Why I (Almost) Decided Not To Enter To Win A Ticket To Steemfest

Have you ever needed help but been too proud to ask for it? Like if people found out that you needed help, you would somehow be less valuable as a person in some way because you needed to ask for a little help? And maybe you worried that if people found out you needed help...

...they would judge you or think less of you?

Yeah, me too.

And that’s some scary shiz for me to admit.

I mean, what if you read this and think less of me (may need therapy for people pleasing but that’s for another time haha)? Honestly, my armpits are sweating a little as I type this (thank God you can’t see or smell me right now), but I’m going to go through with it anyway.

I’m going to spill my guts and all of my juicy thoughts all over the keyboard anyways.

And I’m going to hit the “post” button when I’m done with it, and you’re going to see a part of me that I guess I’ve been hiding. So here it goes.

I’ve always been a little bit too self-sufficient (except when it comes to opening up the pickle jar).

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I’ve always been taught to help others when needed, but not to ask for help for myself. And like most Americans, I suppose, I value independence and accomplishing things on my own.

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What I’m trying to tell you is…

Maybe I’m prideful, but I didn’t know it. I’ve always thought I was a humble person. But maybe I’m actually just a prideful jerk face. The reason I say that is because I’ve been too proud to ask for help in getting to steemfest.

Asking for help makes me feel nervous and uncomfortable like I am somehow making you uncomfortable (by asking for help and therefore violating your happiness and comfort in some way).

And then there’s imposter syndrome. There’s a little gremlin whispering in my ear “why do you deserve this over somebody else!? Really, you think you need it more than them?”

But the truth is, I know I can’t go to steemfest unless I can come up with a creative way to fund it.

That’s just the facts for this year.

If things were different, I would never enter a contest. Because I don’t want to take a ticket away from someone who truly needs it and can’t fund their trip.

And I’m not used to being in this situation, but that's reality right now.

Okay, so some of you know this, but I don’t have a traditional job.

I’ve been selling things online for over 3.5 years now…

…and it’s been going well enough to replace my teacher’s salary at least and sometimes even better!

The problem is that it's volatile. I’m confident in my abilities in marketing, product sourcing, etc. and know that if I were to start all over again, I'd do it better that time around.

I’d also change some things, like delegate (because obviously, I can’t do it on my own) etc. But running an e-comm business is cash intensive, and I’m more interested in other opportunities right now. I need to focus though since the cash isn’t flowing in like before.

I live in Asia and can save a lot of money by being here which helps. I used credit card points to get to Asia in the first place, so I didn’t spend any money on my own plane ticket.

I’m a frugal mcdougal over here.

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Part of why I came to Asia is to reduce costs and to be able to invest in a new business. Instead of spending $1,300 on rent for a one bedroom apartment like I did in Portland (which is more than I spend in an entire month in Asia).

Rent money becomes business money.

But on top of business expenses and trying to basically start over, my mom has had a ton of health problems (she hasn’t been able to work for several years and sometimes can’t even get out of bed for days at a time) and I want to be home to help her, but I feel I can help her more by being away, saving money, and then sending her some towards some expensive health treatments.

So there it is.

Things just happened this year that I wasn’t expecting.

But you know what?

As of right now, I’m going to humble myself and just make like Nike and do it (ask for help).

Right after I figure out what kind of strange noise I’m hearing next to me…

(2 minutes later)

Oh my gosh, it was a gecko trapped inside a plastic bag just freaking out! I saved him!

Anyway, back to being humble...

…it’s time to eat some humble pie!

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I need your help. And I think it’s OKAY to ask for help when we need it. I think the world would be a better place if we all helped each other out more, anyway.

So for those of you that are helping sponsor steemfest tickets, thank you SO much. Whoever wins, you will have changed that person’s life and given them memories that they will cherish forever.

When I am in the position to do so, I will help sponsor someone someday for sure.

In fact, I had an idea to start selling conversation starter steemfest t-shirts to try to raise money to go to steemfest, so if I sell enough, and I win this contest, I will gladly give my ticket to the next person in line!

