It’s hard to believe that my seven years with AIESEC is coming to an end. I’m sitting in a room with 21 other people, coming from 14 different nationalities and one of our colleagues asked me a question – what is a message that I want to leave after my AIESEC experience? I freeze. How can I sum up seven years of my life in the message of 500-1000 words? Is that even possible? 

Maybe it’s worth mentioning, my name is Kasia, I’m from Poland and I am an AIESECer. 

I’ve started in Katowice, and spent almost two years there, one of them leading this local chapter and daring to be great every day. Next, I worked for two years in the national office of AIESEC in Poland, one of them being president of organisation fighting for a BIG AIESEC in Poland. Then, I dedicated my two years working as Director for Europe uniting this continent and its people in diversity 

Three lines which sum up my experience, but it seems unfair as there are so many stories behind those lines. There are so many people that deserve at least one word of recognition and gratitude from my side. No worries guys, I’ll drop you a message soon. 

Let’s come back to the question – what is a message that I want to leave after my AIESEC Experience? 

As choosing priorities is not my strength I will give you two messages, forgive me.  

Your purpose is stronger than any of your excuses.

There are many things that I received thanks to AIESEC, but the most important one is my purpose, and the fact that I seek for it in everything that I do. 

Imagine a life where you wake up every day and you know the one thing that you want to dedicate your life, your year, your month, your day? 

Living a life of purpose isn’t easy, but living a life without purpose is such a waste. Not only a waste of your life, but also for the other people that could benefit from you being a changemaker. People that are a little bit less lucky than you. 

The World can become a better place, thanks to you! So please don’t underestimate your value and wait for someone else to change it. Ask yourself a question? What is this one thing that you care about, what is this one thing that you will have the strength to fight for even after running 50 kilometres marathon? …Now answer…we won’t move forward without your answer. 

You have it?! Now write it down in capital letters and put in some visible place, look at it everyday and before going to sleep ask yourself another question, what did you do today to take one step closer to reach your purpose? 

You don’t need to be a superhero to change the world, you just need to be you. You can come up with many excuses, the possibilities here really are limitless, but every excuse makes you average. Do you want to be that person? Remember, you being average doesn’t serve anyone. 

Care beyond reason, empathize without limits

There will be many moments in your life when you will make a choice to not care. I get you, caring can be exhausting. But please recall the last moment when you felt frustrated or disappointed by someone. Was it because you felt like that person doesn’t care? So, why are there so many situations that you choose to behave the same?

Yes, people will take you for granted many times. They won’t recognise your efforts, many times they won’t even realise that you are next to them. 

But if your purpose is strong enough you aren’t here to be noticed and appreciated! 

Every time you feel like not caring because others don’t. 

Every time you feel like not caring because others don’t appreciate your care. 

Every time you feel like taking someone for granted.

Every time, I challenge you to care beyond reason and empathise without limits. That might be one of the biggest challenges of your life, as it means you need to be selfless and forget about your ego. You need to open your eyes for people, open your heart. 

And that is the biggest lesson that I’ve learned in the last seven years. Knowing that someone doesn’t care is one, understanding why is another thing.  Knowing that someone is upset is one thing, understanding why is another. Knowing is easy, understanding requires more effort, but trust me it’s worth it. 

Your AIESEC Experience always will be about you, your personal growth, at the end of the day it’s your experience. But you know what, in the last seven years, I discover that it can be so much more. I wish you will discover that too. 

Always AIESECer, 

Nabrda