5 reasons yoga made me a better person.

This year has been a plot twist of its own, if you couldn't have guessed. However, i am almost completely finished with therapy! I cannot believe I am saying this, but it is a bittersweet feeling. I have grown to love my therapists who wish me nothing but the best and share in my highs and lows weekly. Not being able to fully return to dance class yet, I have become quite the yogi while looking for activity that will help me regain strength and flexibility. 

What most don't realize, is that with awesome abs and a zen mindset come a few life lessons too. I can explain 5 of my favorites below:

1. it's not a competition

Admittedly, this has been difficult for me. I have always wanted to be the best at anything and everything I do. Yoga is about doing your practice for you. Not  comparing it to anyone else's. Similarly, in life, you cannot compare your journey to anyone else's. It's the root to all failure. I have learned to focus on myself and do what feels right and benefits my body most. (Although when the ballerina from Tulsa Ballet came to class Sunday I ultimately decided my leg could go a little higher and I could hold my poses a little longer... oops!)

2. patience

As silly as it sounds, holding highly uncomfortable poses for lengthy periods of time is the best way I have ever instilled patience and self discipline in myself. The feeling of relaxing into Child's Pose after a long time in Extended Side Angle is only so sweet if you garner patience and persistence. As in life, the saying is true, "Good things come to those who wait."

3. the early bird gets the worm

Remember when your teacher used to say, "early is on time, and on time is late." Well when it comes to getting a space at Saturday morning hot yoga, teachers knew best. Valuable for more than just yoga, being prompt never hurt anyone. If you tend to be late, maybe you need something to motivate you. Getting a good spot where I can see the teacher/ yet hide from him at the same time is enough motivation for me:)

4. clear your mind of anything outside of your practice.

We run continually with a mental to do list in our minds. It can be both helpful and toxic. Spending so much time in yoga has helped me realize that I deserve time to devote to refreshing my mind and body. We move so fast, and multitask so often that we lack time spent to benefit our health. Oddly enough, health is the one thing we shouldn't be compromising.

5. breathe

I promise. This is one you won't regret. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Life becomes so much easier when you just breathe. I have struggled so much with fear that my life won't turn out as I planned. Well I can promise I never planned what has happened my senior year. However, I have learned the valuable lesson to just breathe. And just be. Everything is taken care of. Just work hard, be kind to others, and the rest will take care of itself. Plus, when you breathe.. You enjoy life more. 

Namesté,

Heather 

 

What I Did Wrong in Pageants

42 days. 

If you know what happens in 42 days you are a pageant fanatic, as am I. If you do not, I'll let you know. 

In 42 days the most magical week of the year begins: Miss Oklahoma Week. 

Regardless of what your history, knowledge, or experience with Miss Oklahoma week is, this blog post will be valuable. It's a huge lesson I learned this year in preparation and throughout my journey, and I know it will change the way I compete in June. 

Every year on May 31st 45+ women arrive tanned, prepped, and sparkling with that twinkle in their eye that maybe, just maybe, they could leave this week as Miss Oklahoma. It is exciting, breathtaking really, to experience the rush you feel constantly throughout the week. And each Saturday night at the end of the competition I searched for my parents and let them know I was ready for next year. Nothing in the world has compared to Miss Oklahoma Week for me since I was eight years old. 

At the age of thirteen I began competing as a teen, and I truly credit pageantry for shaping me into the woman I am today. Some life experiences though, can never prepare you for a few things that you experience and feel during Miss Oklahoma week.

 Things such as: constant comparison to the gorgeous 5'7 blonde with bright blue eyes and a stick thin figure. Or maybe it's self doubt, "Was I enough?" "Did they really like me?" "Were those 'fluff' questions in my interview?"

No. 

Yes. You are always enough. YES. I promise they liked you, stop worrying. No. Those weren't fluff questions, they seemed easy to you (mostly) because of the hours you put into studying the Syrian war or what animal you would be if you had to choose. (PS: why is that a question? It'll never happen!! )

If you have followed my blog throughout this journey I have been faced with this year you have probably seen me grow in a way I cannot even begin to describe. I know because of a torn ACL, I am a new person. I gained one giant thing: perspective. The perspective that says, "Don't you dare stand in front of me and mark your turns and leaps while I am practically being strapped to a chair to keep myself from wanting to dance." The perspective that says, "Your body needs time to heal. Stand up for your body, and do PT exercises at home 2 more times than you're told." And most importantly, the perspective that says, "Do not compare yourself. NO ONE but you is on this journey." 

This changed my life in multiple ways. Comparison is an issue in society today. I think every 13 year old girl is hoping she is as gorgeous as so-and-so. Not only that, but as a dancer I spent on average 5 hours a day standing in front of a mirror, wishing my legs were longer and hating adagio for the entire 4 minutes my 5' stature had to be compared to a 5'8 one. Well you can bet that will never happen again. From here on out I'll just be thankful I can dance. 

What I have found though to be my largest gain in my newfound lack of comparison, is in pageantry. Discovering I am my own person, with a journey designed specifically for me and only me was game changing. This year I have felt little to no need to wonder who looks better in their swimsuit than I do. Actually,  when I step onstage in my suit Wednesday night I'll be proud of the proof I can put on stage that I am fully recovered and healthy. I've realized that who has more experience than me, may be wiser, but everyone has to start somewhere. I couldn't be more excited. Last weekend was contestants day, and I felt a lot of support and encouragement. I truly didn't compare myself to the other singers. How could I? 7 months ago I was choosing my music for my "ballet en pointe" performance at Miss Oklahoma. I know a lot of people have told me, "I know you'd rather be dancing." At this moment though, I would say no. I wouldn't, not this year. I'm proud of what I have done. And it's taught me that the comparison I have felt before, was the death of my success. Knowing that now, it would be suicide to allow myself to do that again. 

