Dramatic Confidence

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547383_483946078327182_1994950713_nI loved how Angela Miller said it, “confidence is what is beautiful.

She is so right; confidence is beautiful and it is powerful. Unfortunately, it can also be very misunderstood.

Watching Angie sing her heart out while being critiqued by highly influential judges in front a massive audience leaves me awestricken.  I know Angie. Her family and mine are intertwined in many ways and I consider them some of my dearest friends. I understand her confidence because I understand her faith and the relationships in her life. She is living the American Dream because the foundation of her life is true to what America was founded on.

Angie’s confidence has been misunderstood at times, like when Jimmy called her “too dramatic.” He didn’t know that Angie’s clothing personality is a Dramatic! Dramatics are often assumed to be “playing it up” because their passion is more intense than most other Img.IDs. But, man, they are they entertaining when they perform! Thank you, Angie, for not letting criticism defeat your confidence.

It is not just American Idol that sometimes judges unfairly; America does. Think about it. Don’t we assume that a beautiful girl is confident? Don’t we assume she must know she is beautiful, and that chances are she is hung up on herself? Aren’t we shocked if we hear that a pretty girl is not confident? We are so two-sided! We question the confident girl’s pride and assume she is arrogant or phony, yet we believe in the girl who doesn’t believe in herself. We really aren’t fair to each other; and we are especially unfair to these brave AI contestants who risk our judgment and depend on our votes in order for them to achieve their big dreams. Kudos to all those who took that risk, this year and every year!

I cried when Angie didn’t make it to the finals on Thursday, not because I was disappointed in her by any means, but because I felt her pain. Didn’t you? She was so transparent with her passion throughout the whole competition, and in her most vulnerable moment when her hope for the title was taken away, she was brave enough to show her broken heart. Angie, you are beautiful! Why? Because vulnerability is also beautiful.

We were all shocked when our gifted girl was eliminated this week, but I heard some people were shocked that she cried. Someone said they wished they had seen that tender side of the Miller confidence earlier, because then they would have voted for her. That’s America’s superficial judging skills! Forgive us, Angie; we have been under the influence of media all our lives. We assume that whatever clip makes it past the editors for us to see, is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Help us, God!

The real truth, America, is that Angela Miller knows “it is ok not to be ok.“ She doesn’t just sing it; she lives it. Her confidence is real, so is her humility.

If you who find yourself under a spotlight or facing criticism from highly influential (or UNinfluential!) judges, I hope you, like Angie, Know Who You Are, and Whose you are. Remember that there is only One Judge that you need to be approved by. He created your personality, and He loves you more than you can imagine. Be true to yourself and Dream Big!

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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or on facebook.


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