Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years.
_Ausonius

A Story

So it's exactly one year since I joined the steem blockchain. I remember how it all started. I was in search of opportunities online. I decided to go into content creation because I really liked what those youtube guys were doing. Youtube was my only television. I've spent three years working as a teacher in a private school. I wanted to be more than that. I had read books by Robert Kiyosaki. I had some capital which I made from ponzi schemes (I lost everything along the way though). I remember listening to folks like Chris Coney. He is my favorite youtuber and cryptoguy. He was the first person that mentioned Steemit.
He had this online course on how to get started. The course was going for about $39 but I couldn't afford it. I couldn't afford $39 back then because I was broke as f***. I was in debt too. I had encouraged some folks to make an investment in a business that turned out to be a ponzi scheme. I didn't gain a dime from that scheme and I had to do refunds to some of my downlines because I gave them a guarantee. When I requested a refund from the company/my upline, all I got were stories. I had to pay my downlines because my reputation is more important to me than millions of dollars. I also had another offline business which failed fantastically. I made some really stupid decisions but I'm glad I went through that process because it was a learning curve. I came out wiser and stronger. Now I have some beliefs that are unshakable because they are based on the kind of experience that is backed by sweat and tears and heartache.

I registered in Steemit and I immediately lost my password. I had to search for it for days. There is a way I instinctively save all my passwords and that was my saving grace. It wasn't easy retrieving my password. I started searching for my password when I met @samstickkz on Facebook. God bless the day I met that guy. I followed him because we shared similar values. He too had lost some money to Ponzi schemes. @jerrybanfield was doing some adverts on YouTube then, it encouraged me to take a closer look at Steemit.

When I started on Steemit, I was in debt. I remember how painful it was to earn money and use it to pay a debt. I had two alternatives then. Write or remain broke. I choose the former. I was not only indebted to the people I promised to refund (the Ponzi scheme people), I also borrowed money from my former boss to invest in cryptocurrency. I was soon going to learn that speculating with borrowed money is a very very very very very(repetition for the sake of emphasis) STUPID idea. I was gambling with borrowed money to pay the debt! Anyways in a bull market, everybody is happy. My stupidity was not very consequential. It wasn't consequential until the crypto market took a downturn and I was loosing money. Fear kicked in. I had to return a percentage of that money with interest per month. I knew that I was in a good market and I had good coins, but time was not on my side. I didn't want to default on my loan payment because I got to maintain credibility. I had two options. Sell some property or sell at a loss. I did both.

It was around this period of tribulation that I discovered Steemit. I'm grateful for this period of tribulation because, perhaps if I wasn't broke, I wouldn't have paid attention to the stuff happening here. The thing about Steemit is that the benefits, the real treasure are not within the surface. It would take a load of faith and patience to discover the hidden secrets of this place. Faith and patience or a state of being flat broke and desperate to earn some dollars. Lol...

When I started on Steemit, I made all the possible mistakes. I've been followed by cheetah, I've sucked. I hustled hard. I paid attention. I humbled myself to learn. I learned fast. I imitated the successful people. I did not beg or envy them. I knew I could do it. I was not a content creator before I joined Steemit, at least that what I thought. I used my sweat to grow my Steem power.

I invested! Yep! After I was able to pay some of my debts there was a time that the only money I had left was the money I borrowed from my former boss. The money was depreciated because I bought some coins and they went down in value. I took all that depreciated money and bought Steem Power. Yep! I invested in Steem Power with borrowed money(please don't try this at home). My crypto portfolio was zero. I stopped trading and focused on Steemit.

Remember that "Burn Your Ships" story from Napoleon Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich"? Let me share it with you.

A long while ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy’s country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, “You see the boats going up in smoke. That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice—we win, or we perish! They won.
_Source

That's what I did. Did it work? Yes! today I have a fair portfolio and I'm trading again. I have more skills and experience and connections. I'm still trying to build my portfolio. I'm not there but I'm well on my way.

