I learned that I have a capacity and a natural knack for initiating and building relationships and networks.

I learned that I have the capacity to lead and to inspire others to see my vision and want to share in it.

I learnt that I don’t know all the answers and that achieving control over all factors of your life is impossible.

I learned how to pick my battles and when to just let go and let certain things slide.

I learned that people would not always see things your way and that sometimes even your very best efforts will be misconstrued.

I learned that everybody has an agenda, a reason why they do the things they do and that not all agendas are pure or for the greater good.

I also learned that you will not always be able to avoid the people whose agendas you do not trust, that you have to separate the things that you need to achieve your objective from the person who you need to achieve your goals.

I learned that there is a certain freedom in letting go and letting GOD. I learnt how to improvise, to make snap decisions on the spot, to come up with creative alternatives when things don’t quite go the way that you have planned it.

I learnt that not everyone operates well under pressure and that on a team you have a combination of different personalities and you have to learn how to deal with each.

I learnt that you cannot take yourself too seriously or else you’ll have a heart attack every time something does not go your way.

I learnt that a friendship based on trust and mutual respect is the best outcome of an interaction.

I learnt that the best place to explore your talents is within the bosom of a supportive community who will lovingly correct you when you make mistakes.

I learnt that volunteering gives you valuable skill sets that are transferable to corporate work experiences and can help you figure out what you want to do with your life.

So my advice, get involved in an organisation that supports a cause you are interested in and give of your time and talents lavishly for you will reap the benefits after. You may even discover a talent that you never know that you had. Additionally you never know when the relationships/networks that you create are going to come in handy in your future career. And when you have that career, don’t stop volunteering because now its your turn to pay it forward to the next ‘mini you’ fifteen years ago.