I’m Hanna Essahli, and following my curiosity has led me to volunteer with Roots and Rivers Collective. Along the way, I have learned more than I expected.
Someone once told me I was too young to be closing doors. At the time, I wasn’t sure what that meant, but it stuck with me. I had always been curious about acting, voice work, theatre, debate, real estate, and business, and it felt like if I tried to pursue everything at once, I would end up doing nothing.
But, I wasn’t closing doors. I was finding a thread. One direction that connected all the things I cared about. For me, that thread turned out to be public speaking. I had always loved it, and focusing on it didn’t limit me. It clarified everything.
Even in my studies, I found that my artistic, creative side wasn’t dimmed by business. International Business gave me a new canvas. I could be creative, curious, and intentional while connecting with people from around the world. Business became another way to express ideas, communicate meaning, and explore perspectives. My curiosity didn’t shrink; it expanded.
While exploring opportunities, I came across Nikia Brown’s profile and discovered Roots and Rivers Collective. The name immediately resonated with me. Roots and rivers. Being grounded in who you are while still allowing growth. Honoring identity without becoming fixed. Flowing forward without losing yourself.
I reached out without expectations. When Nikia later asked if I was still looking for an internship, I had already secured a marketing and sales role in Brussels at a tea company. On paper, it didn’t seem to make sense. But instead of closing the conversation, I left it open.
That openness led to a meeting. Then another. Eventually, we met in person at a small Asian tea house in Amsterdam. The conversation felt calm, intentional, and grounded. Later that evening, I turned on the TV and saw a documentary about that exact tea house. Alignment has a feeling, and that moment carried it.
Not long after connecting with Roots and Rivers, I started my internship in Brussels. Within the first two weeks, I was attending networking events, a hackathon where I pitched an idea, manifestation workshops, and even participating in the company podcast. Every experience reminded me that public speaking isn’t just a skill, it’s how I navigate the world. Creativity, communication, and human connection are the threads linking everything I care about.
I support Roots and Rivers Collective as a marketing and communications volunteer. My role focuses on outreach and building partnerships with brands and communities aligned with the organization’s mission. One of the main projects I work on is the Designing Your Life retreat. My strategy is to connect with like-minded partners who might be interested in sharing this experience with their communities.
What I love most about volunteering here is the flexibility and trust. I manage my own pace, decide how to approach projects, and still feel fully motivated because the work aligns with my values. Through this experience, I’m improving not only my marketing skills but also how I communicate authentically, invite collaboration, and connect with people meaningfully.
The Designing Your Life retreat is an immersive experience in Costa Rica in collaboration with the University for Peace. It’s designed for anyone who feels stuck in routines, uncertain about their direction, or curious about what truly matters. Through reflection, design thinking exercises, group discussions, and time in nature, participants explore and reframe limiting beliefs and reconnect with their core values in a small, intentional setting.
Instead of explaining it further, I’ll leave you with the question that has stayed with me: What’s one belief you’re carrying into 2026 that might no longer deserve to come with you?
If that question lingers, this retreat might be for you.
Volunteering with Roots and Rivers Collective has reinforced something I’ve learned more deeply each year. Direction doesn’t require certainty. It requires honesty. Following a thread long enough to see where it leads. Growth happens when you stay open, grounded, and willing to engage intentionally with your life. Sometimes the most meaningful shifts start not with a big decision, but with a quiet question you finally allow yourself to sit with.