A Piece of Amanda's Story
Meet Amanda Soltero, a retired beauty pageant competitor from Nebraska taking on the next phase of life through coaching and empowering women through fitness! Be inspired to have the determination she had to make a huge career change. And don't miss the advice she has to give, she is truly an inspiration!
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO RIGHT NOW?
Right now, I am sitting in a hotel room in Seattle, Washington, watching Friends.
WHAT'S YOUR DAILY ROUTINE TYPICALLY LOOK LIKE ON A WEEKDAY?
My weekdays vary depending on where I am! I’m constantly traveling with my boyfriend Jake for his job, so it just depends if we are at his “home base” in Dallas, on the road when he is playing in different cities, or if I am home in Nebraska.
When I’m in Nebraska my typical day goes like this: I wake up usually around 9am to my dog staring at me waiting to go outside. I take him out, feed him, then make myself a Shakeology nutrition shake. My favorite kind is Chocolate Shakeology with peanut butter, banana and spinach added. After that, I sit down at the kitchen table, grab my laptop and check in with my current fitness challengers (I run monthly online accountability groups for healthy eating and daily exercise). I also check in with my business partners and help them strategize for their own online fitness businesses and sometimes have conference calls or video chats with them. From there, I head downstairs to get my daily 30 minute workout done. Then, I’ll make myself lunch, eat, and usually start making what will be my dinner meal, I loooove using my crockpot for different recipes, so those have to sit for usually at least 4 hours. I’ll continue to return emails and messages about fitness related questions and take my dog, Tucker, out to play. By then, it’s time to sit down for dinner and turn on my boyfriend’s game. Once he gets home, or back to his hotel room, we Facetime (which our dog LOVES, I swear he knows he’s talking to his dad lol), and then head to bed!
When on the road: Jake plays baseball for the Texas Rangers, so the day is pretty similar to when I’m home in Nebraska, just flipped around a little. Jake doesn’t head to work until about 1-2:00, so we usually spend the morning running errands, walking around the cities we are in, shopping, or getting lunch. Once he goes to the field, that’s when I start to get my work done (same routine as above) and get my workout in. After that it’s time for me to get ready and go to his game. We usually end the night watching a movie or getting a late dinner.
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES AS MISS NEBRASKA USA!
My experience as Miss Nebraska USA was amazing! It really is such a growing experience and something you only get one chance to do. I got to travel the state of Nebraska for different types of appearances, and really help make a difference in my community! I also then went on to compete for the nationally televised title of Miss USA! There I made the Top 15 and got to compete in swimwear on live TV! Talk about a crazy and exciting opportunity!
WHAT INITIALLY INSPIRED YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN PAGEANT COMPETITION? HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN PAGEANTRY?
I haven’t always wanted to do pageants. I wasn’t one of those little girls in glitz pageants every weekend. My first one wasn’t until my senior year of high school, when I competed for the title of Miss Nebraska Teen USA. I had never seen myself as brave enough to compete in a pageant, I hardly even knew how to walk in heels or do my own makeup! My mom encouraged me to try it after I was going through a period where I just felt a little lost in life. I ended up winning and went on to compete at the national Miss Teen USA pageant. From there, I took off 4 years of pageantry and went to college. I decided my senior year of college to compete for Miss Nebraska USA, since I didn’t know if I would be moving out of Nebraska after graduation. I ended up winning that as well, went on to compete at Miss USA and from there I have totally retired! ;)
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A PAGEANT AND FITNESS COACH?
With fitness coaching, I just love being able to help people! I love helping other women feel beautiful. I love empowering women to go for their goals and achieve their wildest dreams! I love when I get messages from women saying I’ve helped them feel better than they ever have, and that they see a new confidence in themselves. That’s so important to me and I feel so lucky that I get to do that as my JOB!
ARE THERE ANY OBSTACLES THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO FACE IN YOUR CAREER? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM?
