Week 7: Wearing Both Well

By Madalaina Hlava

On balance, boundaries, and bringing your full self wherever you go

People always ask how I balance it all.

The job
The crown
The travel
The title
The expectation of being two different people depending on where I am

But here’s the thing. I’m not living a double life. I’m just living a full one.

I don’t switch versions of myself between the job site and the stage. I bring the same values, the same mindset, and the same drive whether I’m wearing steel toes or heels.
It’s not about choosing one over the other. It’s about learning how to wear both well.

There’s No Perfect Balance

Some weeks, I’m more engineer than titleholder
Other weeks, I’m speaking at events, mentoring girls, and posting content between job calls
It’s not always even. But it is always intentional.

Balance, for me, isn’t a perfect fifty-fifty split.
It’s knowing which version of myself needs the spotlight in a given moment and being okay when things shift.
It’s learning to set boundaries so one identity doesn’t swallow the other.
It’s choosing to let each role fuel the other instead of draining me dry.

What People Expect

There’s this unspoken pressure to choose one version of success
To either go all in on the career path or commit fully to the platform
To be polished or practical
Feminine or focused
One thing or another

But I’ve never wanted to live at those extremes.
I’ve always wanted a life that makes room for both ambition and expression
Both strategy and softness
Both purpose and personality

And I’ve learned that I don’t need to pick a lane. I just need to be steady in mine even if it looks different from everyone else’s.

How I Keep Myself Grounded

I’ve learned to check in with myself often
To ask what I need, not just what’s expected
To step back when I feel pulled too far in one direction

I’ve learned that being busy doesn’t always mean being fulfilled
And that showing up fully sometimes means slowing down intentionally

My identity isn’t in one role or one outfit
It’s in the way I lead, the way I speak, the way I treat people
And that stays consistent whether I’m walking a job site or walking into a room full of judges

What I Want You to Know

You don’t have to fit a clean category
You don’t have to prove that you’re serious by being less joyful
You don’t have to choose between power and polish. You can have both.

You’re allowed to be dynamic
You’re allowed to shift gears and show up differently depending on what the moment calls for
You’re allowed to evolve

Wearing both well isn’t about doing everything perfectly
It’s about doing everything authentically
It’s about knowing who you are and not shrinking that to make other people more comfortable

You are not too much for wanting more than one thing
You are not confusing for being multi-layered
You are complex. And that complexity is beautiful

See you next week for Week 8: More Than a Title
We’ll talk about legacy, impact, and what it means to lead beyond the crown.  

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Madalaina Hlava is the current Miss Land of Lincoln (IL). You can follow her on her title's Instagram.

To read her other guest blogs for Section 36 Forevers, click here.

  

More Than Community Service: A Way of Life.

By Karla Páez

I recall accompanying my father to the hospital and watching him treat and care for patients and coworkers. I would see everyone fill with joy when they saw him; and they would tell me how much they appreciated him and were grateful for how he treated them. Then, while I was still in elementary school, I recall visiting, occasionally, my friend’s grandmother’s nursing home, where we would help around with tasks and watch how they cared for the elderly. During this period, I also recall my elementary school’s excursion to a specialized school for neurodiverse children. I dare say, these experiences and my Christian education sparked my calling to help others. Which could have influenced why I was known as the “class’s angel”.

Once in middle school, I had a friend that struggled with major depressive and suicidal episodes, and I would be there for her and insisted in her value and importance as a human being. (Thankfully, she has worked a lot on her mental health and is still with us to this day). Then, during high school, the school had mandatory community service hours (that I gladly exceeded). However, for me it was the perfect excuse to participate in community service activities. I recall the time we handed out food for the homeless, marched for cancer awareness, prepared gifts for children in

Haiti, and many other things that I truly wanted to do. Which also could have influenced why I was nominated to with the Saint Francis Award at the school graduation. All those years, I had an intuitive feeling that I was meant to do this type of initiative and work for the rest of my life. 

