3 Challenges for 2017

For me, 2016 was full of unexpected challenges; however, now when I think about it, it definitely was for the best. I would like to encourage everyone to spice up their life without waiting until faced with encounters. I consider myself an open-minded person, yet it turned out that there are tons of aspects in life that I was missing out on. They say there is no limit to perfection; well at the end of this year I would like to state that there is no limit to open-mindedness. Below are three challenges I had to face that made me a better, more patient and curious person, that you should try in 2017.

1. Travel to a country where you could see the world unknown to you

When I was 10 years old, I used to tell my mother that I would go to India when I grew up and would volunteer to help out the less fortunate. My mother, being Russian and having a rather close-minded mentality, about had a heart attack every time she heard my speech.

Time passed, and this year (now I’m 28-years-old and make my own decisions on where to travel), I happened to travel to Pakistan. Even though it was not India, I thought there quite a few similarities between those countries. After my trip, I read a book in which the main city described was Bombay, and it was described in so much detail that I built an image in my head, which I then compared to the city Lahore in Pakistan. This trip opened my mind to a completely new world, people and culture. Though I did not got there as a volunteer this time, now I am even more sure that I will keep making a positive influence on people, regardless of the country.

2. Don’t wear makeup for a week

Girls like to be pretty; I guess this is just a consequence from an evolutionary process. Makeup, extensions, perfect nails – we all know that the list can go on and on. However, I have one example in my life that goes against all that, and despite all my love for perfection, I would like to propose a challenge.

My mother, who is now 58 years old, has used makeup approximately 10 times in her entire life. When I was a kid, I was upset that I had nothing to snatch so I could secretly use it; on the other side now, I just truly admire her and her confidence. She has been using face care products all her life, and that was the furthest she ever went.

Let me get to my point, though. Unfortunately, I do not have my mother’s confidence, or the skin perfection either, so I am addicted to all the beauty products out there. Recently, I had to do a health related test, and five days prior to the test I could not use any kind of face care products or makeup. I cannot describe how strange life felt without those extra layers on my face. I felt more naked than I would have felt if I was actually naked. But I realized something: Instead of investing big amounts of money on makeup, we should invest in face care products, to help perfect our skin (I do understand there are some days when we need to cover some things up). I want to encourage all the girls out there have a makeup free week; be strong and get through that week – I have a strong feeling that it will make a positive influence on the way you feel about yourself.

3. Be a better person

One might think this is so easy, or that it does not even have to be mentioned. Well for me, this is a desperate scream out to the world! Yes, for some people it is a challenge to be a truly good person, as sad as it might sound. It makes me extremely upset that I see people being rude to waiters (for no apparent reason), throwing trash out on the street, being impatient with elders and children, being extremely self-centered, wasting natural resources without thinking about consequences, etc. (This list will get very long if I continue).

There is a quote from the novel Don Juan by Tirso de Molina: “For us, nothing is as cheap, and for others, nothing is as expensive as politeness.” This is extremely accurate, yet nowadays very few people use this logic. We are so evolved that we believe the world revolves around us and no one else deserves a good word, compliment, or any other kind gesture for that matter. With everything that is happening in the world these days, there is no better time to act, and to act nicely.

Featured photo credit: Farida Karimova via facebook.com

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