I’ve Already Won

I said that when I was in seventh place in the quarterfinals of the Maxim Cover Girl Competition.

And I was absolutely right.

At the age of 53 (which I’m thinking is some kind of record), I made it through four rounds of cuts but didn’t move on past the quarterfinals.

But I’m a winner.

I won when I pushed aside the worries and fears about what people would think and say and entered because it felt good to ME.

I won as the creative juices started flowing, leading to new ideas for photoshoots which I made happen quickly. Bubble bath, snake…let’s go!

I won by being bold and confident. By being able to speak my mind and just keep showing up every damn day.

I won when I allowed myself to joyfully receive help and support from others.

I won when reaching out to people on my contact list uncovered some old resentments that needed healing.

My biggest win was hearing from people that were inspired by my journey. They began taking action steps toward their own dreams. They stopped thinking and started making shit happen.

Because at the end of the day, this is about so much more than Elizabeth being on the cover of Maxim – although that would have been fun!

It’s about inspiring YOU to go after whatever it is you want in life…boldly and unapologetically. You never need to justify your dreams.

The world needs more people who are lit up and head over heels in love with life. Every single time one of us rises like this, we are giving others permission to do the same. Which is ultimately making the world a better place.