kristyn Z

Do You Want to Know What Changed My Life?

It was about a year ago my mom and dad gave me a special present.  They signed me up for a Fashion Modeling Training Program at Barbizon Modeling School in Wilmington, Delaware.  At first I thought, "why me?"  I didn't exactly think I was modeling material with my braces, tomboy ways and shy nature BUT it was better than doing chores around the farm every other Saturday.

When we first met with Joan Bernard, the owner of Barbizon in Wilmington and Agency Modeling Director Whitney Camden, I wasn't too sure if they thought I was a lost cause or felt sorry for me.  But those two ladies and several others including my instructors especially Nicole Bosso, former Miss Delaware 2007 taught me a lot about myself.  I will NEVER forget the special gift they gave me of believing in myself!  This whole blog, my pageant career and everything that has happened since my first day at Barbizon are the result of some of the most special people I've ever met! 

My 10 week, 20 session program covered a lot of topics including; how to do my make-up, pick out outfits, shoes and accessories to match and wear in different situations, how to do my hair, walk on the high fashion runway, pose, take fashion photos, have confidence in myself, speak clearly and confidently and all about beauty pageants.  I liked the modeling portion of the program with Whitney and her assistants BUT let me tell you, when Nicole Bosso talked about her experience competing for Miss USA, I started remembering my little girl dreams of becoming Miss Universe!  Believe it or not I actually got to meet Miss Universe 1995  Chelsi Smith this past February!  I didn't believe it all could ever happen for me until I participated in the Barbizon Graduation Fashion Show and put together my first portfolio of fashion photos.  With my braces coming off and the results of working out, eating right and taking care of myself showing, I started to believe anything was possible.  So, when Nicole Bosso called and asked if I wanted to try to compete for Miss Delaware Teen USA last fall, I jumped at the chance.  Believe me, I would have never tried something like that a year before.

Thanks to Barbizon and Nicole, my first pageant experience went REALLY WELL.  I was the youngest TOP 5 Finisher out of 56 girls, got 4th Runner Up and was awarded Miss Photogenic.  The Miss Photogenic was definitely because of the things I learned at Barbizon and my TOP 5 finish could have never been possible without Nicole's lessons at Barbizon plus the poise and confidence I gained while in the modeling program.  You know the nice thing about Barbizon?  Once you "graduate" you're never really done.  You can go back just by calling and sit in on classes for free, join in on activities and even get modeling jobs through the Agency Modeling Director.  I've been able to do some of that too because of Joan Bernard and Whitney Camden.  This past January, I even participated in a Miss America Scholarship type talent versus traditional beauty pageant and was awarded the Miss Milford Outstanding Teen Title which allowed me to compete for Miss Delaware's Outstanding Teen Title.  I was selected People's Choice and got the Interview Award at that statewide pageant.  AND get this a year ago, I was too afraid and shy to talk in public much less perform a talent or dance on stage.

This past March I was named the 2010 Delaware's Miss Teen All American and will compete for the NATIONAL title of Miss Teen All American once held by Hollywood Star Halle Berry and TV Star and former Miss USA Shana Moakler.  Imagine that a year ago, I would have never thought of ever getting up on a stage much less pose in an evening gown, answer interview questions or pose in a swimsuit!  Well I've got a suggestion for all teenaged boys and girls that dream of acting, modeling or just want to get confidence, poise, make friends and have a lot of fun...  SIGN UP FOR A BARBIZON PROGRAM.  I thank my parents everyday for doing it for me.

Don't wait, just like the Barbizon website and ad says,  "YOU COULD BE OUR NEXT STAR!"

Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Sometimes Life gets Tough, Doesn't It?

“People who have only good experiences aren’t very interesting. They may be content, and happy after a fashion, but they aren’t very deep. It may seem a misfortune now, and it makes things difficult, but well—it’s easy to feel all the happy, simple stuff. Not that happiness is necessarily simple. But I don’t think you’re going to have a life like that, and I think you’ll be the better for it. The difficult thing is to not be overwhelmed by the bad patches. You must not let them defeat you. You must see them as a gift—a cruel gift, but a gift nonetheless.”  —   Peter Cameron

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain!”

Until next time...     Kristyn Z

Daydream Believer!

“Change your thoughts and change your world.”

— Norman Vincent Peale

The World You Desire Can be Won...

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplacable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it’s yours”
(Ayn Rand)

Sometimes you need to step outside, clear your head and remind yourself of who you are, and where you want be. And sometimes you have to venture outside your world in order to find yourself .

Never let your fire go out.  Join me in creating some new sparks for everyone to see YOU are in this world to win!  So let's CELEBRATE OUR BEAUTY together.  Leave me a comment if you enjoy my posts.  Tell us something about your journey in life.  We're all in this together.

