The Reign of Neglect: The Shocking Details Revealed!

This is a question I get asked more than you'd think.

A girl will come up to me from time to time, or slide into my messages, and ask, "She won, Why isn't she doing anything with her title?" And honestly? I can't

answer that for her. I'm not inside anyone else's head. Some girls just want the crown and the pictures, I guess.

But it got me thinking, and I want to talk about it, because this matters SO much more than people realize.

Not All Pageants Are the Same (Seriously!)

Before you fill out a single application, you need to know what kind of pageant you're signing up for. They are not all built the same way. Some pageants don't ask for much of anything after you're crowned. You win, you get your sash, you take your photos, and that's pretty much it. And hey, that's fine! If that's what you want, go for it.

Other pageants are a whole different world. They're built around community service and visibility. That means appearances. Events. Volunteering. Showing up in your community, sometimes several times a month. The title isn't a decoration, it is an inspiration.

Neither one is wrong. But you need to know which one you're walking into.

Here's Where It Gets Tricky

If you enter a community service pageant, one that expects you to be out there and visible all year, and then you win and... nothing happens? That's a problem.

Because here's the thing nobody likes to say out loud: when you win, someone else doesn't.

There was another girl on that stage who wanted it just as badly. Maybe she had a platform she'd been dreaming about for years. Maybe she was ready to visit schools, show up at charity events, and inspire a whole bunch of people. Maybe she would've changed someone's life that year.

And she went home without the crown.

So if you take that title and let it sit in a box, you didn't just skip some events. You took a spot that could've made a real difference for a lot of people. That's heavy, I know. But it's true.

Ask the Questions BEFORE You Compete

I promise this isn't me trying to scare anyone off. I love when girls compete! I just want you to go in with your eyes wide open. Before you enter, ask:

• What's expected of the titleholder after crowning? Get specifics. How many appearances? Monthly? Yearly?

• Is this a community service pageant? If yes, are you genuinely excited about that part?

• Do I actually have the time? Think about school, work, family, everything already on your plate.

• What do I want to DO with this title? Not just win it. Do with it.

If your answers get you pumped up, amazing! That's your pageant. If they make you want to hide under a blanket, that's okay too. It just means that pageant might not be the right fit right now, and that's a totally smart call to make.

A Title Is a Platform, Not a Trophy

I've been doing this a long time, and the girls I remember most aren't always the ones with the prettiest gowns or the best walk. They're the ones who took their title and ran with it. The ones who showed up. The ones little girls still talk about years later.

That's what a title can be. A microphone. A reason for people to listen when you speak about something that matters. Your voice matters.

So when someone asks, "What has she done with her title?" I want the answer to be: a LOT.

Worlds Miss Tourism is a Community Service type pageant with 2 appearances per month. National Miss Tourism held the same time, does not require anything of the National Winner, Although, we welcome them to participate, make appearances and invest in themselves all year.

It is proven those who are involved have higher self esteem, inspire those around them and actually make a difference.

Let's make that you. 💛

— Teri