The power of positivity

Jake at work with his colleagues in the Youth Team at Free The Children

Recently, I heard about a four-year-old boy who was donating all of his toy cars to children in Kenya. It made me think about what I was like when I was four. I was about as self-interested as your average four-year-old, and it got me thinking about my attitudes when I was 18 as well. Through most, ok all, of my teenage years I was what people would consider a pessimist. Every day I would pick up the newspaper or turn on the news and dwell on the horrible things going on around the world.

Then, sometime in the last couple of months, my attitude started to change. I started to think that maybe it was possible to change ourselves and the world. I don’t exactly know what accounted for this attitude adjustment; it could really have just been me growing up a little. It was, and still is, hard to keep this up around those who had gotten to know me as a negative person. Our conversations seemed to remain negative and sarcastic, like ones we had had in the past. Then, in the midst of all this, I started looking for a summer job and ended up at the doorstep of Free The Children.

I first heard of the organization when I was in Grade 12, moved to an area of Toronto known as Cabbagetown and realized that the offices were around the corner from my house. I thought it might be a good idea to try to connect with Free The Children to see if there was anything I could do for them. Since I have been a member of the cast of Degrassi for the past seven years, I've never had an “office job” before. Needless to say, I was a little nervous on my first day. It was strangely reminiscent of my first day of high school, a moment I wasn’t exactly excited to relive.

When I got here, though, it was as if my new attitude had been captured in the form of an office. Everyone was so positive and passionate about what they do. I was blown away. This love and positivity that everyone showed towards their work was incredibly inspiring. I was and am amazed to see how everyone working at Free The Children practices what they preach. To see a group of people so committed to a cause truly is life-changing.

It gave me hope that my new outlook on the world was possible to maintain and that I was not alone in this venture to think positively. You know the saying that if you put your mind to something you can accomplish it? I never bought it. But, after working here for the past couple of weeks, I have come to realize that Free The Children is proof that if people do believe in something strongly enough and they act on it with the very best of intentions, they can accomplish anything and they can make a difference.

Jake Goldsbie
Degrassi: The Next Generation cast member from 2001-2008 and Free The Children Summer Intern

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.