LOOKING back on my teenage years, I realized that it was my mother who taught me to maintain a beauty ritual.
She would always remind me to look beautiful and to smell good all the time.
She trained me to always look presentable when I go out.
She insisted that I will never know whom I will bump into when I am out and that first impressions last – without the first, there won’t be a second or a third impression at all!
When you feel good about yourself, you view and acknowledge how beautiful life is. As what the English preacher Leslie said, “Keep a place in life for beauty.” Beauty feeds our soul just like how food nourishes our body. And just like with life, our body also needs a fresh start once in a while. That light-headedness feeling is a luxury nowadays, especially with the busy lifestyle here in the US.
My good friends Russell Rufino (producer of Ms. Beauty of the Philippines – USA) and brilliant photographer Hydee Abrahan invited fellow columnist and mentor Tita Prosy dela Cruz and I to the press conference of the pageant two weeks ago. I was surrounded by candidates who were not only beautiful, but are also bright in answering media questions.
While listening, as my media colleagues took turns asking questions, something struck me from within. I realized that moment that w—ladies and gents—were honoring the feminine way. The feminine way is the way of the heart and it is unfolding and blooming right in front of our eyes.
I was impressed, not only by how self-confident the candidates were, but also by how my friends, Russell and Hydee honored their “feminine” nature — being strong and flexible.
Here’s a bit of my unsolicited advice for the candidates:
-Visualize yourself as someone who is strong and powerful yet yielding and adaptable.
-Honor and respect your femininity.
-While others may think otherwise, empower yourselves with all the praises coming your way through this pageant.
-Give yourselves little gold stars for all the accomplishments you’ve earned – both inner and outer.
-Without going overboard, congratulate yourselves for achieving a winning attitude.
The night of beauty and glamour will be at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on July 23. The first annual pageant will feature Apl De Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, DJ Mia of America’s Best Dance Crew, Giselle Tongi and top community leaders, artists and industry tastemakers. Proceeds will be donated to Pusong Pinoy, a non-profit organization that provides learning by donating books to indigent Filipino children. For more information, please contact Russell Rufino at (310)591-8021 or email him at [email protected].
So who will win the Miss Beauty of the Philippines-USA title and move on to represent the Filipino-American community in the Miss World Philippines? Stay tuned.
***
Elgin Zulueta is the Business Development Director for the International Academy of Film and Television / Bigfoot Entertainment. She finds simple pleasures in the daily grind and turns them into interesting topics for her column. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on twitter @elginz.