Front:

Back:

I thought about it because I saw that people were nervous to go to steemfest and not know how to just go up and talk to people, so I thought this could be a good way.

@anomadsoul encouraged me to go for it, so I'm doing it! Gracias, amigo.

I would also like to do customized shirts with a scannable QR code that would link to people's profile when scanned, if people are interested.

I should be done with all of this within the next couple of days...

...but I digress.

This is WHY winning a ticket would be amazing. Thoughts of steemit consume a lot of my mental space lately, and my dream, like a lot of us, I think, is to just work full time on steemit.

Winning a ticket would be a dream because without winning (or without people buying steemfest gear from me) I won’t be able to go. I figured I could try and earn my way there.

I thought about stripping for steem, but then I remembered I have morals!

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So I have to resort to other ideas. Oh hey, if any dapps want to “hire” me to work for them, I could design some clothing line for you in exchange for helping sponsor my ticket to steemfest. [tag all the DAPPS here]

You’d get more exposure for your brand and I’d get to go to steemfest and learn how to add more value to the steemit platform!

I had previously decided not to enter to go to steemfest, but that was my old decision.

My new decision is “How can I make it happen? Anything is possible.”

And that’s what I believe. I believe anything is possible and that if there’s a will, there’s a way. And hey, at the very least, you can throw some out there and try.

I can try to sell shirts to raise money and if it fails, at least I tried! At least I can say I put it out there!

And that’s the kind of example I want to be to you guys, and to everyone around me, really.

I want you to know that anything is possible and that you are valuable (even if you have to ask for help sometimes) and that you should shoot for the moon and if you miss, maybe you’ll land in the stars.

I used to have a fixed mindset. A mindset that thought things like “Well, 99% of business fail, so why bother trying?”

A mindset that thought things like “I won’t even bother to sign up for steemit, because no one is going to support me anyway. There are too many people posting their own blogs on the internet already as it is. I will get drowned out and unnoticed in a sea of people.”

Thank God that I am no longer that person...

...because I have too much to offer the world, and if I was still that person, I would not be on steemit today. And listen. YOU have so much to offer the world, too!

And don’t you ever think otherwise.

And I’m sorry that I’m talking about myself so much. I really don’t want to make it all about me, but I hope you can forgive me and let this post be the exception since this is about WHY I want to go to steemfest and how winning a ticket could make my dreams come true!

Well, as it stands right now… the possibility of going to steemfest is just that. A dream. But with a positive (and realistic) mindset, motivation, persistence, resourcefulness, and the help of others…

…anything is possible!

I want to go to steemfest for several reasons. The biggest one is you.

The community here is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced anywhere else on the internet.

Before steemit, I was in love with snapchat (don’t judge me) and I posted a lot on instagram.

I was also VERY into couchsurfing. I planned lots of couch surfing events and was always letting people stay at my place for free (if I had one) and also staying with others.

But now, I haven’t even touched snapchat in months. My ig feed is covered in dust.

I try to meet up with steemians when I travel now, and the couchsurfing community that I once valued so much, has moved down on my priorities list.

Had you told me that would happen a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed you.

I would have tossed a stick of crazy bread at you and called you crazy. Which would be sort of mean of me to do, but also kind of awesome because then you’d have some good breadsticks.

Steemit has become my biggest passion.

You know how as soon as you wake up, you reach for your phone and start scrolling through the internet because you’re just too dang lazy to get out of bed and actually do stuff?

Well now, the first thing I do is grab my phone and look at steemit notifications.

I mean, that’s huge!

It’s become a place where I learn, grow, share ideas...

...and most importantly, make friends and build relationships.

I’ve been connected to others in a way that I’ve never thought possible, and I want to experience that on a deeper level. I signed up and did my first post in February, and I’ve been in Asia, so I haven’t had the opportunity to go to any steemit events yet.

No steem creators conference for me.

But maybe we can make it happen!

I’ve helped and been helped in the steemit community. I’ve organized steemit meetups in Vietnam, have some pending meetups with steemians for when I go back to Thailand after Bali kicks me out of the country, have met up with steemians in Malaysia.

