This is the entry recently published in the Mental Management Newsletter:
I used to like to think of myself as the ugly duckling. Growing up, I was awkward and bashful. I had very little confidence in my appearance as well as my abilities. If you would have told me ten years ago that someday I would be competing for the title of Miss Texas, I probably would have blushed, then turned and hid behind the protection of one of my parents. Pageants for me back then signified and glorified beauty and talent, assets I believed I did not possessed.
As time has passed, I have come into my own and found faith in myself. I can only attribute that growth to the cultivation from loved ones, who have supported and encouraged me throughout my journey, and to the people who gave me the tools I needed to see all that I was truly capable of. This is where Mental Management comes into play. Upon receiving the title of Miss Plano, I gained the opportunity to go through a Mental Management course as well as receive one-on-one training with Heather Sumlin, who provided not only insight into the pageant world, but also thought provoking questions that challenged the way I thought. Not only did it challenge me, but in a way it changed me. I have learned to stop trying to compare myself to others, to focus on the prowess of my own capabilities, to acknowledge when I don’t do my best, but focus my energy on how to fix it ,and to concentrate and praise myself on my strengths.
The mind is a powerful tool and a key component to success. I know that come July, I will be as prepared as I can be for competition, both physically and mentally. I am excited to be interning with Mental Management and to be able to continually learn and to see how it is impacting others throughout the country, helping them reach their personal and professional goals through products and services. I am a Marketing major with a focus on International Business and will be receiving a Communication minor from Texas A&M University. I would love to find a position in sales upon my graduation in December that will allow me to either travel with a pharmaceutical company or to work with a real estate firm. You may not think either of these positions would correlate to my duties here at Mental Management, however, I know that no matter where my career may take me, my experiences in the office of Mental Management, in addition to the mental training they have provided, will stay with me, allowing me to achieve the success I once thought was never meant for me.
- Kelsey Suggs, Miss Plano 2009, and Mental Management Intern