Greetings Steemit world! I decided to be a rebel with a cause....

Greetings all! My name is Matt and I'm excited to now be apart of the steemit community. I first heard about the ends and outs of steemit from my good friend @nomadicsoul. I'm also excited about being more involved in the crypto market community and learning from others. I'm not so good at introductions so here goes nothing.

I was born in a very rugged family. We ate peas, beans, and fleas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you did anything wrong, you'd get beat with a log half the size of Texas. We learned respect from a very young age. Nonetheless, that didn't stop myself from rebelling, the minute you told me I couldn't, I knew that meant I was going to. So thus, I come out of a rough past, drinking 3 six packs before lunch, eating pot for dinner, smoking 6 packs of cigarettes a day (including the cigarettes), slept with 67 women, killed 2 men that talked bad about my mama, all until I was saved by the good Lord at the ripe age of 6.

Okay.......... That's not actually true.

Like I said, I'm not so good at this introduction thing. However, what is true is that I am a simple human being desiring to bring help, hope, and love to others. I don't like to fit into norms. I actually came from a very sheltered life, unable to listen to any music with drums, zero sleepovers allowed, no proms allowed, etc. etc. Which is why it's inwardly surprising now when people say, “I’m jealous of your life!” My response is, “me too!” Sometimes I just sit and reflect on all the opportunities that have been placed right on my doorstep. I don’t know what has gotten me this far, but there are a few principles I hold to that I encourage all to strive for.

1. Never complain. The roughest situation only makes the 2nd roughest situation a bit easier.

2. Don’t envy others. Unless you sit at home watching TV all day stacking up medical bills, there is a 75% chance at least one person out there envies your life. And probably a lot more! So when tempted to envy others, know someone is envying you.

3. Don’t become easily upset. It’s only rooted in selfishness and chances are that person didn’t intend to hurt you.

4. Be flexible. Plans are meant to change.

5. Do not cling to anything thats temporary. Money and things are meant to be broken, stolen, and used.

6. Forget about being afraid. 95% of the things we worry about never happen.

7. You can learn something from everyone. (Especially me because I’m always right).

8. Be humble. It’ll only help get you towards the top.

9. Eat Mor Chikin. It’s a good source of vitamins and protein.

And….

1. Don’t take life too seriously...you won’t make it out alive anyways.

I’m only 27 years old. I say only even though to myself it seems old (approaching 30 now), because of what opportunities I’ve been given in such a short time. My first job was at 14 years old as a blacksmith’s assistant! I actually never completed college, I dropped out because I didn’t want to go into debt. I attempted to make a shot at acting, before getting pulled into an Emergency services program. During my time with the program, we did national volunteer relief efforts, which deemed me the bronze Presidential service award from President Obama. Since then I’ve worked at a Christian Military Boarding school, two national parks, a winery, was a chef’s assistant, taught SCUBA diving on an Island in the South China Sea, managed a fast food joint, lived and trained with Muay Thai champions in Thailand, started my own business, and yet I still, at the very core of me, love cereal for breakfast.

Before winter of 2013, I had never been out of the United States. Since then I have been to 15 countries, I've been in warzones providing medical relief, deep in the jungle documenting human rights abuses, lived in villages, escaped foreign police, been shot at by evil militias, seen the most glorious sunsets amongst the poorest of mankind, and seen darkness and evil in a way I never wish anyone to witness. Through all of this, the greatest experience has been the love from the kindest humans who had nothing, but their sincerity, was everything.

I have just returned to the USA to run a non profit that specializes in mentoring young boys and preparing them to take on the world. I'd like to go to Nursing school sometime in the near future to expand my medical training (currently an EMT) to return back to the rough parts of the world and help others.

Follow me @persevero for some amatuer heartfelt poetry, musings on life, funny pics, crazy travel stories, and perhaps some vlogs of my adventures.

That’s it for now, just remember folks, the early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. (I hate mornings).