I have competed in pageants as a baby, a teen, and, more recently, as a young adult. The handful of pageants that I have completed in has taught me valuable life lessons.

1. Beauty only gets you so far.

Women are judged on beauty, but that's only part of the actual score. To be a promising contestant, you need to volunteer, be passionate about your platform, wow the judges with a talent, and be educated and communicate well.

2. Health

Fitness and a healthy diet are very important. It's nice to look good on stage, but it's even better to look good for more than a judge's opinion and to feel good.

3. Self-pressure is your worst enemy.

You are your worst enemy. You doubt yourself. You push yourself to do the absolute best that you can do. You compare yourself to others. Once you beat this, you will be that much more confident.

4. Failure

You won't win every title that you compete for and very rarely does a pageant newcomer run win their first competition. You will learn to look for the good in the bad and that even if you lose, you tried the best you could and gave it your all. You will lose like winner.