Hi everyone! I am Nicole Ashley Kawahara, your Miss Oahu Filipina 2019.
I am so honored, blessed, and ecstatic to serve our Filipino Community. As you all may or may not know, I am very passionate about wellness. Whether that be physical, mental, or emotional, I believe that all forms of wellness are important for a person to function at their best self.
A couple of years ago, I decided that I really wanted to change for the better. I could feel myself fall into this pit of negativity. I started looking online for people that would be more positive, people that I could relate to more. The power of social media!
"...all forms of wellness are important for a person to function at their best self."
I started looking on how I could improve myself physically, first. As a Fashion Major, I know that if I look my best, then I’d start to feel it too. That started my whole journey with eating more plant-based. When I learned about the environmental and social impact my diet had on this beautiful planet we call home, I knew I had to make a change. I slowly cut out red meat, then meat altogether, and then dairy. Watching documentaries like Fork Over Knives and Earthlings really opened my eyes, and once the blindfold is off, it is impossible to ignore the impact we have on this Earth.
From there, I started doing more of a mental and emotional detox. Why was I being so negative, and how could I stop this cycle? These kinds of things are hard to get out of. The physical cycles are easier to break. As one of my favorite Youtubers, Annie Jaffrey says in one of her many positive, uplifting videos: “Your mind is like a garden. You have to tend to it. And sometimes you plant good seeds but weeds still come through.
It’s constant work to be positive, to have a positive mind filled with beautiful thoughts. It doesn’t come easy.” Hearing that helped me a lot. Mental wellness isn’t easy. I have to make an effort everyday to not talk negatively about myself. To look at things with a positive light, and to be that positive light for people. When I started my mental detox, I could see that it started to ripple into my emotional well-being. I am able to be there for others, and be their positive light when their light starts to dim.
Looking back at my journey with wellness, I can definitely say it wasn’t easy and I’m still learning. Learning how to be the best person I can be, learning how to grow positive thoughts, and learning how to plant good seeds in other people. That is my passion, and what I want to be remembered for on this journey as Miss Oahu Filipina. By being the best person I can be, I want to plant little seeds of self-love and positivity in this community, to have a community where everyone has a voice, and everyone is valid. It is a change that I believe is important, and can only start from within.
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