“Famous have been the reigns of our queens. Some of the greatest periods in our history have unfolded under their sceptres.” – Winston Churchill
Much like diamonds, they hold a depth that is invaluable beyond measure. Even beyond this, is the key element of their journey. It is a place where action meets purpose. A place where hard work shows no mercy. A place that leads to a destination of victory. One such journey is that of Chantel O’Brian (click here) who trail-blazed a path of excellence when she became the first Bahamian to place in the vastly desired top ten at the 70th Miss Universe pageant. After securing the runner up position twice in the local Miss Bahamas pageants, she is an exceptional example that never giving up and simply trying again are essential for reaching the ultimate goal.
“So many different things were in alignment in terms of the people who instantly wanted to contribute to the journey and the experience, so it was easy for me to do that. It was just a matter of putting my best foot forward physically in terms of my wellness, being able to work specifically with a trainer who knew my fitness goals, and then proceeding to make sure I always presented myself in a queenly manner while being supported by an exceptional makeup team.”
Her preparation was not only physical but internal as well.
“All of these factors, as well as being able to learn who I was prior to the competition and remembering that I could let go of some of those past things that were not relevant to the new season I was in. It was a similar cycle to when I had competed before back in 2013 for the same title, but knowing that God was doing something completely new. My preparation varied, and I remained confident because I felt God had placed it on my heart. I knew it had nothing to do with me because I did not want to try again. That helped me remain super confident throughout the competition.”
With the theme of beauty, being such a popular one O’Brian reminds us that beauty goes far beyond our outward appearance but rather extends to our capabilities and character.
“A lot of times we get so caught up in the vanity of it, and though I pride myself in being someone who does carry themselves beautifully, with femininity, elegance, and poise, I think beyond that, it really takes a certain level of substance. For me, being someone with purpose is very powerful, because it’s influential; people are able to draw from it.”
She also emphasizes the importance of growth and evolution.
“A person with purpose is always evolving, and I feel like in competing at the age of nineteen I was able to see how I evolved as a person, as a woman, and the evolution of my thought process, my spiritual level, my maturity all really stood out for me. However, in the true sense of the term “beauty queen,” I feel proud to know that when people meet me, it goes beyond social media or watching Miss Universe. They can see why God did this. They can see how I got here. It is because of the continued work I have done, and that God tasked me with.”
O’Brian shares that her greatest challenge during her journey was something many of us often struggle with, doubt.
“Doubting myself in my journey and wondering, I ask God all the time, ‘You could have put me in any place, in any industry, any field. I could have been anything; you could have placed any gift, any talent. Why this?’ I think questioning God on the why of things and realizing that there was a much bigger picture than what I could see. Sometimes we can only see half the picture, sometimes only a little snippet of it, and we think we have it figured out, and we don’t. That has been challenging in my journey, and allowing the fact that people didn’t understand what God was doing. I think it is very important to protect your dreams, even if you don’t know what your dreams are. But if you know you have a heart for something, which in prior to competing again I was already helping other girls and women to attain these physical crowns and also attain a level of confidence that was required for them to walk taller, to speak stronger, and to allow themselves to be seen, it’s very important to protect who you’re becoming and who you are.”
Her definition of success reminds us that success goes beyond physical achievements.
“Being at a place of peace and joy is success. Because when I have defined success before, it was about accomplishing the goal, getting to a certain point, gaining certain accolades, and then you realize that you’re on a hamster wheel. You’re always going and always wanting to be successful, always wanting to accomplish, always wanting to gain. You always want, want, want, and so I feel like I’m always in pursuit of success. I’m always in pursuit of joy and peace. I think it takes a level of self-awareness, if you’re a spiritual person like I am, it takes a level of dwelling in God’s presence. I feel like if anyone is in their pursuit of success, being able to get up each day and do a thing, get up each day and pursue a thing, get up each day and hope and expect, that’s success within itself. But, also being able to do it from a place of joy and peace, in knowing that if it doesn’t come now but you know that it’s going to come, that’s still a good place to be. Every day I try to remind myself of that and try to exercise that. Every day I’m not always successful in that, but on the days I am, I praise God. Bless God for the days that I am!”
O’Brian gives this advice for those wanting to pursue a similar path.
“It’s very important to know yourself because people will constantly try to tell you who you are. My advice, not just to future queens in pageantry but also as a woman, is that you will always get people who will applaud you when you’re trying. They will applaud you and clap for you when you’re climbing the mountain. And they will cheer you on because you’re in the stage of trying. But when you reach the stage of triumph, that’s when you will see that everyone is not necessarily trying to celebrate you. But that shouldn’t break the direction in which you’re going, which is upward.”
O’Brian is always working on fun and exciting ventures however, she shares that her most crucial project right now is herself.
“At this moment, I’m working on myself. I am putting out content where I’m speaking on topics that I feel are different and ideal for young women. However, I’m constantly working on myself because I feel like I can get a new idea, and God is like, ‘Yeah, but there is something about you that has to change in order for this to work.’ So, I’m constantly working on my character, who I want to be and what I want to do next. It’s a never-ending story for me; there is always a semicolon when it comes to me. I’m still working with young girls; I have a Ladies with Charm Program that hopefully even more parents show interest in. I’m working with young girls and women in the arena of pageantry, confidence coaching, and I’ve put out an eBook called Activate Your Aura (click here). There are so many different things that God is unraveling within me that every so often, I’m like, ‘You want me to do all this?’ But we know that he wouldn’t give us more than we can bear, even when it comes to his plans for us, so bless him.”
One major takeaway from her journey is a biblical based principle – one she strives to live by.
“I would say, always be mindful of what you allow into your heart. Proverbs 4:23 speaks of it: ‘Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.’ Be careful because there will always be people who will praise you and people who will break you down. You should not connect your validation to the praise or the breakdown. You should always know that you are moving forward, whether it is incrementally or at a rapid pace. If there is anyone that can do a thing, it is you. That is what I learned in my journey. If there is anyone that could have done what I did, it is me. And if there is anyone that can continue that legacy and continue to do what was done and go beyond what was done, it is you because it doesn’t end with me. It is only the beginning.”
In blazing an exceptionally dynamic trail O’Brian shows us that we are usually tasked with a God-given duty, an often unique endeavor that brings out the best in us, and when action is paired with duty above all else, that is when history is written. May we pay homage to those who ensure the pages are worth turning by the future generations for this is when legacy is achieved.
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