Miss USA and Miss Teen USA advocate for mental health

In a recent turn of events, two prominent pageant winners made headlines, not for their major achievements, but for their courageous decision to step aside from their titles. Noelia Voigt, 24, Miss USA, and UmaSofia Srivastava, 17, Miss Teen USA, both announced their resignations within days of each other, citing the need to prioritize their mental health. Their announcements, made via Instagram, highlight a growing trend among Gen Z individuals: a demand for workplaces that take mental health seriously and prioritize transparency.

These women have both shown immense courage in speaking out about their mental health struggles. Their decision to step away from high-profile roles highlights the importance of mental wellbeing, even in seemingly glamorous environments. This is a wake-up call for organizations across all industries to re-evaluate their approach to employee wellbeing, especially as Generation Z begins to enter the workforce in greater numbers. labor market.

Just think about the immense dedication and hard work that Voigt and Srivastava had to put in to achieve their respective titles of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Winning these pageant crowns isn't just about beauty and poise; it requires an extraordinary level of commitment, perseverance and talent. From hours of practice to perfect their walks and poses to rigorous training in interview and public speaking techniques, these young women have had to invest countless hours to perfect their craft.

While it may seem like these women made these decisions quickly, when someone decides to abandon something they've worked tirelessly on for years, it's never an easy decision. However they arrived at their decisions, it didn't happen overnight. That's why it's important to always be aware of your mental and emotional health, both at home and at work.

How do you know when it's time to quit your job and prioritize your mental health?

Throughout your career, there will be times when you understand very clearly that it is time to look for another job. There will be other times when you debate whether or not to leave for months. Don't worry if you realize you are in the second group. Sometimes it takes us a little longer to realize something that's right in front of us.

Here are some signs that your job is taking a toll on your mental health:

1. Your confidence has taken a hit

Before, you were at the forefront. No one could stop you after college. You were going to take the world by storm. Today: Meh. You don't think you can do much.

2. You question yourself a lot more

You question everything: “A salad for lunch? No sandwiches. No burgers. No salad is better. You used to be so decisive, but now you doubt yourself.

3. You don't do much on the weekends

You're exhausted on Friday. You don't have the energy to do much Friday night. On Saturday you sleep because you are very tired and on Sunday you have to run errands and prepare for the week ahead. You simply don't have time for a social life.

4. You are no longer as ambitious as before

You ask yourself, “Do I really want to be at the top of my field?” Maybe I don't need to be CEO?

5. You no longer consume content in your field

You've never really been a reader… have you? Nobody reads books yet. You don't need to consume content to stay up to date with the latest trends.

6. You feel a little sick all the time

You wish you could stop going to work or that your company had unlimited PTO.

7. You don't believe things will get better

Nothing went as planned, so why would it work?

8. You have a pit in your stomach all the time

This is what adulthood looks like in a nutshell…fear.

9. You are so hard on yourself that you don't even realize it

That voice in your head has become your new norm. You're so used to talking negatively to yourself that you don't realize how much these words are hurting you and your self-esteem.

10. You know you need to go to therapy, but you don't.

Usually, by the time people start therapy, they know that they should have started much earlier. It's scary opening up to someone new and having to admit things about yourself that you don't want to admit. Even though being stuck isn't fun, it's a discomfort you're comfortable with, so it's easier than dealing with a new type of discomfort.

Competition winners typically spend an entire year promoting their cause and creating positive change in the world, but Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava both did something incredibly brave. They were willing to sacrifice something they had worked very hard to achieve because their mental health is more important and may have created more change in one day than they could have in twelve months.

The greatest impact these women had was embodying and being the change they wanted to see in the world. Instead of posting about their “perfect life” on social media or talking about the importance of mental health, they did the hardest thing anyone can do; they decided to take risks and “belong to themselves”.

There's a Maya Angelou quote from an interview she did with Bill Moyers: “You are only free when you realize that you don't belong anywhere – you belong anywhere – in no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great. This quote has been analyzed and interpreted in various ways. Belonging means different things to different people, but true belonging is belonging to yourself. Do things that you're proud of and be willing to sometimes be the only one in the room to stand up and say, “Something isn't working and I'm not happy.” »

It seems the rest of the world has noticed: good mental health is the best title you can get.