Opportunities come in different forms, and grasping the moment is all on you. I’m the type of person that loves challenges and trying new things. I always try to do the opposite of what people expect me to do. I took that one crazy chance three years ago when I left a paying job to volunteer at one of the best NGO’s in Namibia. I had taken an opportunity that many saw as a mistake I made, as I simply became a volunteer.

Three years down the line, and I am still volunteering at Lifeline Childline as a counsellor and administrator. The question I get asked a lot, is how I am fine and always happy and smiling doing a job I don’t get paid for? Time and time again my answer remains the same, “Money is not everything”  I find my happiness in the little things I do and with those around me. It’s in the moments I spend with the people I care about and the knowledge I gain. I find the work I do to be rewarding and the opportunity to grow each day as a stepping stone towards my dreams.

Not only am I happy, working there, but I have met some great people and established some great relationships and gained knowledge beyond any grasp. I have a mentor that is one of a kind and beyond what words can describe. That has led to my personal growth and me dealing with issues I thought were not important. I have seen life in a way I never thought I would and through different eyes. One lesson I have learned is that we all get one chance to live and make the choices, whether we are ready to take the risk or not, especially in a world where everyone is so goal oriented and competitive.

I recently spoke to one of my closest friend and mentor Bernardus Harageib, who is not just wise beyond his years but the most kind and humble person I have ever met in my life and has a bit of weird and crazy in (the good kind) and what he said to me was a philosophy I think most people should adopt.

He said if you are going to live life, be unapologetic, and be extraordinary and if you want to achieve the wonderful things in life, start with the little. If you want to set goals for yourself, you have to calibrate your goals based on your birthday. A lot of people make the mistake of setting “new year resolutions”, only to not follow through on them. Rather let your new year start with your birthday and that way you can measure your milestones better and when you set it, do in such a way that it doesn’t strain you, rather take it week by week as that will motivate you to do more by the next week. Also travel a lot, and spend time alone, so if you travel, do it alone, as that will give you an opportunity to socialize and have a blast. Nothing should be off limits and take the chances offered. On the topic of love, he said that well, timing is everything. If you are going to love, do it wholeheartedly, and with an open mind because at the end of the day, life is going to throw some other challenges your way. I agree, as we tend to lose our individual selves when we enter into relationships.  But hey, that’s a topic on its own. In context with all the things we usually talk about, on a variety of topics, as he is the one person that knows how to keep it real with me, I learn a lot and there is always something to learn and share with other people. That’s why I can say, I am blessed beyond measure to have the people in my life that I have. As they make each day worthwhile, I love, I laugh, I try things and I am genuinely happy around them. The one thing we both have in common in our daily lives, are for those around us, our family and friends. And everything we do are in context with them, the time we spend, the memories we create and the experiments, otherwise it will all be worthless and meaningless. We love food and fun time, and those are the times when we become uninhabited.

I have taken risks in life that sometimes backfire and the one risk I don’t want to stop taking “is to stop taking risks.”  Because that’s how I learn and grow.

So if you are going to live a life for yourself and a life of content. Do it authentically, unapologetic, extraordinary and risk filled. Live Authentically and unapologetic

Leana Hengari

Leana is currently a volunteer counsellor at Lifeline Childline Namibia , where she has been volunteering and working as a Change Agent Administrator, and radio program editor for the past 3 years. She has always volunteered at different initiatives, at a young age. That’s where she found her passion and calling into helping others