BE YOU

For a little while now, I have been working on a video about my platform BElieve in YOUrself. Now I can officially say here is my first video with many more to come!

With all the spending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, its good to give back, and what more perfect day to do that than Giving Tuesday! Today I had the chance to donate 13 scarves and 8 pairs of socks to my local Urban Mission. These scarves and socks will now be donated to those in need around my community. With the craziness of the holidays don't forget about those in need! Even the smallest donation or interaction with someone can make a huge difference! Oh and never forget to be you. 

Its just a simple phrase.. "Believe in yourself".. however, there is a lot of power behind it. Not only does it encourage positive thinking when you face a challenge in your life, it also encourages you to accept yourself for who you are. You shouldn't have to live your life trying to please everyone that you come into contact with. But, that is what peer pressure does. You want to act and do the things that the "cool" kids do but its not what you would usually do right? Nowadays this happens so often that adolescents lose themselves  because they are infatuated with the idea of being popular. However, the time is now to bring out your true self and show your uniqueness to the world. If you are a teen reading this, I understand it can be scary and you feel like you will feel like an outsider. Your true friends will be by your side and will like you for who you are. Break out of the mold and be you  because what's cooler than being you?

 Hello everyone, we have one more challenge for Bulling Awareness month. This one is all about participation. Since the month is drawing to a close stompoutbullying.org wants to create positive messages. The list of things you can do are:

1.) Create positive notes and hand them out to people at school. 

2.) Create anti-bullying videos and share them on the stomp out bullying website. (listed below) 

3.) Share stories on the website listed below.

4.) Create an act of kindness and encourage people to do the same! 

Here is the link for the website:

http://www.stompoutbullying.org/share/

Encouraging positive messages doesn't stop here, you can do whatever you want to promote the end of bullying. Make sure you post them and be you always! 

Hello! As everyone knows, it is National Bullying Awareness month.  I hope everyone made a new friend last week! I know I did. For this week I have a new challenge. This week if you see someone being bullied I want you to stand up for them. This usually makes the bully back down and feel bad for what he or she has been doing. Also, the person being bullied will usually feel that they are not alone and thankful for what you have done. You will make that person happy and make their day... Guaranteed! If you were being bullied you would want someone to stick up for you right? However, if you do not feel safe standing up for someone due to the situation  go get an adult. You want to be a part of the solution- not the problem! Always impose positive peer pressure and be you always! 

It's October! Not only does this mean that Halloween is right around the corner, it also means its BULLYING AWARENESS MONTH!!!!! A few days ago was wear blue day. People wore blue to show support of people who are being bullied and to show they were against Bullying.  Did you remember to  wear your blue? If you didn't don't worry this month is full of activities! The next one is during the week of October 12. The challenge is to make friends with someone you don't know at school or at work. This can makes someone's day better and you both get a new friend! Always be you and be friendly! 

Dreams and aspirations come in different sizes. Whether they are big and long term or small and short term, everyone has them. The key to making the first strides for your dreams is believing in yourself. You have to ignore the criticism and negative comments from others to accomplish what you want to do. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that does not mean you have to agree with that opinion. You are your own person for a reason right? You can have your own opinion even if you feel you should follow the crowd. Be different and be you always. 

As some of you may know, September is Sucide Awarness Month. Organizations like the American Foundation for Sucide Prevention help and educate anyone that has been affected by sucide. Today I had the chance to walk and donate to the Out of the Darkness Community Walk. It was great to see how many people came to support a great cause. With a small town like mine, it was extraordinary. I can't wait for next month because it is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month! Remember if you see or know someone that seems to be at risk for sucide... Smile,  talk to them, and make sure they know they are not alone. Don't forget always be you, despite what anyone says. 

