As a beauty queen with purpose, Anntonia Porsild says she has never given up on moving forward.
Speaking at the Bangkok Post Women Vision Forum 2024, the first runner-up of Miss Universe 2023 inspired the audience with her views on women’s voices focussed on integrity and making a difference.
As a beauty queen, she was given a platform to be a voice for change that was not only about herself but for the entire country.
But she recalled that when she won Miss Supranational in 2019, instances of random hatred towards her on social media were so much that she questioned her worthiness.
Although she was confident in her potential and strength, she wondered if her success was determined solely by her looks.
She later made it her mission to go beyond the standards of a beauty queen, something that was inspired by her mother, who always taught her to give back.
Ms Anntonia started her foundation 11 years ago to help the underprivileged, especially children with disabilities.
“The joy of giving to people in need is something I like to share with my fans and followers,” she said.
Intending to bring a third crown to Thailand, she competed in the Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador. Although she did not win the top crown, she told herself she could still do anything a Miss Universe could do — proudly giving back and inspiring society.
“If I am meant for the crown, it will come my way. If not, it will be a lesson learned because everything comes with winning and losing. It is absolutely up to us how we react to that loss,” she said.
“I can still give back to the community and inspire people around the world. Why should I limit myself just because I did not have the crown and sash?
“Winning comes in different shapes and forms. It is all about our mindset and how we choose to grow from opportunities and setbacks.
“I am glad that I did not [win] because if it came that easily, I would not be able to push myself to who I am today and to be able to stand here and inspire so many people about the pros of losing.”
She added that disappointments helped shape her character for who she is today and how to move forward.
“Don’t let the losses determine which direction to go in life. Always have a positive mindset because, in the end, negativity is a waste of time, and our lives are so short,” she said.
“If we spend time worrying about our past, those failures or what we could have done, we become blinded and miss other opportunities that are coming ahead of us.”