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Here is a tidbit from her newsletter post the 2023 pageant -
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This week’s lesson: Say yes
When thinking back to some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had the pleasure of participating in, I think of things like intense and exciting buzzer-beater games, meeting someone special, or traveling and doing something new. A new place, a new experience.
Fifteen years ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to thousands of school children from across the country at the Lincoln Memorial, National Mall in Washington D.C. It wasn’t my first time visiting our nation’s capital but it certainly was different; never before had I been given a microphone on the steps of a memorial and asked to deliver an address. Afterward, I was flooded with questions, comments of “thank you for being here,” and hugs. It truly was an experience of a lifetime for a simple, Nebraska-raised young woman, who’d made her way to Colorado, and at the age of only 31 years, found herself with this opportunity.
An opportunity made possible because, at the time, I was the reigning Mrs. America.
Many times when people ask me about my pageant experience, they tend to lead with questions like, “what did you have to do for the competition?” or “why would you compete?” For the longest time, I felt the need to respond with a well-thought-out answer, focusing on the hours and dedication it takes to prepare for a competition (which it does) and my goal of getting back into shape as well as proving to myself I could do it (which I did). But a few years ago, I stopped providing those responses. Not because they weren’t true, but after reflection, they weren’t the most important things to emanate from the decision; the experience of competing and the experiences that followed were what made it special and impactful to my life.
And it was possible because I said yes.
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