For those of you that don´t know who Rachel Greene is, I will make it clear to you once and for all! Rachel Greene is this beautiful character from one of the most famous series worldwide called “Friends”! She doesn’t have a profession, but she is rich and beautiful (she got a nose job-don´t forget that fact) but not everyone has that same luck.

So, when does her real-life start? Well just right after she leaves Barry at the altar and she cut all her credit cards, then she started this completely new life, from trained for nothing she achieves and becomes one of the most successful managers at Ralph Lauren in a couple of years, and not only that  but she becomes a mom as well, with the one person she really loved, so she achieved all that because she chose to do something, and she did something!

To start a completely new life is scary, actually it’s a terrifying adventure but worth it in every step. To become someone independent and useful is something most people struggle with all life, so that´s why you should be careful not to waste your time, but to use it wisely, to gain new things every day, a lesson, a memory, a skill! Everyone has the power do that and every day is a new chance for you, for me, for everyone to start over or to start fresh.

The start is the hardest step but once you step in, you cannot get out without fulfilling all your goals so go on, start doing something, start becoming someone. Let it be today. Let it be tomorrow or even after tomorrow, just don´t wait too long you might lose the window…

But how can you, we do all that?

The key is starting to know yourself even if you think you´re are way too old to do that, or even if you think you know every cell of your mind and heart, it is like the process of blood cells, if it starts to end you are in danger, but knowing yourself is a journey that ends when you lose the skill to think or the desire to become better, or to achieve something more!

So this is the beginning of every power to know yourself and find where you belong, and to find your window or windows to achieve great things. But the beginning is only the first stone in the wall. After that starts the hard road, starts the complication of building, creating, of working, of giving everything and still failing but that´s the beauty of life, the lesson: To never give up, and to never leave unless there is something brighter for you and the community that surrounds you!

 So how do we start to know ourselves?

We try things we know very good from inside-out, things we think ourselves of as masters, things we think can make them work, things we know and we are not afraid to show that we know better! This is the best part or side, then you should start doing things you might not like so much or dislike, like getting a seasonal job, doing chores you do not like, learning how to cook, clean, respect rules and make space for everyone! You might have to work in a job you hate but it is better than becoming a burden for your family, couple or someone else. You might have to do some tasks or decisions that go all against your beliefs but that´s life, you must gain the skill to compromise!

After all that you start working with goals, objectives and priorities! But before all this you need to decide which are the things, the skills you need for a job, for a new position at your firm, and which ones you want to learn as a hobby, so if you do this you´ve framed your goals as well, at the same time!

After you frame your goals it is time to put everything in, the passion, the time, the love, the effort, the hard work and everything that might be needed! If it is needed you will have to sacrifice some things as well but you have to put in balance what is more important to you, so make sure the path you choose will make you happy as well!

Three main things when you develop yourself, get to know yourself, and get to do all the above are:

Seasonal jobs - It is one of those experiences that you get enriched by day by day, depending from the job sometimes you get even healthier, but you will get exhausted every day, but the feeling of earning something (salary, compliments, gifts, reviews) it rewards everything you will feel some kind of heaven in hell!

Internships - are the best way to get new skills or improve that, and it is one of the first steps to be a real professional, you get to know how the system works, how the hierarchy in the office works, what is your place there, you get to know new people, have fun, enjoy a new phase of your life and experience a different view and perspective of life after studies or in the middle of them! So, it is the start to prove the expression: If you think your teacher was hard wait till you get an internship or a job- but do not be afraid- some things are meant to be learned the hard way.

Volunteering – Well, there are different ways of volunteering, different areas of interests and of course different ways of doing it or taking action but all the ways are brought together with one main reason or intention: To do good, to make a change, to make it better, to help, to bring good emotions and most importantly to immerse yourself into the process and reaching some outcomes and values from all that.

But why is volunteering important? Because of three main reasons. One, because you actually get to be a part of these amazing things, part of a group, part of fun, part of a community and part of the difference! Two, you get to create a lot of things and challenge, it doesn´t matter how you challenge yourself, but the important thing is that you challenge yourself, and the part of creation is the most important during the time of volunteering you get to create friendships, tools, memories, a new nest, and a new perspective of seeing life. Three, you create a network so you can start a cooperation, a project anytime, because you get to know so many professionals that are ready to help, collaborate and work with you, and actually if you are lucky enough you find people who will care for you for a long time, and it is better a friend than a treasure, trust me, I speak from experience!

Don´t wait too long, do something, become someone, start the process; get involved! Be the next Rachel!

Adrian Zalla
WB6volunteer