As it was my first day of school, it was my last day of being Miss Northern New York's Outstanding Teen 2015. This year has been such an experience! From the inside jokes, laughing till I cry, and the things I have learned that I will carry on through my life... I want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone that supported me through my journey by reading my blog or by following me on social media. A special thank you to my parents for being my biggest supporters, for taking me places, and for putting up with me when  I didn't want to do mock interviews. Thank you to family and friends for screaming for me and holding pictures of my face at my local and state pageants.  Thank you to The Miss America Organization for teaching me to come out of my comfort zone and increasing my self-esteem. Thank to to the friends I have made through being a part of this wonderful organization. Keep being yourself and accept who you are!Thank you for being there and making everything so fun along the way. To team Upstate, we always rocked it no matter what we were doing, thank you two for always being there. To the trio, I can't wait to see you again! Thank you for making this experience a one of a kind, our bond can never be broken. To Shelby, from my earrings to my shoes you were the most amazing personal stylist! Also, thank you for all the tips and critiques that have  helped make me the young lady I am today. To Sue and Gary, thank you for being my pageant parents and supporting me through everything I did and thats how Sue C's it! Thank you to my role model and choreographer Mandee for everything you have taught me. Thank you to Allison for being my big and helping me pageant prep throughout my year. Kristina, although I have only had a couple weeks as your little, thank you for everything! Your kind heart always brightens my day. This year I have promoted BElieve in YOUrself- you are a limited edition promoting the end of stereotypes and encouraging the acceptance of others. I have had so many inspiring appearances this past year. Nothing makes me more happy than to see a childs face smile after talking to them. I will still run my blog and my page because the passion for my platform does not stop. Always be you! Signing off as Miss Northern New York's Outstanding Teen 2015 Brianna Lockwood. 

Although I am only a teenager, I feel that I have a good understanding about life and some of the challenges it entails. We all face decisions. Whether these decisions are small or large they still have an impact on us on many different levels. Not only do our decisions effect ourselves, they also effect the people around us. Trying to make the right decision can be stressful and cause anxiety. So, my advice is take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What outcome will make you prosper and grow? However, we can't forget the possibility of making mistakes. When that happens make a new decision and learn from what has occurred. Don't dwell on the past because you have so much to look forward to. Remember stay true to yourself and what you believe in. Be you always.  

Have you ever felt like you didn't matter? Like you could disappear and nothing would happen? Well,  it might seem like you hear this all the time but you DO matter. There is no one else in this entire universe  that is you. No one has the same personality, style, or thinking capacity as you do. So next time you get so down on yourself that you begin to think this way, remember you are you for a reason.  Whether someone is bullying you or you just a had a bad day, don't get so down on yourself.  Everyone has bad days and there is always tomorrow. Trust me things do get better with time. Especially if you are thinking about suicide. Get help from a person you trust or even a hotline. No one can take your place in this world so don't leave it empty. You are a limited edition that will shine and prosper don't let someone or something take that away from you. Be you.

"Believe in yourself." You hear those three words all the time from your family, friends, and random strangers. But, what does "Believe in yourself" really mean? The meaning is diverse and is different for everyone. For example, say you were trying out for the school's soccer team and you became really nervous and flustered. Do you say positive things to yourself? Tell yourself that you believe in yourself or that you can do this to keep yourself on the right track. What if it's the first day of a new job or you are entering an interview for the new job you really want? Do you tell yourself that you are amazing and you will rock this? A single positive affirmation or an encouraging thought can go a long way. Even if you think telling someone that they can do something is not a big deal, it is! That person is usually guaranteed to remember that you said that. It can make someones day, month or even year better because you made them smile and believe they can accomplish their dreams. You never know what a person is going through, so next time you are out an about don't forget to make someone's day better by saying three simple words... believe in yourself.

Hi everyone! Sorry I have not posted in a while. I have been busy studying and taking finals. While taking a study break I watched an episode of So You Think You Can Dance that really touched me. A dancer with Downs Syndrome decided to try out for the show. He was so happy just to be there. You could see his love for dance shine right through him. The judges even gave him a ticket to LasVegas to compete in the next round of the competition. This just proved that you can reach any goal if you just work for it. There will will always be bumps in the the road and obstacles that you have to overcome but that can not let that stop your determination to reach your goal. How you rise above these shows what makes you. If you think that you can't overcome these obstacles look for someone that inspires you. Everyone has someone that they can look up to. Find your person and talk to them. Let them know that they inspire you. Who knows, you may inspire them to! Just remember to always reach for your dreams, big ones as well as small, and always, always, be you. 

