Be Limitless, my platform, has been my labor of love. A message I stand by and will continue to stand by is that of the momentum built behind one person with the courage and strength to see their full potential realized. I know that this isn’t always an easy task- but I do believe that everyone can be given the tools necessary and then take it upon themselves to do so.
As I became more and more engaged in this message, I took advantage of every opportunity I was provided to spread it. I created a television show through my university, Boise State, where I interview community leaders on my campus in hopes of educating my peers about the opportunities to participate in the community outreach going on around them. This has allowed me to also ask for tips on how to overcome adversities and accomplish goals- especially in terms of community service. The show, titled “Be Limitless”, has been viewed in countries all over the world.
I then competed for Miss Boise and gained yet another outlet to spread my message! Again, I have utilized this in every way possible. As a volunteer and a public speaker, I have had the ability to reach another audience that I may not have been able to with the show alone. I have now begun to educate a diverse range of people, from elementary students to adults, about the power you have to make a difference. All of this led me to another defining moment in this journey…
This will be my second time competing for the title of Miss Idaho. Throughout my journey vying for the crown I have received many benefits. I have learned how to articulate my thoughts. I have overcome my fears (talent). I have had this organization as common ground with women fundamentally different than me- allowing me to expand my thinking. I have also now been given the opportunity to network with and now partner with an organization that lives and breathes the message of being limitless.
The direct reflections of what my platform represents are the people in Idaho that have TRULY overcome difficulties in order to establish the things that are easily taken for granted. These are the women that have had only themselves as a foundation, and build financial independence from the ground up. Women that come from homeless shelters, domestic violence centers, and the like, but really the only thing they have in common is their recognition of their power.
The non profit organization called Dress for Success provides women in need with an interview outfit and a support system to help them reach their financial independence. But why stop there? Let’s take it one step further. It’s not just an outfit and support system, but it’s the experience that every woman deserves- one that makes them feel worthy. With trendy clothes and a delightful boutique, Dress for Success stylists instill the confidence in the women of our valley to recognize, not just for a day- their worth- but for a whole life time. A true recipe for success.
I have partnered with this organization to put roots in my Be Limitless platform. To paraphrase what the executive of the organization, Rachel, said: it’s not just about saying “be your best” and saying you want to “empower people”, it’s about actually doing it.
Not everyone can relate 100% to the women that have decided to take advantage of an outstanding organization like Dress for Success. I, for one, have been extremely lucky to have financial and emotional support when disaster strikes. But men, women, and children understand the difficulties in being told you can’t achieve a goal, but deciding you can. This can be when other people are telling you that you can’t or when your inner self tells you you can’t.
“I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.”
Thank you, Dr. Seuss, for reading my mind. This is a message I will continue to champion with a more concrete role within an organization that proves it is possible to overcome. That power of attitude, I’ll tell you, it is just that- POWERFUL. As president of Young Executives for Success (Y.E.S!) for Dress for Success, I will not just continue to spread this message in a direct and meticulous way as a platform, but as my passion. I am so excited to be a cog within this great organization. With this addition to my platform, I really believe that it will round it out in a way that it wasn’t before. True happiness, or virtue, comes from having a balanced life. Realize the importance of giving back to your community, the importance of doing things that make you happy, the importance of education, the importance of having meaningful relationships, and the importance of achieving financial stability. This is a message that everyone can benefit from.
- Brittany Lock Miss Boise 2016