Sue Lynn's pageant story

From this short article, I have learned so much.
(the ones in italic are sentences quoted by Sue Lynn herself in the article)

- be nice to everyone
'Judges are everywhere. The one you least expect to be a judge will be one of them. So it is important to be nice to every one, including the room service people/bellboys.'

- always be punctual
'Do not be late, ever. If you cannot be punctual, then you are not fit to be a beauty queen.'

- don't overeat
'Never eat like there is no tomorrow – this is a beauty pageant, not an “all you can eat” competition. Stuffing your face will make people question your credibility as a beauty queen.'

- cut small habits, even small ones
'Remember to cut out your bad habits – it is not elegant for a beauty queen to twitch her nose, pull out her wedgie or scratch her head, especially when there are cameras and video cameras following your every move. I was told I moved my head too much (I can be quite animated), so I had to stop that habit quickly.'

What I liked the most about what she said was:
(my thoughts in brackets)

'Winning is not everything. Just because you do not win a pageant, does not mean you are any less beautiful, talented or intelligent than the girl who won.'
(so true, the same concept applies to sports games and competitions we take part in)

'Every one is beautiful and talented in their own way; never compare yourself to others. If you keep comparing yourself with others, it will be your downfall.'
(as the chinese saying goes: 人比人气死人)

I can relate this to our normal daily lives. We don't need to take part in a beauty pageant to follow these simple rules. When I reflect on myself and my own life, I overeat- all the time, I always try to be punctual but still am not good enough, and I have many little bad habits like doing my knuckles, saying things too quickly without thinking twice, etc.

This article has changed my perspective on these little things in life which I have taken granted for.