Totally! First of all, my degree is in Journalism, which clearly has nothing to do with health and fitness! I spent my college days studying, practicing, and praying for a career as a TV reporter. After graduation, I accepted a job at a local news station in Lincoln, Nebraska as a reporter/producer. As my first year in the position went on, I started realizing I didn’t see myself doing this for the rest of my life, which was soo terrifying. I mean, I spent time, effort, money, on becoming a journalist and now I’m just going to throw it away? It’s scary to think you know exactly where you want your life to go, and then that changes and you aren’t entirely sure where to go next. I just decided that life is short and being stuck somewhere you don’t want to be is a really sucky feeling. I looked myself in the mirror and knew I could do something I’m more passionate about, regardless of the work it took to get there. Now looking back, it made me get out of my comfort zone, go for a future I knew I could make for myself whether it made sense to those around me or not, and be PROUD of it.
HOW DO YOU REPRESENT THE TRAIT DETERMINED? DO YOU SEE YOUR DETERMINED PERSONALITY TRANSLATED IN THE WORK YOU ARE DOING NOW?
The word determined more than describes what I’m doing now! I started and am building my own fitness coaching business from the ground up. That takes extreme determination because not every day is a walk in the park. Are there days I want to throw in the towel? Of course. But, does my determination outweigh my doubts? ABSOLUTELY. I’m a very driven person and I don’t like to stop until I achieve what I’m set out to do. I showed that firsthand while competing in pageants. When I would decide I was going for it, I would leave no stone unturned because my determination was that strong. Whether I’m determined to better myself, to better others, to build a business, to win a pageant crown, to be more confident, to travel the world, I’m going to do it with every fiber in my being!
ASIDE FROM BEING DETERMINED, WHAT ARE THREE OTHER PERSONALITY TRAITS THAT DESCRIBE YOURSELF AND HOW SO?
Compassionate, Confident, Ambitious
Compassionate: I truly care for others, friend, foe or stranger. I want the best for others. I want them to see the best in themselves. I want to be a friend a friend would love to have. I try to do everything I can to show my loved ones I care for them.
Confident: Confidence is a trait I don’t think I have always been. Over the last few years, I’ve become more confident in my personal life, in my work life and in my day to day life. I know the confidence sets the tone for every action you take in your life. If you’re confident in yourself and what you have to offer, you’ll always go for that career opportunity, that guy you’ve been wanting to talk to, that outfit you long to wear to a night on the town! It’s so important.
Ambitious: This goes along with determination. I’m ambitious because I’m determined to reach all of my bucket list goals. I have a strong desire to build a life for myself that I can be proud of. I’m driven to help others be their best self at all times.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?
My biggest inspiration is my mom. She is a total boss babe in the office and a total boss when it comes to running our family. She never lets any obstacles stand in her path. When I was younger, she was in an airplane crash where she broke her back, and a few ribs. Most people, would not have the desire to do things out of their comfort zone after such a traumatizing event like that. My mom has ran multiple half marathons and now flies on airplanes every single month for her job! She always taught me, “It’s not what happens it you, it’s how you respond to it.” I try to live my life like that and live my life like she does.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND GOALS? WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW?
Five years from now I see myself married with a child. Eeeek that’s crazy! I see myself running a huge fitness coaching empire, having helped hundreds of women and counting! I see myself still pushing to reach new goals and pushing to keep growing my business with as much enthusiasm as I have now. I think I’ll still be living in Nebraska (only in baseball off season of course) and with maybe a few more dogs :)
WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE TO ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN ABOUT BEING DETERMINED?
I would say don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Have the confidence and determination to prove people wrong and go for your wildest dreams. Even if nobody else can see the end result, if you can, be determined enough to make it happen! Bring out your inner boss babe and don’t stop until you get what you want. Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, YOU’RE RIGHT.
Check out more from Amanda below!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Instagram
Email: asoltero.coaching@gmail.com