I hope that you share this with any friend, woman, dancer, or pageant girl you know. Don't compare yourself people! Your journey is unique, and specific to the purpose designed to you. It would be a disservice to yourself to allow yourself to be anything besides what you are meant to be. Never second guess that. Never compare. It'll change your life. 

It changed mine.

xoxo,

Heather

A Compilation of my Life in the Last Week

Wow.
They tell you all the time how quickly life moves, but its hard to believe how fast second semester of your senior year goes. This is my excuse for not writing sooner about some landmarks in my journey.

First, let me begin by saying Contestants Day was a success. I felt nerves, which I knew I would feel. Honestly, it was kind of fun though. As a dancer, I have been on the stage since the age of three and so performing is more of a treat than a challege for me. However, the pressure of hearing everyone repeatedly say, "We can't wait to hear you sing!" was building inside of me like a bottle of pop ready to have a mento dropped inside. When it came my turn to perform my talent, it felt awesome to get to take control of the audience is such a different way. Let's just say another milestone down. I'm ready for Miss Oklahoma!

This Tuesday, I found out more exciting news. I get to dance again!!!! Slowly of course... But I am finally back to where I have wanted to be. The timing for this news was impeccable considering I was given my fall schedule for 2014 at OCU Monday! Honestly, this journey is far from it's conclusion and it's taken a team to get me here. Now, it's just up to me to be diligent, safe, and spend as much time in the studio as possible. Which will be easy considering the love and separation anxiety I already feel for the sweet kids I've gotten to pour into over the last year.

Next, I have been spending some time with a 5th grade class talking about Healthy Choices Healthy Me. First they took a test and learned about some common misconceptions about healthy choices. We noted that Oklahoma is the 10th most obese state in the country!! After discussing some things we could do better to improve our lifestyles, we headed to the iPads to make our own iMovies promoting healthy choices! In the next few posts I'll be sharing the videos in my blogs! Enjoy the hard work of these kiddos!!! 

xoxo,

Heather

Building Bonds and Breaking Stereotypes

I have been thinking over this post and what it would include since I left the campgrounds this morning. In case you are unfamiliar with my weekend, I spent the last 3 days camping alongside 29 of my favorite women in Oklahoma: my pageant sisters. 

I would be lying if I said I didn't think this weekend would be a "made for TV, "glam"ping, high maintenance, pageant girl" kind of weekend. Apparently so did all my friends, considering their reaction to my weekend plans was "YOU are going camping?" However, I was certainly (pleasantly) surprised to find out how much me and most of the other girls thoroughly enjoyed ourselves makeup, stress, and competition free. 

I should back up and let you know why we were camping. In fact, we were on an adventurous journey.  In order to complete the bronze or silver (I was completing silver) medal for the Duke of Edinburgh award, you're final challenge is to complete an adventurous journey. Although, we had countless adventures this weekend, we did something I think was way more important than just earn a medal; we broke a steryotype.

Because I have grown up in the Miss Oklahoma Organization, from the young age of eight, I have always felt heart broken and confused when "pageant girls" are described as "snotty, dumb, materialistic, out of touch with reality, high-maintenance, etc." I learned from a very young age the hard work, intelligence, leadership, and poise every woman who competes for Miss Oklahoma obtains. As I began competing, I learned people sometimes mistook me for "having it all." I will say, I am a very fortunate individual, who is blessed with more than enough. However, all of my success came from a lot of hard work and sacrifices I decided to make on my own. Becoming  relatable to my community, friends, and peers became my goal. Eventually I saw some of my closest friends realize the importance of an organization like Miss America. I wanted people who didn't know me to see the reason I compete. Not for a shiny crown, but for a position as an ambassador for my state, to gain scholarship, and to achieve personal goals I never dreamed of before competing in pageants.

Still, with the help of some pitiful YouTube examples of onstage question, and TV shows like "Honey Boo Boo" and "Todlers and Tiaras," the stereotype exists that we are nothing more than bimbos obsessed with vanity and pageantry. 

This weekend, 30 young women spent 2 nights with no makeup, no running water, and no electricity. We cooked our own meals, pitched our own tents, and let our phone batteries exhaust so that we could spend a weekend getting to know each other on a personal level. Not as competitors, but as friends. It was incredibly refreshing to spend time with people who give to their community, strive for personal excellence, and believe in empowering women to reach their full potential. 

On Saturday we were invited to Jacob's Ladder where we got to take part in an awesome ropes course! We were joined by a former MOOT's mother, who instructed us along with two men who didn't know a thing about pageants. Both admitted that they had stereotyped us into being prissy girls who didn't seem interested in doing a ropes course or climbing rock walls before they had even met us. After spending about 5 hours with them, and getting a little dirty as well as very sunburnt, they were able to see the real women we were. It was so neat to hear them say that we broke the stereotype for them. 

I had a great time this weekend. And I am so happy I got to spend my first camping experience with all my best friends and sisters. I am now thoroughly excited about Miss Oklahoma week. And I'm challenging you to become more familiar with a girl before you just call her a pretty face. There is a lot behind the big hair and makeup, like an even bigger heart and a call to empower others. 

xoxo,

Heather