As I approach my 1 year Steemit anniversary (Yes I'm counting down and I'll be having a partay for it!) I've been reflecting on my time here.

The things I've done, people I've met, my achievements and how I got to where I am now.

Right now, Tuesday June 5 2018

I sit at 4,014 Steem Power with 3028 Followers.

Steem is at $3.04AUD and SBD is at $2.24AUD .

My delegation investment earns me approx. $4 per post per day (guaranteed) and earn roughly $12 per post through support from various communities and generous Steemians (not guaranteed).

I have also cashed out some of my earnings. Not every week or even every month, but when I need the money and the time is right.

I have never powered down.

I have never been curied, @blocktrades came to visit once (and I had a drink to celebrate) BUT I am involved with a lot of communities.

And THAT, my people, is the key to you staying on the platform and being a proud, happy, thriving member of the Steemit community.

Without further ado here's my top 5 tips for Newbies.

For whatever reason you joined Steemit, do not forget that this is SOCIAL media which means you need to go out there and mingle. Meet new people, make new friends, that's the beauty of Steemit we have all walks of life here and so much to learn from each other.

Steemit isn't just a platform. It's a community. Or some days a big dysfunctional family.

Make an effort to read, relate and respond to people. Participate in one of the bazillion competitions. There's plenty of ways to get involved here.

Don't wait for people to come to you. Go find your people.

Joining @TeamAustralia was monumental for me.

Prior to finding them I was going no where very fast. I didn't know what to post or the calibre of posts I should be producing. I was all alone, away from my Facebook support group.

Steemit was a lonely place before I found my peeps. We wade in vast waters here and it's so easy to get lost and disappear. Having people kept me in the current.

Having them meant no matter how crappy the earnings, no matter what I was still among people I care about and who care about me.

Once you stop thinking about the money you can get out of Steemit, that's when the real magic happens.

Once I found them I began to settle in, wanted to contribute more and truly be part of the team.

I'm lucky to have a background in graphics design so when the opportunity presented itself I put in my submission for the #TeamAustralia logo which was accepted. (Yay!)

I began releasing custom footers for the team and then made logos for other communities along with their footers all for free.

Not having Steem Power didn't stop me from participating and trying to make Steemit my home.

By choosing to contribute to and help communities, I have met so many people, have been part of many beginnings, received so much support and continue to reap the many benefits of my participation.

You too can contribute in your owm way despite your newbie status. Don't let your lack of SP stop you from making your mark.

Take the initiative. It will help you get the right kind of attention.

Listen, if you truly want to mingle and meet new people, you will find that getting on Discord will greatly improve your Steemit social life.

I aint even lying. Hand to heart, jumping on Discord was one of the best things I ever did for my Steemit career.

Discord allows communities to get together, share and promote posts, discuss issues, play games together and most importantly, it allows us to bond.

It might not seem like it right now but you can one day support yourself on Steemit. It will however depend on your commitment and perseverance.

It could mean writing post after post with very little views and upvotes, or it could mean utilising the many free upvote bots that exist for a while.

No matter how small the amount, if you keep powering up (investing in yourself) you will eventually have enough to be able to invest your SP so it will work for you.

For those feeling discouraged, I really hope this helps. You're here, you already have some idea of how it all works. Don't quit now 🤗

❤ Arly