This past weekend I had the chance to attend HOBY, Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership. Like I have said before, it is a leadership seminar for Sophomores. On my way there I was a little anxious because I didn't know what to expect. However, this experience turned out to be one of the best times of my life. Throughout the weekend I didn't see any judgement or hear and negative comments from anyone. That was amazing! Everyone could be themselves, no matter how goofy, and not have to worry what people were going to think. I can't begin to tell you how much I learned but I can tell you I loved it and it was an unforgettable experience. 

This weekend is The Miss New York State Pageant. I want to wish the best big sister, Miss Thousand Islands Allison Carlos, good luck! As she goes through each phase with grace and beauty she will show the judges she can do anything. She inspires me with her passion for her platform and everything she does. Good luck Allie! I will be there this weekend to cheer you on!

I am honored to say that I have been selected to represent my high school at the HOBY Youth leadersip program! HOBY stands for Hugh O' Brian Youth Leadership, they have different kinds of leadership programs to encourage students everywhere about leadership in their communities. The program I will be attending is the State Leadership Seminar, where Sophomores learn about their leadership talents in their work place, school, home and community. I am so excited to attend in a couple of weeks!

Hello everyone!! Sorry I have not posted in awhile, I have been super busy!! A few weeks ago I was awarded second runner up at the Miss New York's Outstanding Teen pageant! I want to say thank you to everyone that has supported me thus far. But, my efforts are not over. I have had people ask me, "How do I believe in myself or improve my self-esteem?"or "What can a single person do to change the world?" Here are some ideas I have for you. The first step to building self-esteem is telling yourself you are the best person you can be. You are strong, you are amazing, you will prosper, and you can do anything. When you believe that, you can do anything! Your days will become brighter and happier. This also causes a chain reaction making other people happier as well. Secondly, one person CAN make a change in the world, even by little actions like saying hi to someone you do not usually talk to or doing chores around the house can make an impact. If you are looking for a huge impact you could contact organizations that are supporting your cause. With my cause of ending stereotypes and supporting differences we can start by not saying negative comments to another peer about what they like, what they wear, or anything about them. Also, when you hear someone else making derogatory comments stand up and say something to make it stop. Be the change you want to see in the world. I know that sometimes speaking out can make you feel uncomfortable, then you could speak to the person on private and tell them it is wrong. Make sure that you support each of your peers and remember to be you. 

Recently I was roaming the internet and I came across another great video! Dove recently put doors on random buildings all around the world that say "Beautiful" or "Average". They did this so they could see what doors women would walk through. The results showed some girls believed that they were beautiful however, some girls did not think twice about going through the average doors. Afterward, Dove interviewed some of the girls and they regretted going through the average door. One story inspired me, she said that she was always told she was average. I want and need to change the way women think. They need to believe that they are beautiful despite what others say. However, I cannot do this alone I need all of your help! We are the society, so we have to change the way we think about everyone and ourselves. Everyone is a limited edition, unique and special. Every single person needs to believe that! Here is the link to the inspiring video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjJALzZ24H0



What door would you choose? #ChooseBeautiful

Today I had the chance to go to my old elementary school and speak to third and fourth graders! We talked about believing in themselves, accepting our differences, and to never bully! They were so understanding and they made a pledge to their families, their teachers and their peers to accept everyone and to be themselves. I even heard stories from them about them standing up for their friends! However, a few kids told me that they were being bullied or have been bullied in the past. I told them to stay strong, ask for help, and have the courage to believe that they are good enough. They seemed so happy to hear my encouraging words! This is just one example why I love the Miss America Organization, I have a huge impact on the kids to believe that they can do anything when they are themselves. Thank you Ohio Street School for having me! 

Yesterday I had the honor of talking to Elise Stefanik, the representative for New York's 21st District in the House of Representatives . We talked about women empowerment and breaking the glass ceiling. She gave me advice about public speaking, and making the biggest impact on my community. Being the youngest female congresswoman ever elected, she has broken the stereotypes "women are inferior to men". Instead of viewing the fact she is a woman as a disadvantage, she used it as an advantage. It made her unique! At times she was underestimated, but she did not let that hinder her campaign or confidence. If you are being bullied because of who you are, Elise says "always be yourself, it will get better". Meeting Elise Stefanik was such an unforgettable experience, thank you Elise for putting an enormous crack in the glass ceiling!