Today I still listen to Chris Coney- @marketingmonk. I listen to him religiously. He still produces quality news and commentary on bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Being in this space makes cryptocurrency more real to me and it's because of the people. I try to increase the tempo of my work. I cannot afford to slow down now. There is something I'm currently aiming for and I'll get it.

Tears

I remember the tears that trickled down my face the first time I made $2. It was a very emotional moment for me because I was down financially and emotionally traumatized. That $2 was a beacon of hope for me.

There are several other moments that made me cry during the course of my Steemit journey. There was a post by @ewuoso. He wrote of how he would rather work hard on his farm and earn a decent living than be a burden to anyone or hurt other people in a rush to make wealth. He uploaded a picture of himself holding a piglet on both hands. That was quite a moment for me. The other time I cried, I don't even remember or maybe I choose not to share it today. It was spurred by a selfless act of kindness.

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Steemit is a gifting economy.

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Gratitude

_{From my superiors I draw wisdom and succor and from my inferiors, I draw inspiration.}

There is an atmosphere in Steemit. The atmosphere of giving. If you are not careful, you could get carried away and forget that you need money too and engage in a giving spree. It happened to me once. I completely forgot that I came here to make money. I was lost in the spirit of giving. I have learned how to receive too. Because, (just like @surpassinggoogle said), receiving is an art.

The first contests that I partook in, I got cents. That was amazing to me. There was this lady that used minnowbooster to boost my post, although she didn't know me. She doesn't post often anymore. I didn't know what minnowbooster meant but when I figured it out, I looked for her, found her and thanked her. I'm still thanking her today.

I'm grateful to everyone that has shown me love here. Every upvote and resteem means a lot to me.
I'm grateful to @thejohalfiles, @stellabelle, @donkeypong, @teemsteam, infovore. These are my major sponsors. Thank you for giving and loving.

@stellabelle is my Steemit idol. I have a very deep respect and love for her because of her heart and brain. I wish there were more people like her in this world.

Thank you @surpassinggoogle for being such a gift to this blockchain.

@papa-pepper has a very special space in my heart. I wonder what it must feel like to be a very awesome human being. I look forward the day I'm going to meet @papa-pepper. Maybe he is an angel from heaven. lol...

@ajremy is my secret and trustworthy sidekick. He is my knight in shining armor. I owe you intentionally because one day I want to blow your mind.

A lot of people may have reservations for @trevonjb and @craig-grant because of the bitconnet saga but I love those guys because when I started out here as a newbie, they helped me grow with their content on youtube.

Thank you @surfermarley for having a very high-quality blog. I stole a lot of things from you.
Thank you @ejemai for being an exemplary go-getter and leader.
Thank you to the creators of all the awesome applications here. Thank you, thank you.

_{To be continued...}

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_{I have intentionally failed to mention some people in this post because I'm crafting a better post suited specifically and especially for them.}

My One Year Anniversary Advice to Newbies

This is my one-year anniversary advice to newbies.

_{Sway with the ocean, let out your Steem.}

Sway with the ocean. We sometimes use the ocean to describe the steem blockchain. We use terms like minnows, whales, and dolphins. Sway with the ocean. Pay attention, there are many opportunities here. Read more than you write. Some people are too quick to conclude. Attention has a price tag here. Pay attention to the right things, the right people and you will discover the hidden treasures of the Steem blockchain. You will discover that although money talks here, there are things that are more valuable than money.

Let out your Steem. Do you know that the "Steem" is an English word? Nope! It doesn't mean esteem although it has everything to with that. It means value. Let out your value. Let out your Steem. Bring your Steem to this place and we will give you Steem in return. Steem for Steem! Value for value!! One of the core values of Steemit is that everyone is valuable, everyone has value. What's special about you. Bring it out. Bring it on.

Sway with the Ocean, let out your Steem, be you, be free, be Steemian!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!

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_{Where there is darkness, I'll shine the light.}