No excuses: "Sometimes, when it seems that everything is over, everything is just beginning" - interview with Ksenia Bezuglova

Recently a guest of our special project was the model Nastya Vinogradova. In her interview, she mentioned that she participated in an international beauty contest for girls with disabilities, something like disability - "Miss World". It turned out that the winner of this competition was the Russian woman Ksenia Bezuglova.

Naturally, we could not pass by this event, and today one of the most beautiful girls on the planet, Ksenia Bezuglova, is the heroine of the special project "No Excuses".

- Hi, Ksenia! Glad to see you in our special project. Thank you for taking the time to talk.

- Hi, Nastya. I will be happy to answer your questions.

- The first of them is already traditional - tell us about your childhood.

- I was born in the city of Leninsk-Kuznetsky (Kemerovo region). But I don't remember life there, because when I was still very young, I was 1 year old, my parents and I moved to Primorye. Mom and Dad are geologists, and they wanted to live in a more interesting place. Therefore, all my adult life, until the age of 23, I have lived in the city of Vladivostok.

- Where did you study and what did you do in Vladivostok?

- Like everyone else, at first she went to school, while at the same time she went to the school theater group, and also attended the theater studio of the puppet theater.

After school she entered the institute. There I met my future husband. We started dating as a student, and after graduation we got married. And immediately flew to Moscow.

- What is your specialty?

- My first education in economics, and the second, which I received already in the capital, at the Plekhanov Academy, is more connected with strategic marketing, since after graduating from the institute I went to work in the media business.

Before and after

- Ksenia, how did you get into the “category” of people with disabilities?

- Accident.

- What helped not to break down, to adapt?

“The“baggage”accumulated even before the injury helped - it is a reliable“frame”of a strong loving family, reliable friends, proper upbringing and attitude to life. All this gave me the strength to meet a new life with dignity.

Plus, at that time, I was pregnant. And pregnancy is such a state that does not allow you to relax for a moment. There is no time to think that life has collapsed - you only think that you have a baby, he is growing, developing and will soon be born.

- What does it mean for you not to look for any excuses?

- Whatever happens in life, it is useless to make excuses and blame something. When trouble happens in your life, then, one way or another, inside yourself you remain alone with it. It all depends on how you perceive what happened. There is no point in looking for the guilty, thinking why it all happened, why do I need it. You just need to accept it with dignity and, without making excuses, live happily.

- It happened gradually. Back in Vladivostok, I worked in the field of "gloss", and from time to time I was invited to various shows and shootings. But I did not consider and did not call myself a model or a photo model - they just called me, I was filming.

The same thing began to happen in Moscow. I worked (and still work) in a large international publishing house, under the auspices of which many different projects are carried out. And I was sometimes attracted to some of them as a model.

And after the injury, everything turned out somehow by accident. First, she starred to advertise a new model of strollers in the Overcoming rehabilitation center. Then he was invited to participate in the BezgranizCouture design competition. Perhaps this was the first experience of appearing on a wheelchair on the podium in front of a huge number of people and lenses of photo and video cameras. A year later, I again took part in this event, and became the face of this international fashion competition for people with disabilities. I support this project because I believe that it shakes up the public very coolly, attracts the attention of various influential people and organizations, and liberates people with disabilities themselves.

- Were there any complexes before public speaking? Did you have to overcome yourself?

- Probably not. Indeed, by the time I appeared on the podium, I already had some kind of inner peace. Perhaps I was a little embarrassed, but when I saw the reaction of the audience, I realized that everything was fine.

In general, the stupor in front of healthy people disappears gradually. Complexes disappear as a person becomes socialized and self-actualized. This is the same inner sense of self, who you feel: a disabled person who sits on someone's neck, or a person who is able to help other people. If you constantly communicate with people and do something for them, all fears gradually pass.

And self-confidence did not come to me right away. When I first appeared in public, it seemed to me that the whole world was looking at me, and now I don't even pay attention to it.

Now I watch my friends and familiar wheelchair users and see that they, too, get rid of their complexes when they crawl out of their shell and spend some time in an unusual environment. After all, when we first come to the institute, we are also afraid of everything, and after a year we know everything and are not surprised at anything. Therefore, the main mistake people make after an injury is that they sit in their apartments for years (!). I always advise everyone: go to theaters, go to cafes, visit public places, do not waste time, do not sit at home.

No. 7 is No. 1

- Ksenia, please tell us about the Modelle & Rotelle competition? How did you become Miss World?

- Modelle & Rotelle is an international high fashion runway and beauty pageant for girls in wheelchairs. International organizations of people with disabilities equate this competition with "Miss World", as it is the only international competition for girls with disabilities today. It was invented and organized by Fabrizio Bortochioni, director of Vertical AlaRoma, he himself is a wheelchair user, so he perfectly understands how difficult and important it is for a girl to feel beautiful in such a position. Therefore, Modelle & Rotelle is more of a fashion competition. And it is no coincidence that it takes place in Italy, a country that has given the world high fashion.

The competition itself is organized at a very high level. It takes place in three stages, three exits: quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals. After each stage, the participants are eliminated, at the end there are 5 girls, among whom the winner is chosen. I came out with number 7. The jury consists of representatives of international public organizations, the Italian government, eminent couturiers and other respected persons.

- How did you get into this competition?