Then I went to the college, where I did a bachelor’s degree of arts in psychology. During this time, it was a bit difficult to participate in a lot of ‘extracurricular’ activities. However, helping others one way or another had already become part of my lifestyle. As part of one of my courses, I made a research proposal to benefit the elderly population in nursing homes with music related programs. Then I took an introductory Music Therapy course, in which we also visited a nursing home and a hospital. These events confirmed, once again, that I wanted to dedicate my life to this type of work. 

However, once I graduated, I was not sure what I wanted to do, until I saw an advertisement about a program of Master of Science in Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders. As soon as I saw it, I was like “Yes. This is it.”. During the program, I had a professor that was recruiting volunteer assistants for equine therapy sessions. Once again, I was like “I have to do this”, and I’m glad I did. Participating in those sessions and watching the progress of the children we worked with was truly an amazing experience. It also helped me confirm that I also wanted to specialize in School Psychology. Don’t get me wrong though, I still have a special place in my heart for the elderly. Which is why I focused my master’s dissertation on the elderly with autism population. 

With this new awakened passion, I started doing my second Master of Science. This time in School Psychology with Specialty in Neuropsychology. During this time, I continued volunteering at the equine therapy sessions. Sadly, the academic load became too much, and I had to stop. On the other hand, I began my first practicum where I worked with children in the Special Education System. This was a life changing and ‘slap in the face’ experience. Seeing firsthand the problems of the system, the mistreatment of the professionals, the poor quality of the services given to the children and their families… It woke up another calling within me. I must become a voice for the children, the families and the professionals that deal with this every day. At the same time this was happening, I was also participating in a competition, where I was introduced to the world of gardening and harvesting. This sparked another calling: the use of gardening as a therapeutic approach. 

Then, during my second practicum, I had to work with depression and anxiety crisis in adolescents in the school environment. It impacted me how, in some of the cases, I was the first person to ever tell them that they were appreciated, how much they mattered and that they were not alone. Seeing them get better and work on their self-esteems helped me confirm, once again, that I was in the right path. And now, I have graduated, but can’t practice as a psychologist yet, because I must acquire the state license. However, until that happens, I am developing what is right now my Community Service Initiative for the Miss Puerto Rico competition, which is called Cosechando el Ser (in English, Harvesting the Self). 

And I say “what is right now my Community Service Initiative” because it is a project I want to develop for the rest of my life. I am planning on turning it into a non-profit organization in the next months. Cosechando el Ser will start as a practice and promotion for the use of gardening as a therapeutic approach and sustainable practice. It will also become a bank of resources for vulnerable communities. And last, but not least (this is only the beginning), bring support to pregnant women and people dealing with grief. Just as I keep improving, growing and progressing, I have truly learned that “you are what you sow”. How you talk to yourself, how you treat others, what you consume, how you act, and your environment will influence your growth and harvest. Likewise, just as the seasons change, so do we. And no matter the storms or weather we might face, we can always be resilient and continue growing. 

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Karla Páez is the current Miss Juncos (PR). You can follow her on her Instagram.

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.

Week 6: Soft Skills, Solid Ground

By Madalaina Hlava

Why emotional intelligence isn’t extra. It’s essential.

People love to talk about technical skills.

Certifications. Degrees. Experience.
And yes, those matter. They open doors, help land jobs, and get your foot in the room.
But the longer I’ve worked in this field, the more I’ve learned that what keeps you in the room, what earns you real respect, isn’t always what’s listed on your resume.

It’s how you communicate.
How you manage conflict.
How you stay calm when things get messy.
It’s the soft skills. The ones that aren’t always taught but make the biggest impact.

What They Don’t Teach You in Training

They’ll teach you the software.
The standards.
The systems and specs.
But they won’t teach you what to say when someone questions your leadership in front of a room.
They won’t tell you how to redirect a conversation that’s gone off course or worse, gone personal.

You won’t find a chapter on how to correct someone twice your age without making them defensive.
Or how to be assertive without being labeled aggressive.
You won’t be handed a checklist for how to respond when your input is ignored until someone else repeats it five minutes later.

