Madeleine Wahdan

Two years ago today, my life changed in a way I never saw coming.

The job, the home, the future I had built was gone, just like that. I had to pack up, move back down south, start again from scratch and figure out how to rebuild when everything felt like it was falling apart.

That time was not easy. And I don’t think I would have got through it without my family, my friends, and something that has been part of my life for years: pageantry. Not because it saved me or suddenly appeared, but because the women, the confidence, and the community I have been involved in for so long reminded me of who I was when I really needed it. It kept me going when everything else felt like it was disappearing.

Fast forward two years, and my life looks nothing like it did back then. I am living in a new city. I'm around so many people who bring out the best in me. I work in a completely new industry. I am the happiest I have ever been with someone really great. And just yesterday, I interviewed for a title that the old me genuinely didn’t believe she was good enough for @missuniversegb , and now I feel ready, capable and excited to take it on, if I am lucky enough to make it through to the next round and ultimately win the crown.

I used to wish that what happened never happened. Now I can honestly say I am grateful for it. If things hadn’t fallen apart, I don’t think I would be here, on this new path that feels more “me” than anything I was holding onto before.

Sometimes life forces a reroute because we are too scared to take it ourselves. And looking back now, I am glad it did. 🤍✨