Offering an Explanation
Dear Steemit Friends: I owe you an explanation. Four months ago I dropped off the face of the planet.
Image from Unsplash
First of all, I feel compelled to say I’m sorry.
Steemit, and this community, came to mean a great deal to me for the months that I spent time here reading, writing, and talking with all of you. I loved it (still do), and the real issue came when I unknowingly bit off WAY more than I could possibly chew by starting The New Alchemists. Read my official community close-out post here.
As I mention in the post, I started TNA at the same time that I underwent a major professional transition from salaried to freelance work. Here I am, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed talking about it in a post from a few months ago. The thing is: it IS awesome being freelance and I totally love it. However, working under client deadlines, accommodating last-minute requests, and learning how to find time to do things I love (hiking, cooking, adventuring, netflixing) is an ongoing process.
As soon as I got TNA going I started to realize that it was going to take a LOT of time to do it right. Overwhelm set in. I started missing deadlines I’d set for myself, falling behind schedule, and feeling like I was always letting someone down on the platform. Steemit had been fun - an outlet after I did all my other work - but it wasn’t fun anymore, it was another set of deadlines to meet and I couldn’t. Time and again I had to prioritize paid contract work.
Eventually I just stopped posting entirely - both on my personal page and the TNA page. I dropped out of Discord. I told myself I would take a few weeks to clear my head, reset, and figure out the best way to move forward. Then the summer happened - a series of trips, and hikes, and happenings - and Steemit didn’t happen. In the back of my head, I continued to feel guilt because I’d just left the community without saying anything. This all feeds into my general anxiety, which is enflamed by my desire for perfection and order - neither of which I had achieved.
I think it can be powerful to admit failure. I definitely failed at getting TNA off and rolling.
However, with some time and perspective, I realized that I still love steemit. I love using this place as a creative outlet to talk about the things I’m doing, the places I’m going, and the art that I’m making. I love interacting with people here, reading about what they’re up to, and getting to meet new friends from around the world. I’m stoked about the possibility inherent in cryptocurrency and how it can effect artists.
Maybe I don’t need to run a community - maybe I can just be an active participant in the one that already exists here.
So, that’s where I’m at, and what is up. I wanted to let you know, because it seemed to matter. Thanks for reading and stopping by! I’ll be getting back to speed here on my personal account, and would love to see and chat with all of you.
BIG LOVE, Lily
So happy to hear from you! Yay! I was wondering what happened to you and hoped it wasn't something major or negative. I stumbled upon your Instagram during summer and saw you were fine, which was good.
We all have a life outside the Steemit world, so don't feel guilty for prioritizing your freelance career. Glad to have you back, girl!
Thank you so, so much for being so warm, and wonderful! Appreciate it. :)
Thanks for bringing this community to live. It still rolls and few of us are still sharing our work with each other. Take care!
Wonderful! Is there anyone who would want me to grant them admin privileges?
I don't know. I have that time issue as well. But maybe one of the nice people who are more or less active? @sanderjansenart, @lymepoet, @haedre, @melooo182 what about you? :)
Welcome back @lilyraabe! steemit is a great place to try things out and I for one think it's perfectly fine to try and abandon things as needed.
I too have had an unexpected 3 month hiatus so am just getting my feet wet again,
Thanks so much for the supportive words, I appreciate it! Welcome back to you as well-hope you had some nice time away/settling into a new home?
It's good to be back! It's been a crazy summer with lots of fun travels but we ended out moving 3x which frankly was hell.
Welcome back!
Nice to hear from you again :)
Looking forward for some new posts and good luck with your freelance job!
Hey, thanks so much, appreciate it! See you around for sure.
Dear lily what good to know again about you, and above all that you share your personal experience. You were surprised but I think many of us were in the same thing, it has been similar to me. In fact I'm coming back here too, I love the platform but without a doubt to do it well requires dedication. Let's move forward. It will be a pleasure to always read you and see those beautiful landscapes that you share with us about your excursions. A big hug and affection for you
Hey @zailecita - that means a lot - you’re one of the people who meant the most to me when starting TNA because of your amazing energy. :) Looking forward to continuing to follow your journey here!
Hey dear, amazing to see some words from you, and it's totally okay to just focus on your own outlet instead of creating 'something bigger' - it takes a lot of effort, communication and indeed consistency to get that to work, and once it succeeds it will need less effort, but building it up just needs a lot. And it seems you already are doing a lot.
Good luck on all the freelancing and I hope to just see some awesome hike posts from time to time! That would be lovely :-)
Cheers!
Hey @soyrosa, thanks so much for those kind words, I appreciate it - truly. I’m really looking forward to re-engaging and just focusing on my own page. Excited to see you around and see your journey here continue, too. :)
Hello @lilyraabe, thank you for sharing this creative work! We just stopped by to say that you've been upvoted by the @creativecrypto magazine. The Creative Crypto is all about art on the blockchain and learning from creatives like you. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon. Steem on!
Hey there! Thanks so much for your support, appreciate what you do and your work here! :)