Until next time... 

Kristyn Z

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

Take a Minute and Think about This Statement!

Couldn't pass up this opportunity...

Just saw this on the web and really liked what it said.  So many times kids my age, including me are too quick to criticize and talk about each other.  The results are lost friendships and hurt feelings sometimes causing irrepairable damage to people and their reputation.  Before you open your mouth and start talking about somebody else take a minute and think about this statement.

“When we look just a little deeper; by making a noble effort to understand people and truly listening to why they do the things they do, they never seem quite as weird. Actually, they begin to seem almost normal.”

Don't judge.  Listen and try to understand.  Until next time...

Kristyn Z.

Make a Wish!

Hi Guys!


Not feeling very creative tonight.   Chillin' with my girls, Kirsten, Alyssa and Sarah.  But my older sis, Katie posted a neat quote on her own blogsite that I want to share with you guys!  I'm lucky to have an older sister like Katie.  She takes the time out to listen to me when I need a friend.  I love being her little sis!




“Make a wish and place it in your heart. Anything you want, everything you want. Do you have it? Good. Now believe it can come true. You never know where the next miracle is going to come from. The next smile, the next wish come true. But if you believe that it’s right around the corner, and you open up your heart and mind to the possibility of it, to the certainty of it, you just might get the thing you’re wishing for. The world is full of magic. You just have to believe in it. So make your wish. Do you have it? Good. Now believe in it, with all of your heart.”

Until next time, love yourself and it'll be a lot easier to love everyone else.  Have a GREAT weekend!

Kristyn Z.

Here's to Good Thoughts this Weekend!

“A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
 (Ronald Dahl)

So, have good thoughts this weekend! Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Getting Back on Track

“Beauty isn’t from pretty face, but from pretty mind, pretty heart, and pretty soul."

(Yolanda Simamora)

Love yourself first and you'll be able to love everyone else thereafter!  Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Fun Times at the Red Carpet Inn with Chris Saltalamacchio and Designer Sherri Hill

My first day of spring break proved to be  wonderful!  My dad drove me and one of my BF's, Amy Fish to the Red Carpet Inn in Sewell, NJ for a Designer Trunk Show with world famous dress designer, Sherri Hill.  The show couldn't have come at a better time since I'm getting ready to compete in the time honored Teen All American Pageant whose title was once held by Hollywood actress Halle Berry and former Miss USA/TV star Shana Moakler.  The Teen All American Pageant is now run by the nationally acclaimed pageant director Fred Wright. I got to be a real life "Barbie" doll and try on Sherri's new line of prom and pageant gowns for 2010 thanks to local Delaware Pageant director and Red Carpet Inn dress and gown consultant, Chris Saltalamacchio.   Sherri's gowns have been worn by more Miss USA, Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss America winners and top 10 finshers than any other designer, today.

What could be better than be able to play dress up just like when you were a little girl?  Playing dress up in Designer Gowns with the actual designer, Sherri Hill giving you personal advice about what looks good on you!  Check out this picture with Sherri Hill and Chris helping me with one of her new designs...  I was thrilled just to meet her but to have her there in person made for one of the best days I've ever had recently.  I know one thing for sure, the next time I walk on a pageant stage it will be in one of Sherri Hill's wonderful gowns!  And you can be sure I'll be thinking  back to this special moment.  Thanks Sherri, Chris and the Red Carpet Inn in Sewell, New Jersey for a great "CELEBRATE YOUR BEAUTY" day!

Have a Happy Holiday and great spring break!  Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Have Faith in Yourself!

"The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings."
— Peter Pan in Kensington Garden, J.M. Barrie

Think 'bout it a bit and never let anyone tell you something is impossible in life.  Until next time...

Kristyn Z

Celebrate Your Beauty

"Sometimes people are beautiful.   Not in looks.  Not in what they say.  Just in what they are."

- I Am The Messenger, Markus Zusak

 
Meet my older brother, Olek Zarebicki

Until next time,

Kristyn Z

There's Always a New Day Dawning!

"There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere." -  Jane Austen

Isn't it a beautiful morning?  Just take a look around you and WOW everything is getting better and spring is definitely on its' way.  So, if things didn't go your way yesterday, don't worry because today is your NEW day to get it right!

Have a great one.  Until next time..

Kristyn Z

Life is for the Living!

So, what are you waiting for?  Get out there and do something!  Surfing the net is plenty of fun to kill a few minutes of otherwise wasted down time but getting together with a group of friends, going to the gym to workout or seeing some people and getting involved in a community activity is much much better.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”  —   Howard Thurman

Until next time, have a great time living!

Kristyn Z