I think it’s important to be self aware of both your strengths and your weaknesses. As a perfectionist, I push myself to do my best work in all areas, but I also tend to get in my own way sometimes. One of my favorite sayings is that I can do anything, but I can’t do everything. Many times, I take on more than I can handle and I feel stretched thin. However, I have learned to spend the most time and energy on my strengths.
Last Friday, I was honored to speak at my Flight Attendant Training graduation ceremony in front of my entire training class and the CEO of the company. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life, and what made it even better was that I had been nominated by my classmates to do the speech. My point is, I know that I can’t be good at everything.
If you’ve ever watched the Miss America competition, you probably know how nerve wracking the On Stage Question portion is. Maybe you’ve heard the statistic that Americans are more afraid of public speaking than of death. Combine that with the high likelihood of being asked a political or controversial question on stage in front of a packed theatre and a panel of judges, and you’ll probably wonder why the On Stage Question is my favorite area of competition. It all comes down to the biggest life skills I have learned from competing in pageants: public speaking, sharing my opinions, and exuding confidence. What once would have scared me has now given me the confidence to take on as many speaking opportunities as possible. My challenge to you is to know your strengths, and don’t be afraid to share them with the world!