Daniela Lima: “My family told me: It’s your time”

Daniela Lima said entering this year's Mrs Gibraltar pageant has fulfilled a lifelong dream after years of building the confidence to step onto the stage. 

Contestant number six said taking part marked a personal milestone following a major lifestyle change that saw her lose 50kg, helping her feel healthier and more confident. She said the pageant represented the next step in a journey of personal development that had transformed how she felt about herself. 

Ms Lima said her grandmother and her two children, aged 20 and 14, had encouraged her to enter the competition after years of telling her the time was right. 

"I was a very big person and I have lost a lot of weight, I have lost 50 kilos, and I look like another person now," she said. 

"They told me, 'It's your time.' I've been waiting for years, but I was never prepared until this year." 

She said the support of her family had given her the confidence to pursue an ambition she had held for many years, adding that she finally felt ready to take part. 

Before joining the pageant, Ms Lima spent 16 years working behind the scenes as a hairdresser and make-up artist, preparing contestants and performers for the stage. 

She said she had always enjoyed working backstage and watching others perform, and that her years of experience had given her an understanding of pageantry and what it takes to appear on stage. 

Although she now works for the Department of Education, she continues to work as a hairdresser for a small number of regular clients. 

Ms Lima said she loved the profession and enjoyed working with clients of all ages. She added that one of the most rewarding aspects of the job was helping people feel better about themselves. 

Despite describing herself as an outgoing person, Ms Lima said appearing in Mrs Gibraltar had helped her overcome a lack of self-confidence. 

"I am very bubbly, but when I have to speak on camera, I become very shy," she said. 

"My confidence was zero, but this pageant has given me a lot of confidence." 

She said taking part had pushed her outside her comfort zone and had helped her become more comfortable speaking in public and in front of the camera. 

Although she admitted she was nervous about appearing in the final show, she said the experience had already changed the way she viewed herself and had left her feeling stronger and more self-assured. 

Asked what advice she would give to other women, Ms Lima encouraged them to believe in themselves and pursue their ambitions, regardless of their circumstances. 

"Every woman has something unique," she said. 

"Whether it's big or small, whatever it is, you have to go for it. It gives you a lot of strength." 

She said she hoped her own experience would encourage other women to take opportunities they may once have thought were beyond them, adding that believing in themselves could open doors they had never imagined. 

"I am fulfilling my dream," she said. 

"I am having a great time and I would encourage other women to do it. You will not regret it."