What a magical day!! The second Confidently You Conference was such a success and a blessing! The day was close to perfect, but it certainly didn’t come without some interesting predicaments. While my dad and I were setting up one of the rooms, a cute couple walked in and asked if this was the room where the child-birthing class was taking place. Ummmm…I don’t think so. I frantically went searching for a supervisor to clear up this misunderstanding, but had no luck. At this point we had close to 20 expecting mothers waiting impatiently for their class…and they were not too happy about this. I finally found someone who looked official and the class got moved to the cafeteria area. Crisis averted! (whew!)
As the girls showed up one by one, I spent some time talking to them, taking pictures, and mingling with their parents. After a short introduction, I broke the girls up into two groups. The first group went to the “Fabulously Fit” workshop with Elaina James, a trainer at our local Wellness Center. Elaina talked to the girls about the importance of healthy eating and lifestyles. The group also discussed the misconceptions girls face about their bodies. My main goal for this workshop was to show the young ladies that there is no perfect size, weight, or body type. Every girl is different and unique, which is a good thing!! As a woman, I know how hard it is not to compare yourself to someone else or wish that you looked a certain way. It takes extreme effort to accept ourselves and our bodies just the way they are and to be not only content, but HAPPY with the way that God made us. I want these young ladies to see the unique beauty that they possess and strive to be their best self!
Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of someone else.” Well put, Judy.
The second group went to the “Accentuate the Positive” workshop which was hosted by the beautiful, sweet, and adorable Christina Bostick, Miss Mississippi’s Outstanding Teen. Christina was a perfect choice for this workshop because I want the young ladies who attended to be introduced to other positive female role models in their community. When I was their age, I was constantly searching for someone that I could admire and aspire to be like. In today’s world it is very hard to find a young lady who can fit this role, but Christina Bostick is the real deal! Not only is she stunningly beautiful, but she has a heart of gold. I’m so glad that she could be a part of this day and I’m so glad to call her my friend! Christina talked to the girls about having a positive perception of ourselves and searching for the things that make us the most proud. It is so easy to see the negative in others and ourselves, but if we instead look for the positive we can change our entire outlook on the world. We asked the girls to turn to their neighbors and give them a compliment. Then we asked each girl to think of something positive about themselves, whether it was that they had a pretty smile or a good sense of humor, and write it on a sash. The girls decorated their sashes with rhinestones and I asked that they put their sash up somewhere that they would see it every day and be reminded of what makes them special. I made a sash too, it reads “Miss Big Smile” J
After the girls went to both workshops, we had a snack and then I presented my Confidently You message in closing. As I was singing “Anyway” at the end, I couldn’t keep myself together. I started crying and couldn’t finish the song. I get so overwhelmed with emotion sometimes by sharing my message with these beautiful girls. I believe so strongly in what I’m doing and in the potential of every girl that I come in contact with. I am so unbelievably passionate about this cause, and I know this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life. To be able to help girls find their full potential and believe in themselves would be a dream come true for me. I can’t thank everyone who helped make this day possible enough! My Kappa Delta friends, Christina, Elaina, Kathy Emmons, and most importantly my parents deserve so much recognition for the success of this project and I could not have done it without them.
In honor of Oprah’s last episode, it only makes sense to share some of her wisdom with all of you.
“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” -Oprah Winfrey
