I still clearly remember the day I made my very first introduction post on Steemit an year ago. It was most definitely going to be a very new and different experience for me because I was about to step into something I knew absolutely nothing about.

Regardless, I clicked a photo, made my first post, and I was so happy with it. It was like being a kid again. I remember feeling so excited about all of it and I began seeing myself in the future and what would happen if I become a successful blogger.

I had high hopes for myself, which first brought in a wave of determination, but I also expected too much too early which later brought in an ocean of disappointment when I saw my posts making nothing.

The Realization

I knew it was only a matter of time until I started to make some real progress because I knew I was putting in honest efforts, but it still felt like shit seeing those $0.00's on my posts and because of that, I started comparing myself with other people who were earning way more than me.

It felt even worse when I saw how some people who started after me were already gaining more attention and appreciation on their blog. This led to building up of jealously and feeling of failure.

In the pursuit of trying to match their level of "success," I began working even harder on my blog, harder than I was supposed to for that time. Though it did brought some attention at first, I eventually realized it was not worth it because I was no longer writing from my heart.

I tried to remind myself why I started writing in the first place. I'm not gonna lie and say that money was never a priority, because it was, but not the biggest one. I started writing because I wanted, and still want to, be remembered.

The Recognition

On 19 June 2018, I made my first entry ever for a writing contest. Little did I know that it will become one of my most precious treasures on Steemit. It was my first post that earned $10+, which at the time felt like hitting a goldmine.

It was also the first post where I shared something personal about my life, even if I was very nervous because it was the first time here that I was opening my heart out for people to see, especially if those people were strangers on the internet.

But to my surprise, it worked out better than I expected because I ended up winning that contest, along with many others later on which were hosted by the same person. It's funny how sometimes little things like these end up shaping a part of you, and that's exactly what they did to me.

This whole experience taught me how important participation and socializing is, especially for newbies, and also the real credit value of honesty and connection.

As time went on, I began to apply those same principles on my blog, for which, I eventually got some serious recognition. I was recognized by @curie for sharing my vulnerabilities and honesty, and by @blocktrades and @ocd for sharing my curiosity in a contest I participated in, for which I couldn't be more grateful.

The Reward

It took me a long time to finally realize that the bigger reward isn't even the money, but the experience itself! It's about the collection of all the amazing and thought-provoking conversations you got to have with other people, it's about the world that you got to see from the eyes of others, and most importantly, it's about the family that you got to be a part of.

Money sure is a factor when you're investing so much of your time and energy in your blog, but at its core, it's about how belonged do you feel among the people that you are sharing this platform with. A big part of what makes a writer great, is not only his work, but the reaction of his readers to his work.

I know all of this might not sound practical to some of you, and that's completely okay. Most of us here on Steem aren't earning our living through it anyway. We're just here to try out something new and enjoy the ride along the way. If it reaps profits, cool. If it doesn't, it was so worth the try.

I wanna thank all these amazing people who have helped me in my journey in whatever way they did. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to make this boat stay afloat for as long as it did!

@averageoutsider @firepower @aishwarya @sauravrungta @apolymask @vedicsamurai @curie @ocd @blockurator @wolfhart @tryskele @youhavewings @hiddenblade @jmehta @goodguymate @delishtreats @felt.buzz @esteem @paulag @curatorhulk @steevc @niallon11 @slobberchops @alokkumar121 @angryman @simplymike @bengy @lymepoet @trincowski and a lot more that I'm probably forgetting.

You guys mean so much to me. Thank you for being a part of my Steemit journey. Much love <3

Sincerely,

@ayushjalan