Last summer I boarded a plane bound for San Diego and unknowingly altered the course of my life forever. In the nearly year and a half since, I have been fortunate enough to be a part of one of our generation’s most important endeavors. For the past 10 years Invisible Children has been working tirelessly to end the longest-running armed conflict in Africa, and for 15 months, I was lucky enough to fight the good fight alongside hundreds of people, whom I now consider family. Today is my last day at Invisible Children and subsequently, this is my last blog post. As my time with Invisible Children draws to an end, and my next adventure begins, I wanted to take a moment to share the 10 most important things I’ve learned during my time here.
1.
It’s actually good for a lot of things, and as we’ve learned at Invisible Children, it’s probably not a good idea to go too long without it. That said, you probably don’t need as much sleep as you think you do. Embrace the long sleepless nights when you’re working hard, and if you have the chance, forgo an extra hour of slumber for an extra hour of conversation with a friend, or better yet, a stranger. You won’t regret it.
2.
Trust me. They will. It happens all the time on Invisible Children’s Facebook and Twitter. But here’s the thing about hate – it stems from ignorance and ignorance stems from either fear or jealousy. Fear of being left out, fear of change. Jealously of something bigger than yourself, jealously of someone else’s success. That’s why people hate Invisible Children. But we don’t let it phase us and neither should you. Just keep on keeping on.
3.
When I moved to San Diego, I spent the first six weeks of my internship living in a house with 60 other people. During the next ten weeks I lived out of a backpack and a 15-passenger van. After that I spent 6 months living in a house with 30 other people. This past summer I moved into an apartment that looks bigger than it actually is because of the lack of furniture and nonsensical possessions. And yet, the past 15 months have made me the most fulfilled and content I have ever been. Value your net worth not on how much you make or how much you own, but rather on how much you’re investing in others and how free you are to uproot yourself and take on new adventures whenever an opportunity presents itself.
4.
This is one of the first things I learned at Invisible Children, and it’s been a buzz-phrase for the past several years within these walls. It sounds cliche, and I’ll be honest, the first time I heard it I didn’t really take it seriously. When I finally did, I realized being vulnerable doesn’t mean showing weakness; it simply means opening yourself up to potential danger. In my case, it was getting to know people on a deeper level – to tell them about my dreams, fears, regrets, and everything in between. The beautiful thing about being vulnerable is that it frees the other person up to be vulnerable as well. So when you’re forgoing sleep for conversation, throw in a bit of vulnerability and see what happens as a result.
5.
Don’t be boring. Don’t hold yourself back with fear or regret, or bills you have to pay. When you live a life of simplicity (see #3) you free yourself up to live a life of adventure as well. Jump first, fear later. Obviously don’t do anything stupid, but for goodness sake, just do something. Say yes more often, do something you’ve never done, make mistakes, make memories, and never settle for monotony.
6.
Oftentimes when we set our minds on something, we neglect the why and head straight into the how, when, and where. It can be any decision we make in life, whether it’s as drastic as choosing where to attend college or as menial as deciding how to spend your weekend or what to eat for dinner. How do I get into this school? When do I go out with my friends? Where do I go for dinner? These are great questions, but if you neglect to ask yourself why you’re doing something, the others won’t matter. Live intentionally – in everything you do – and always question your decisions, but question them with confidence rather than animosity, because when you base your actions on the why you can rest easy knowing your decisions are in your best interest.
7.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.” Invisible Children has dozens of people, from dozens of different backgrounds, doing dozens of different yet equally important things. Some jobs aren’t as glamorous as others, but each is an integral piece to the organization and the overall mission of bringing a permanent end to the Lord’s Resistance Army. Don’t let your job or current situation define you, but let it grow you, teach you, and humble you. Whatever you are, be a good one.
8.
If KONY 2012 only proved one thing, it would be that social media is powerful. Thankfully, it’s not the only thing it proved. KONY 2012 proved that there are two types of people in the world: those who hear about an injustice and fight to end it, and those who hear about an injustice and forget about it. Usually the latter resort to anger to mask their indifference and fear (see #2). It proved that our leaders will listen if we speak loud enough and stand up long enough, it proved that awareness combined with action can dramatically influence a 27-year-old conflict, and it proved that anyone with a voice, a camera, and an internet connection can do the impossible: Catch the attention of the masses, and ultimately, change the world.
9.
It’s a simple statement that very few people truly understand, much less believe. But it’s true. Everyone is family. We all bleed red, we all have downfalls, we all want to be happy, free, and prosperous. When we stand together as a global community against the world’s worst injustices, we are saying to all who will listen that we – you, me, and everyone else -are family, and we won’t stand for inequality and violence.
And finally:
10.
Because people will inevitably be taking her picture and you’ll just be standing there looking stupid during a historic march on Pennsylvania Ave in Washington D.C. (that’s me in the black shirt.)
*All of the photos in this blog are from our San Diego office. See what it’s like to work at Invisible Children on a daily basis. Follow Life at Invisible for a look inside our work culture, job openings, and tips & tricks from our hiring team. Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
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