On March 6th, it was Dr. suess's birthday! For the occasion, my tenth grade enriched english class went to Ohio Street school to read to k-4 kids! It was such a great experience to see their smiling faces when I asked them questions and read to them. They were so responsive that they even sent letters home to us! I saw that the kids didn't care what eachother looked like or what other kids like and disliked. They all cared for eachother despite their differences, we should all learn how kids treat eachother because it will diminish bullying, and judgements. 

For the past two weekends I have been competing at dance competitions in Watertown. Out of all of the perks of being a competitive dancer, the best one is being a dancer against bullying. Starstruck Dance Competition is trying to make a difference outside of the dance world and encourage everyone to end bullying in communities. Bullying has become apart of some people's lives; whether they are bullied because of how they look, act or believe about them. We as a society need to make this stop! No one deserves to be treated like that....so I challenge everyone to do thier part to end bullying. You can help someone out that is being bullied, spread kindness, do anything!! Making someone's day brighter is all it takes. Be True. Be You. Be Kind.

Today, I was amazed by a simple Youtube video. Benny, a fifteen year old youtuber created a video about gender stereotypes. He produced, and sang this remarkable video. Gender stereotypes affect every one of all ages, however, we as a society have to stand up to them and prove them wrong so we can delete the stereotypes all together. No one should be pre judged based on something they can not control or the way they want to be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNr3x1kVVEc

If you have an Instagram please go follow my platform page: @be_lieve_inyou 

Everyone has someone they look up to, whether it be a celebrity or someone close to you. This person inspires you to reach your full potential. One of my inspirations is Emma Watson. She has been the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador since July 2014, a graduate from Brown University and she was a wizard in Harry Potter. Since then she has encouraged the education of young women and the equality for men and women around the world. She has traveled to Bangladesh and Zambia for her humanitarian efforts. Also, in September she made a speech during the He for She gender equality campaign that changed how everyone thought about equality. She said, "If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by what we are-we can all be freer". That statement goes along with my platform because we should be ourselves without anyones permission; we should be able to act as ourselves without judgement. Who is your inspiration?

Did you watch the Superbowl? Did you see the commercials that are trying to change the way people act? The Always "Like a Girl" commercial and the Coke "Make it Happy" commercial are two I noticed. Like I said before the #LikeaGirl movement is about empowering young women to be themselves and to believe in themselves. The Make it Happy movement is about cyber bullying effecting everyone. They want everyone to turn everything on the internet from a negative to a positive. You can find both commercials on Youtube or their Facebook pages. I challenge EVERYONE   to join these movements to encourage a happier, friendly and empowering future. 

During the Superbowl this Sunday, make sure you watch the ad #Likeagirl. The Like A Girl campaign is by Always, the director, Lauren Greenfield is an award winning American artist. She wants to educate, and empower young girls for the future. So she asked girls and boys of varying ages what it meant to run like a girl, throw like a girl etc. The answers were humiliating to women. I hope everyone joins the campaign today and empower the young women of the future. Click on the link to see the video and join the fight. 

http://m.always.com/en-us/likeagirl

In honor of my friend and sister Joelle Leek, its make a difference monday! Do a random act of kindness throughout today and post #MADMonday, and #RandomActofKindness. Also if you're friends with Joelle tag her so she can see it or tag Shelby Cohen, Kristina Blackford or Morgan O'Brien Bocciolatt. 

Last night I had the chance to meet CMN Hospital child, Princess Mina! She was such an adorable and inspirational young girl. She was so confident with herself. I can't wait to see her at Miss America one day! I'm so glad to be apart of the Miss America Organization because this is what its all about. 

Being different from someone doesn't mean you have to criticize them. Instead you should accept them and in some instances help them out. In life we will all grow up and reach some kind of destination or goal. But how you get there is based on who you are and what you want to do. Don't forget to not let negative influences effect your path to your own goal. 

With the new year upon us, I want everyone to have a year full of love and compassion. Not just love for yourself but for others aswell. There are people in need in every community around the world, and it is time to help them. I challenge everyone to donate or help at least a couple of times to a charity of your choice. In the same manner, don't forget to be yourself this year. People may think of you differently or judge you but do not let that get to you. Who else can you be? You. You can only be you so don't let anyone bring you down. #beyou