- I didn’t even know that I would participate in it, and that I was taken away somewhere. I was on a long trip abroad, and when I returned, I found out that a friend had sent my photos and videos to the casting. Therefore, upon arrival, I was simply informed that I would need to go to Italy, to represent Russia.

In principle, I did not think long. The Independence Foundation (the only organization that helps disabled adults in wheelchairs) financed the trip, so I ended up in Italy, completely unexpectedly for myself.

But for me it was all for fun. You know, they often write in the press that I have some sort of modeling career, but in fact, all this happens somehow very spontaneously. Here I was told that it was necessary to support Russia, and I went, just for the company.

Even my mother did not know that I was going to this competition. I was even somehow ashamed to tell my relatives about this: I am already in my thirties, and I still travel around beauty contests. But it turns out that at 30 you can become a queen.:)

- So you weren't aiming for the crown?

- Absolutely not. A few seconds before they told me that I won, I sat backstage and rummaged in my phone, and did not even think about who made it to the final.

- How did you feel when they put the crown on you?

- I didn't believe it! And I didn't really understand anything. Before going on stage, a girl with whom we worked together bent over to me and whispered to me with happy eyes full of tears: “Ksenia, you are queen”. I didn't believe it. And then she looked back - there really was no one behind me. Then the administrator came up, ordered “Go!”, And I flew to the stage.

It is an incomparable feeling when a Russian girl in a dress from Couture receives a crown. This is great! It was worth getting into this competition to experience these strong emotions and see so many beautiful and strong women from all over the world.

Inspiration

- What gives you the title of one of the most beautiful women on the planet?

- Inspiration to inspire other people. Before that, I just had a humble desire to do something for girls with disabilities. For example, in the center "Overcoming" I came up with the "School of Beauty". But it was somehow frivolous … And now I have confidence, inner strength.

Although I use my title for the most part only to appeal to the authorities when I incline them for some projects. And it works. Previously, it was possible to fight for many years, but now it is enough to send a press release and some movement begins.

- What are you doing now in terms of work?

- Social activities. Working on projects for wheelchair users. Some ideas come to my mind, some to my colleagues. For example, we got a great tandem with Artem Moiseenko. Last year we spent the winter in Phuket and organized a beach for the disabled there. The fact is that in Thailand the beaches are not at all adapted for swimming for disabled people. We got a meeting with the provincial governor, held it, received official permission and enlisted his support. Phuket is now accessible to people with disabilities.

After that, it turned out to organize the same thing in Moscow. After all, we also have wonderful beaches in forest park zones, including those approved by the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare. I developed a project and presented it to the Moscow Government. Received the support of the prefect of the northern district - now the beach "Levoberezhny" is accessible for disabled people.

But most importantly, I want to organize an All-Russian beauty contest for girls with disabilities. Now all forces are directed there. I would like other girls to receive such emotions and such a change in life that I experienced.

- When is the competition planned?

- We wanted it this year, but it doesn't work. It seems that everyone likes the project and the Government supports it, but, apparently, the general financial crisis, which everyone is talking about now, is having an effect. I hope that everything will come true next year.

- What are the selection criteria for the contestants?

- It's a difficult question. It is difficult to somehow "judge" a woman who finds herself in a difficult life situation. But I think that there should still be an age limit. In addition, the girl should be in more or less athletic form.

- Do you think generally accepted beauty standards apply in this case?

- Of course applicable. I think we should set an example that a girl in a wheelchair can stay fit.

I can't say that I just stay skinny. It is much more difficult in a wheelchair than in a healthy woman. Fitness is turning into a serious challenge. I have my own coach, his main task is to put me on my feet, but from the colossal efforts that have to be made, cubes appear on my stomach.

Of course, it's easier to grow your belly and put on weight, because a sedentary lifestyle. But you need to keep yourself in shape.

Therefore, beauty standards apply to girls in wheelchairs. I'm not saying that there will be a very strict selection - 90x60x90, but the figure that is being watched is always visible.

- Ksenia, what helps you look so stunning?

- Love. When you love yourself, the world, love your husband and want to be the best, then there are always means for this.

- What do you dream about?

- Of course, I dream of getting back on my feet. I dream of having another child. I dream of living somewhere on the seashore, because I grew up by the sea and I am drawn to it.

But when you are engaged in social activities, it becomes difficult to separate personal dreams and "social". Therefore, I really want the situation with respect to people with disabilities to change throughout our country, at least at the same level as in Moscow.

After all, people have been sitting within four walls for years. Recently in Vladivostok, I met a girl who had not left her apartment for 7 years. She lived on the 5th floor without an elevator, with only her mother, and got into the stroller at such an age when she did not have time to acquire a frame of reliable friends. She had no one to help her.

When I see this, I still cannot dream of something. I want the situation to change, so that a leap to a new level occurs in our civilization, so that disabled people can go out, work, have children, take them to kindergarten and school; so that people with disabilities are full members of society and people do not have fear of them.

- Ksenia, at the end, according to the already established tradition, wish something to the readers of Lifehacker.

- I wish, no matter what happens in life, never and never look for no excuses … Make excuses as little as possible. Is there a problem? Yes, sometimes. But maybe this is not the end, but only the beginning? I wish just such an understanding of life: when it seems that everything is over, everything has collapsed, try to imagine that everything is just beginning and let it begin. Do not fade out in your inner world, but open it up to those around you. Make yourself enjoy life, love the world, love people and be sure to love yourself.