Mrs. USA 2023: The Final Chapter
As we wrap up the year, I feel it is finally time to share my incredible experience as International Mrs. USA 2023. As I reflect on this journey as a pageantry titleholder, I am overwhelmed with emotions. It has truly been an amazing ride, filled with many highs and lows, as well as moments of self-reflection and personal development. Of all the accomplishments in my life, my time as Mrs. USA has been one of the most rewarding. I believe I was able to achieve my goals of advocacy, philanthropy, and my ultimate mission of sharing the #GirlYes initiative on a global scale.
One of the challenges I faced when sharing my experiences was trying to encapsulate an entire year of work into a single blog post. Many aspects of my life have been positively impacted by this year of service. And as much as I aimed to leave my mark on the world, my time as Mrs. USA has forever transformed my life.
As I mentioned before, my main goal this year was to promote the #GirlYes message and to highlight how learning its principles can boost confidence and self-esteem. More importantly, I wanted to provide the tools needed to implement these skills in everyday life, all while continuing my advocacy and partnerships within the community. However, this post isn’t just about my accomplishments over the past year. Instead, I want to focus on how being a titleholder and community advocate has changed my perception of leadership, influence, and pageantry.
Leadership Comes in Many Forms
I’m no stranger to leadership. Throughout my career, I’ve held supervisory roles, and as a small business owner, I wear many leadership hats daily. It’s safe to say that I brought years of experience into my pageantry journey, but I also learned new strategies for effective leadership.
We often think of pageantry as an opportunity to stand out on a solo platform. However, in order to succeed as a titleholder, you need a strong team behind you. Your team is your support system, ensuring you can shine in the spotlight with your crown and sash. One of the most important skills for a leader is delegation. You must know when to delegate tasks to push your goals forward. Leadership also requires trust between you and your team. My success this year is not due to my efforts alone. I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredible group of women who understand my mission and are willing to help me achieve it.
“The biggest lesson I learned was to ask for help and utilize my network for the greater good of the people I wanted to serve.”
Additionally, this journey has reaffirmed my belief that showing up and being present is often the most powerful form of leadership. To be a titleholder, you must have the selflessness to put others’ needs above your own.
We’ve all heard the phrase “Lead by example,” but what does it mean to you?
Influence with Impact
If you’re new here, let me share a little about myself. I’ve been active on social media for over 14 years, starting with my YouTube channel and later expanding to this blog. Over the years, my mission has evolved, but for the past decade, I’ve focused on leveraging my influence to create a greater impact.
I understand the power of my crown and, more importantly, the power of my platform. From the beginning, my goal has been to empower women to live authentically and to discover and develop the skills necessary to do so boldly. Through pageantry, I realized that I could combine the power of the crown with my social media presence to amplify my impact. If you follow my pageantry Instagram, you’ve likely seen the phrase “Influence with Impact” often.
Having been on social media for so long, I know that influence comes with great responsibility. Failing to use it thoughtfully can be detrimental, not only to yourself but also to those who follow you. I’ve learned to protect my gift, allowing me to share my message globally while staying true to myself. Real influence leads to real results.
When writing my first book, GirlYes, I created a guide to help others find their “why” and use that discovery to reach their goals. When I released this book in 2020, I had no idea that it would serve as the catalyst for my personal development journey and help me achieve my objectives as a Mrs. USA titleholder.
Influence isn’t linear. As much as you want to impact the lives of others, remain open to allowing others to influence you. Learning from different perspectives is a powerful tool for growth.
Titles Don’t Define You
Throughout my pageantry journey, I’ve held many titles, but none as significant as my first state title, Mrs. New Jersey America 2020. This marked a pivotal moment in my life, showing me how my title not only impacted me but also those around me, both positively and negatively. Navigating these experiences taught me that no matter the title, it does not define who I am.
As a wife, mother, and titleholder, I’ve come to understand a few important lessons:
- My self-worth is not determined by how well I perform in any given role.
- It’s okay to prioritize yourself to show up as the best version of yourself.
- Remove your ego from your work and focus solely on the task at hand. Completion, not accolades, is the goal.
- Be prepared for the work that comes with any title. Once you remove the title from the description, ask yourself: Do you still want the job?
My title as International Mrs. USA 2023 will forever be part of a larger legacy I’m building for my daughters to follow. It’s my character, not my title, that will be remembered.
As I transition from my role as queen, I’m reminded of the life lessons I’ve learned along the way and how they continue to play a pivotal role in my life. I hope to continue applying this knowledge in other areas of my life moving forward. My hope for you, the reader, is that you take some of these concepts and apply them to your pageantry journey and, ultimately, your life.
Signing off, but leaving a touch of sparkle as I go,
Chimere Nicole Haskins, International Mrs.USA 2023
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