“MY STRUGGLES weren’t external but rather internal, it was my own doubts and fears and the constant pressure I put on myself,” said beauty queen Gheneza Marie M. Mueller as she shared her journey in building her confidence.
Fondly called as Nesa, the 20-year-old head turner began in the beauty tourism industry as a reluctant pageant candidate.
“In high school I was a shy girl. I was extremely shy and very introverted that I wouldn’t even raise my hand in class with the fear of being in the spotlight. Honestly, I never saw myself as one who would join pageants, but I was always very appreciative of it from afar. In 2018 after a tough personal experience, I had made the decision to no longer put barriers between me and my dreams and to just pursue them. I represented my barangay in the Isbing Sang Sinulog and the rest was history,” she said.
Nesa added that she was blessed to have a strong support from people around her. “When I was first starting out in pageantry, there were not much people who criticized me, but rather people around me were very supportive especially from my hometown. My struggles weren’t external but rather internal, it was my own doubts and fear and the constant pressure I put on myself.”
One of her defining moments she said was being in the top 10 during Lin ay Sang Negros 2018.
“My experience from Lin ay Sang Negros taught me how to be resilient, and how to keep pushing forward and setting new goals for myself. I will always consider my experience, lessons, and realizations from it as one of my life’s defining wins,” Nesa fondly recalled.
Born with a German father, Nesa wears many feathers on her cap. She was crowned Lin ay Sang Kabankalan 2018, Miss FEDACTS (Federation of Accounting Technologists) Negros Occidental Chapter, Miss Paraw Regatta 2019 Cultural Queen of Western Visayas and Miss Silka Bacolod 2019.
Pride of Kabankalan
“As a representative of Kabankalan during Lin ay Sang Negros 2018, whenever I look at my sash I do not only see it as mere letters, but rather as a pride that I can be the window of a true Kabankalanon’s character to other people. I am proud not only of our clean city, wondrous tourist spots and cultural richness, but also of a Kabankalanon’s distinct character and mindset of always seeking for growth thus making the city as one of the most progressive cities in Negros,” she said.
Nesa proudly shared that Kabankalan is rich in culture as seen on its yearly festivities like the Sinulog sa Kabankalan and Udyakan Festival. It boasts its cleanliness, richness of culture and famous tourist spots like Balicaocao Highland Resort and the very famous crystal blue waters of the Mag-aso Falls. Its beauty is not only seen on its surroundings but also in its people, as Kabankalanons are very friendly, peace-loving and hardworking.
“For me what makes my city distinct from the rest is that it is the perfect fusion of rich cultural heritage from our ancestors and the colonialism of Spain and modern civilized progress.”
Eco-warrior
Recently graduated at Southland College of Kabankalan City with the bachelor’s degree in Accounting Technology, Nesa forges her influence by being an environmental warrior.
“I believe that Western Visayas and the region of Panay is tremendously blessed with an environment with rich marine biodiversity which made us a thriving region. With that, my advocacy is the preservation and restoration of clean sea shores - to help the ecological state of our seas and to protect the livelihood of our beloved fisherfolks.
I have done coastal cleanup in the shores of the Municipality of Cauayan which also encouraged the children of the fisherfolk near these shores to pick up the trash and maintain its state of cleanliness,” she said.
When asked what her long term goal is, Nesa said she has always wanted to be businesswoman.
“From a young age, I have always been a business minded person, thus the reason why I took up a business course - I still remember back in the early years of high school that it was my dream to front the cover of a Business/Entrepreneur Magazine.
Now moving forward in my early adulthood, I have realized the power that social media has. I have a strong desire for social media marketing and influencing and how this platform will soon dominate those platforms we had growing up. It is my dream to incorporate a successful business with a strong social media marketing campaign.”
Nesa shared 3 lessons she learned along the way:
1. The first lesson that I learned is truly to let God handle everything and to never stop praying. When we work hard for something and it doesn’t go our way, keep praying. When things are going good for us, still pray. His plans are always bigger.
2. Second lesson is bravery. We need to be brave for our dreams, we need to cultivate strength in order to put ourselves out there, even if it seems scary and out of reach. When I feel scared I would just think of my 13 year old shy self and how much I want to make her proud.
3. Last one is humility. No matter what happens in life always remain grounded. There is nothing more beautiful than a humble and meek heart.
“As a person who was once shy, introverted, and scared, I hope my experience inspires others that it is never too late to change for the better, and if you work and pray hard you will get there. I am still shy and introverted, but I am now a little bit braver. I would like to serve as an inspiration for people like me. Becoming a positive inspiration is how I want to be remembered,” she added.
Nesa has passion for photography and the interest in studying the algorithm of various social media platforms. She exercises regularly to feel stronger and happier, and she plays soccer for sports.
Indeed, seasoned through time and experiences, Nesa Mueller is becoming brave.