These are the things you figure out on your own.
You learn how to navigate rooms you weren’t expected to lead.
You learn how to earn respect without raising your voice.
You learn how to be the one people look to when tensions rise because you know how to carry the pressure without cracking.

How Pageantry Helped Me Lead

Pageantry and STEM sound like opposites.
But the skills I sharpened under the spotlight are the same ones I rely on in the field.

Speaking clearly.
Reading the room.
Responding with grace under pressure.
Knowing how to pivot mid-thought and still sound confident.
It’s not just about presentation. It’s about presence.

When I explain a complex system to someone who doesn’t want to hear it
When I mediate a disagreement between coworkers without taking sides
When I’m doubted, interrupted, or dismissed and stay composed anyway
That’s not just professionalism. That’s practice.

And it didn’t come from any engineering textbook.

Soft Is Not the Opposite of Strong

You can be gentle and grounded.
You can be graceful and still get the job done.
You don’t have to be cold to be taken seriously.

There’s strength in staying calm when the tone in the room shifts.
In choosing patience over panic.
In navigating complex people and complex problems with the same confidence.

Soft doesn’t mean silent.
It means strategic.
It means steady.
It means knowing when to speak and when to let your presence speak for itself.

What I Want You to Know

If you’ve ever taken a breath before responding just to make sure you wouldn’t be misunderstood
If you’ve ever replayed a conversation in your head wondering how you could have said it differently
If you’ve ever stayed up late writing the perfect email because you knew you couldn’t afford to sound emotional
If you’ve ever bitten your tongue in meetings where everyone else talked over you
If you’ve ever handled doubt, disrespect, or dismissal and still got the job done anyway

You are not soft.
You are sharp.
You are resilient.
You are leading in a way that cannot be taught, only earned.

And even when it feels invisible, it matters.
Because when you lead with emotional intelligence, the whole team operates better.
Because when you stay composed, people listen more closely.
Because when you bring clarity instead of chaos, people follow.

Soft skills are not secondary.
They are the reason so many women thrive in spaces that weren’t designed for them in the first place.

You don’t need to change how you show up.
You just need to know that the way you lead, quietly, confidently, and with conviction, is enough.

 

See you next week for Week 7: Wearing Both Well
We’ll talk about balance, not perfection, and how I show up in two different worlds without leaving any part of myself behind.

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Madalaina Hlava is the current Miss Land of Lincoln (IL). You can follow her on her title's Instagram.

To read her other guest blogs for Section 36 Forevers, click here.

  

The J.O.Y. Project

By Olivia Jarrell

Confidence isn’t something we’re born with, it’s something we build. It starts by being honest with ourselves: knowing our strengths, our values, and even our fears. When you understand who you are, you stop trying to fit into molds that don’t suit you. That self-awareness becomes a quiet, steady foundation. Real confidence doesn’t need to be loud; it just needs to be real.

One of the biggest obstacles to confidence is the inner critic, the voice that questions your worth or abilities. That voice might always be there, but it doesn’t have to lead. Confidence grows when you take action in spite of fear. Each time you speak up, take a risk, or try something new, you prove to yourself that you’re capable. Even when things don’t go perfectly, the fact that you showed up counts more than you think.

Building confidence also means surrounding yourself with the right people, those who support, challenge, and remind you of what you bring to the table. Prepare when you can, ask for help when you need it, and give yourself credit along the way. Confidence isn’t about perfection or pretending; it’s about showing up as yourself and trusting that’s enough.

The J.O.Y. Project: 

The mission of The J.O.Y. Project is to empower individuals by equipping them with a skill set of self confidence, perseverance and authenticity to navigate life’s academic and personal challenges. 

Through community-building, mentorship, and personal development tools, the project encourages young adults to embrace the journey of growth and rediscover the joy that comes from living true to who they are.

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Olivia Jarrell is the current Miss Greater Columbus (OH). You can find her on her title's Instagram.

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.