I Can't...

  Combing the crowd through thousands of children looking for my sons best friend, at my side a young girl was tugging at my sash looking up with bright eyes. She quietly muttered "can I take a picture with you please?". As we stood side by side grins ears to ear I knelt down after taking the picture to ask her a few questions. Her name, what her favorite color was, what her favorite things to do were. She replied with a shy grin to each question clasping her hands together swaying side to side. As I was about to stand back up, she muttered "I wish I could be a princess".  Kneeling once again, I looked right into her eyes and reminded her she was already a princess and she did not need a crown and sash to make her special. She said "Well, I CAN'T  have one anyways because I play sports". HOLD UP!  There is not a more perfect statement a young lady could make to me. My hand rested on her shoulder as my eyes looked right into her eyes and I told her "You can do ANYTHING you want in life. I play sports, and in fact I love sports because they help me stay healthy for my family. Anything is possible". Her shyness immediately went away as her eyes lit up and she exclaimed "REALLY?!". As our conversation came to a close, the pep in her step as she skipped away with joy filled my heart with happiness knowing a little girl just believed in herself.

Some of the young ladies I was able to meet at the race

My son with some of his friends before they ran

   As screaming kids swarmed around us, darting through the lawn of Nebraska's state capital with race heats about to start it was a genuine moment, and the kind of opportunities I look forward to interacting with our future generations. There were a lot of young ladies I was fortunate enough to talk to, but this particular young lady has been on my mind and this blog post has been simmering in my mind since the moment her and I finished speaking.

There have been so many moments in my life when someone took the time to look in to my eyes and let me know they believe in me and anything is possible. There have also been moments when people told me it was not possible and I could never do it. I've been teased and picked on and more times than I can count was told "It's impossible".

Scrawny Me "carrying" the groceries. Sometimes I feel like a caterpillar that became a butterfly!

  The ability to believe in yourself is not one to be underestimated. We were all made by purpose for a purpose. One of my favorite bible quotes is Ephesians 2:10. Once we not only accept, but celebrate how we were made and live on mission...literally anything is possible. As someone from a low income background as the first college graduate through generations, who started her career picking up litter, vacuuming suites, setting up tables and other odd jobs in to designing and managing multi-million dollar athletic construction projects along with designing custom furniture, outfitting the building and doing our integrated branding....through hard work, commitment, grace and belief it was made possible. Were there nay sayers, you bet. But I knew what I was made to do an put 500% in to it. Waiting for your "dream" job? Go get it, you can do it! Trying to meet a weight loss goal to live a healthier life style but in your mind is "I CAN'T"...YES, you CAN. It takes work. It takes sacrifice and determination and a positive mindset that YOU CAN. It just takes on step and just as that little girl took steps of courage to talk to me and share an insecurity, yet walked away a confident child, you can own that same confidence. Best thing is...confidence is free because it is already in you...just let it shine!

 

  One of my absolute FAVORITE things about the International Pageant System is EVERY woman is celebrated Just.As.She.Is.No one has ever tried to change me from the core of who I am or what drives me to strive for global change. I never look at another contestant as a competitor, but family and a encouraging voice. It is wonderful to walk alongside all of the ladies involved past and present as we all are encouraging future generations as a titleholder with our crown and sash each outreach opportunity we have.

 Believe in YOU and never let tell anyone tell you otherwise. I don't, and I know you can too!

Achieve the impossible!

Warmly,

Maggi Thorne

Your Mrs. Great Plains International 2014

Two friendly reminders:

(1) If you have any used shoes, you have until May 17th to donate! Find out how at www.GreatestShoeLNK.org 

(2) Online voting at Mrs. International continues! Half of the proceeds go to the Go Red for Women program through the American Heart Association. You can vote here! http://www.mrsinternational.com/voting.php?id=736