Empowerment ALERT!

My favorite book EVER in the world is How My Private Personal Journal Became a Bestseller by Julia DeVillers. Every time I read it, I get more inspired. It's midnight, so I'm just going to sum the book up by typing the summary written on the inside cover:

If fame and fortune found you, would you remember your forever friends? What would happen to the real you? Jamie is depressingly ordinary- until part of her private journal is read out loud in class and sent to a publisher. Suddenly, Jamie's journal is a sensation. And Jamie is a bestselling author! Almost overnight, she is caught in a swirl of photo ops and celeb events. And the hottest guy in school finally knows her name! (Yes! Marco Vega! His jet-black hair. His chocolate-brown eyes. He is so...so...hot. AND a poet. Such depth! Such passion!) Could it get any better than this? In Julia DeVillers' hip and hilarious debut novel, Jamie discovers that entering the glam world of pop stardom changes everything-but what really matters in life stays the same.

I've read this book about 18 times, and I will continue to read it over and over and over again. This book tells you that no matter what anyone says, you shouldn't let it get to you.
I literally just finished reading it for the 18th time, and I finally made the connection to pageantry. This year, a girl who has won this pageant twice before is competing in my age division. Don't get me wrong. She's a perfectly nice girl. There's just something about her that makes me feel threatened. I have the right to feel threatened, though, don't I? I mean, she's won this pageant TWICE! Well, now I know what my mindset is going to be. I'm not going to worry about if her dress is pretty, or if her intro is clever or if she brings one more bear than I do. I'm going to go into that pageant thinking: I have a very pretty dress, I have a very clever intro, I am very prepared for interview, and I brought 10 bears. I'm going to make so many friends with other girls who have pretty dresses and clever intros, prepared for interview and brought 10 books, but I know they can't do my best. Only I can do my best. And my best is just going to have to be my best. Whatever happens, I had a pretty dress, a clever intro, I rocked that interview, and my 10 bears are going to cheer 10 children somewhere up. Plus, who could forget that confidence and poise they gave me, no sponsors needed?! Either way, I'm going to rock that stage. And no one is going to stop me.
-Marivi: girl with pretty dress, etc. :)