My favorite and most memorable traveling moments this year have been from meeting other steemians along the way.

Not only do I want to have a deeper connection to other steemians, but I also want to meet and LEARN from steemians who are giving a lot to the platform, so that I can contribute more as well.

I’ve gotten so much value from being on steemit, that one of my main goals in life right now is to better myself and learn more ways to GIVE as much or more value than I’ve gotten.

I want to make steemit a better place than it already is, which is a pretty tall order, I know.

And I’m sure everyone else who entered for a ticket has said the same thing.

We all want to go to steemfest for the community and deepening of relationships. I want to go for that and because I want to learn how to add more value. I want to find people to collaborate with on some BIG projects that I have planned coming up that I think would be huge for steemit!

But I know I won’t be able to make these projects come to life without help from other steemians (if you’re a developer on steemit, let’s talk)!

What better place to collaborate with other steemians than by going to steemfest?!?

Winning a ticket would be beyond a dream come true. I tend to be a happy person in general, but I’d be the happiest, most grateful girl ever if I won.

But again, I don’t want to just take and not give.

If I win, I’d want to give back in some way to show my appreciate and deep gratitude.

If I go to steemfest, I’d love to give back in several ways:

• Help steemians who don’t have a lot of travel experience navigate things and find accommodation if they didn’t get a spot in the steemit hotel. Offer to stay with them or nearby incase they are nervous about taking public transportation on their own. I’ve traveled enough to where I’m not scared to go out in a foreign city by myself.

• Wearing deodorant, brushing me teeth and showering every day so that no one has to smell me.

• Be an official “steemfest buddy” for steemians who are more on the shy side and are afraid to start conversations with people (even though they KNOW they want to talk to people… after all, that’s why they came). I’ve never been afraid to start a conversation. In fact, I’d probably try to meet every single person who came if possible.

• I can help anyone who is interested in teaching some skills I’ve learned in business. Especially in the amazon world or ecomm/ product creation space. I can help teach people how to grow instagram accounts to very big followings. I can teach people how to hugely increase their chance of landing job interviews and how to optimize their resume. I can teach people how to write a cover letter that people will actually read. I can teach people how to travel on the cheap! Really, I’ll be an open book and share any knowledge or skills I have with anyone that wants to know.

• Find steemians to collaborate with on some project ideas I have that will 1) make the world a better place in general by spreading kindness and 2) connecting even MORE steemians together and allowing them to meet each other in real life.

• Wear a t-shirt thinking all of the usernames of people who sponsored me to win this ticket and help pay my expenses. I'd also consider doing a livestream during parts of the event so steemians who can’t make it could interact with us and feel like they’re a part of it.

• Just be my happy self! I’m an easy person to travel with because I’m very laid-back and go with the flow. So hopefully I wouldn’t be a pain in the butt to have around, which is always nice.

ALSO!!! I have 3 surprises that I bought a few months ago to give away to steemians whenever I have a chance to meet them in person! I’ll bring those out with me and hand them out to 3 lucky steemians!

So there you have it. After weeks of thinking “I’m not going to enter the contest to go to steemfest” I’ve finally decided to “enter the contest to go to steemfest.”

Thank you so much for giving this contest a long deadline, so that people like me could finally come to their senses and enter. I appreciate it so much!

If you ask me what I dreamed about last night…

…I would tell you “Steemfest.” And that’s why winning this ticket would literally make my dreams come true!

I mean, I dream about steemit so much that I even DESIGNED my very own steemit dress and got it made in real life in an attempt to spread steem spirit!

AND I designed mugs and clothing or steemfest, steemit, and dapps on the platform! I figured the more people wearing steem-related stuff, the more people will learn about it and be interested in signing up for the platform! (I may not sell some of them though because I don't want to use any logos that I'm not allowed to use).

But here's a sneak peak of some of those ideas:

Anyway, thank you so much @steamfestdreams for hosting this contest!!!!

<3, @nomadicsoul