This is a little bit late! I joined Steemit a few weeks ago last year! I found this site because of @stellabelle

She almost got annoying with how much she kept posting about it. But when she said that money was involved, That's what got me to join, To be honest. I have never met @stellabelle in person. Which makes it a bit odd, We found each other through the "Choose Yourself" Group on Facebook. It's weird to think, If I never read James Altuchers Book Choose Yourself, I never would have found her, And I may not be on Steemit right now! It's terrifying to me, That such a simple decision to read that book, Turned into this. (It kinda makes you wonder what other opportunities you missed out on, That you have no idea.)

But then I quickly became addicted to the fun and exciting community, Full of users with very different outlooks on life as me. I never considered myself good at writing. But I figured it was a great way to help promote my new coloring book business!

I thought I could write about adult coloring on here and get people to buy my books. Which I was wrong about that one haha! Because most of the people here according to surveys are Adult Men. Who probably aren't as interested in coloring books. So It sort of just turned into an everyday blog that I write about whatever I'm interested in the moment!

My life has dramatically changed because of Steemit

Things got rough shortly after I joined. I started questioning what I was really doing with my life. I was at job that I once had loved, But I started hating working there, Once my favorite supervisor quit.
The job made me physically ill because doing such physical work, In either a scalding hot or freezing cold trailer. On Some days I would feel like I was losing my mind because I was burning up in the heat.

I loaded boxes for a shipping company! The pay was amazing, The benefits were great. But it was exhausting.
For the longest time I clung to the belief that being the best at your job, Would get you more pay and benefits, And you'd be able to become successful from doing that. So I became the best! Loading over 3,000 packages in the 4-5 hour period, I outworked everyone. But It didn't "amount" to anything. Towards the later years, I realized I was wrong. I started my business, and a year in, I was still stuck. I couldn't seem to free myself from the debt. I just couldn't get ahead.

As much as I loved playing physical Tetris, Doing it for 5 hours a day would NEVER get me the life I dreamed of.

Steemit came to the rescue.

I stood in my trailer one day, And it was slow, So I pulled out my phone, And checked my blog post that was at 2,000.
I almost started crying because I was so happy! That's when I knew that I wouldn't have to be stuck working at a job for much longer! Steemit was going to help me escape!
I remember laughing hysterically at my supervisor that I didn't like. I remember telling her that "This job pays me like shit! I make more by sitting on my ass than I do at this job!".

Steemit Allowed Me To Quit

WAIT! If you plan to quit your job for Steemit. DON'T DO IT!
While this platform is incredible. It has it's up and downs. If you have other sources of income, Fine. But use Steemit as a supplement.

Steemit allowed me to quit my job, Because it gave me the extra boost I needed to get out of debt! SELF EMPLOYMENT! OMG!

Steemit Helps Me Get Through Rough Times!

Sometimes When I'm going through something crappy I can "vent" a bit on Steemit, You guys always make me feel better! It's like I have a huge group of best friends on here! It's crazy I haven't met you guys in person. (Hopefully, I can Go To Steemfest to see you all).

I'm so happy and proud to be part of this platform! It's amazing that it was over a year ago when I joined! Time flies!
I'm so grateful for everything this platform has given me! It makes me wonder where I'd be without it!

I'll never forget the first July 4th Payout!

Unlike now, If you joined last year. Before July 4, We sat and speculated what the numbers meant at the bottom of our posts! Even at HALF what the number said, It just seemed too good to be true! We weren't paid for a while, But our first payout was on July 4. I remember getting so excited to see how much I would get paid, Many of us had no idea! When @Stellabelle talked about how much she was going to get paid, I sort of brushed it off. IT sounded way too good to be true.

I remember after the July 4th, The estimated value of my account was almost 8,000. I almost had a heart attack! It was crazy!
And now we are here!
Not a photo of me, But Steemit funded my dream to play in the ocean! Which was something I REALLY WANTED TO DO!

I BELIEVE IN STEEMIT!

Dealing with people calling it a scam throughout this year has been rough! It's hard when you are so passionate about something, and people shoot it down and call it a scam! I'm sure we've all dealt with those nay sayers.
Hopefully we can get through to them how great of an opportunity this is! With how we are raised, Many of us have to come into this with an open mind!
If we don't we can't accept new things! I feel like this is why we have trouble getting people to join sometimes, People aren't open minded. And if anything slightly resembles a scam, They run. Which is funny considering you never have to put 1.00 of your own money into the platform. Heck, you don't even have to give up much "personal" information when you join, Or give up the rights to your writing/art that you post on here.

I hate the quote:
"If it sounds too good to be true, It often is."
This may apply sometimes, But on Steemit it doesn't! despite the naysayers of Steemit! I plan to be around for the long term! 5 years from now, I could see myself still writing each day!

Some of my favorite posts I've written! Many are very personal!

This community is incredible! I can share some of the most personal details of my life, and you guys are so understanding and kind!
MY SECOND INTRO-POST
My Parents Grounded me from My clothing
What it feels like to get hit by a car!
OMG! I'm putting in my two weeks at my job!
How I made $40,894.97 Blogging On Steemit
Stayed Up Over 24 Hours & Went For A 6 Mile Morning Hike ((ORIGINAL PICTURES
I Dropped Out Of College, Then Something MAGICAL HAPPENED!

I CAN'T WAIT TO BE HERE FOR MANY MORE YEARS! HEHE

THANK YOU NED AND DAN FOR CREATING THIS INCREDIBLE, LIFE CHANGING PLATFORM!

Thank you to all my Amazing Followers! You guys have NO idea how much I appreciate you!