Lucky vs. Blessed

Lately I've been thinking a lot about blessings.  

Often times, I think to myself "Oh, she's so lucky" or "I wish I could travel, they're so lucky to be so carefree."  But then I realize, they are not lucky, they are blessed.  Just changing my mental vocabulary has helped me to see life in an entirely different way.  As I am telling myself that others are being blessed rather than have "luck", my thought process changes and the bitterness or jealousy melts away.

I think it's something about remembering that we all have our challenges, and that I need to allow God to bless others however he pleases.  It also is a constant reminder to me that I am also extremely blessed.

I really have so much to be grateful for this year:

That being said, whether you believe in God or not, I think we can all try a little harder to remember the things that we are given, especially this time of year.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Life Update & A Promise.

Hi Everyone!

Wow, I'm really bad at this whole blogging thing, huh?  I don't really have an excuse other than I honestly have been completely, totally, and horribly exhausted since Miss Utah.  Seriously, I almost feel like I need to visit a doctor to make sure I'm okay, but I've decide to jump back on the wagon and blog the way I love!

Miss Utah was quite the adventure, I would still like to explain this live over video, so give me just a few more days and I'll try to manage a story for you.  I didn't win, but I sure had a great time.  I made amazing friends, learned that I'm stronger than I thought, and I did make it into the top 10 and earned myself the instrumentalist award.

(Those are the exact same awards I got last year, at least I know I'm consistently adequate!) 

Like I said, I will go into more detail later.

In the meantime, here are a few photos from my summer so far:

As for my promise, I PROMISE to be more consistent with my blogging from now on.

  

Talk to you soon!!

M.I.A.

I'm so sorry I've been Missing in Action this whole last month.  I'm going to be gone for a few more weeks until Miss Utah is over... I'm so excited!

MISS UTAH OR BUST!!

on a side note, please check out & share my website: http://bullyfreeut.org

Miss Utah Preparations!

Hello everyone! Sorry I've been M.I.A. the last two weeks, I have been working hard getting ready for the Miss Utah Spring Workshop (a.k.a. the deadline for ALL paperwork.... ahhhh).


I've put together a resume, a platform statement, and also have been working on my service projects. Want to see what I've been working on?

Visit http://bullyfreeut.org and take a look around! There is a link to my survey there on the right hand side, and also up top. Please take a minute to fill it out, it really will help my cause & will contribute to the site. I only have one parent survey so far, so please share with family and friends (or you could BLOG about it..!!) I need your help!

I've also been working on putting together a carnival to raise awareness for my bullying platform, and also raise money for Children's Miracle Network.

If you would like to make a donation, please click here and help me raise funds for this worthy cause! Each contestant is required to raise $250 in order to compete, but I have set the bar a little higher because I really believe in this organization and 100% of the money raised goes to Children's Miracle Network.

I probably will be posting a lot more about my Miss Utah preparations as time goes on, so keep an eye out! You can also check out our headshots here.

Here's My Competition Schedule:

Rebecca Johnson, Miss Nebo #41
Group: Sigma

Wednesday: Swimsuit
Thursday: Evening Wear & On-Stage Question
Friday: Talent
Saturday: Announcement of Top 10 & Crowning of the new Miss Utah

Ticket packages for the whole week go on sale April 9th!

Things are Getting Personal Up in Here! (Why I'm Going back for Round 2)

I had a fellow blogger ask me what I am doing differently this year as I run from Miss Utah, and also why I am competing for a second year.

Well, to answer that question, we're going to have to delve into my past a bit that I was wanting to keep off of this blog, but it's who I am & what drives me now. Therefore, I'm gonna go there.

A month after I won Miss Spanish Fork in March 2010, things started to get a little crazy. My boyfriend at the time was having some real life changing experiences, which changed my life as well. We were pretty serious, and he took priority over everything in my life. He was more important than my family, work, school, & my pageants because I loved him so much!

To me, it wasn't a big deal back then, I was happy with him & everything was going alright. I did realize there was a problem, and that I was wasting away my opportunities, but I'm a loyal person, so what he was going through was most important. These experiences he and I went through together were more than life changing, it was more like earth shattering & heartbreaking.

In May of 2011, we broke up. Just one month before the Miss Utah Pageant.

So, I kept busy. I got to work. I spent that month with people who inspired & motivated me, and was selfish. I focused solely on myself & ended up placing in the top 10 & winning the instrumentalist award at Miss Utah with that month of preparation. I was proud, but knew I didn't put in all the work I could have. I had let people down during my year of service: My director, my city, and my attendants, and for that reason I'm back.

I'm ready to work my bum off and do my best in competition. I would regret it if I didn't compete again, and I want everyone to know that I truly appreciate what you have done for me. I have so much support all the way around from family & friends.

So, what am I doing differently this year? I'm working hard. I'm focusing on my anti-bullying campaign and becoming the best person I can be. I am a better person today because of the experiences I have had through the pageants, and it has instilled confidence in me that I didn't have before. Competing within the Miss America Organization has taught me how to be a strong, independent woman, and how to contribute to society.

I think about the pageant every day, it is something I will do my best at, and as long as I walk away feeling that I did the very best I could have done, I will be okay with that. I may not even be what they're looking for this year, but I'm going to be true to myself and be happy with whatever the outcome. 'Cause I feel good!

Photo Credit: Chad Braithwaite, Faces Photography

Cake, Birthdays, and a Countdown.

What am I doing tonight?

Oh, you know, just eating some cake.

But only a little bit. . .

Okay, maybe I'm eating a lot of cake. At 11 PM. BUT I have a great excuse.

In fact, I have a few good excuses.

Ahem.

#1. It is my mother's birthday today. (Happy Birthday Momma!)

#2. It is double fudge, my favorite flavor.

#3. I didn't have time to eat dinner because I was rushing to the mall to get my mom her birthday present.

#4. I just came to the realization that Miss Utah is in 3 Months & 11 days.

You may be saying to yourself "I understand reasons 1, 2, & 3... but what does Miss Utah have to do with anything?"

Well, I'm competing in the Miss Utah Scholarship Pageant on June 11th-16th. & I am excited, might I add. So, I am having one last celebratory late night snack, and then working it all off at the gym tomorrow night.

Yes, getting into shape is a huge part of my preparations for this competition, along with working on my service platform (more on that later), practicing hours and hours of piano, keeping up on politics & news (CNN sends me updates on my phone all day), and then of course the really fun stuff: wardrobe. We pageant girls really do keep busy.

You will probably be hearing way more about all of my preparations as the time is counting down to the competition, but for now, what's really important is that I again say:

Happy Birthday to the BEST,

most HARDWORKING

and GENEROUS mother

EVER.

I lubba you.