Just when I started coming up for air from my most recent "Steemit Nervous Breakdown" word came around that one of my Steemit mentors, @samstonehill, had been shaken down by hackers who hijacked his account and started draining all his hard-earned virtual loot. It must certainly be torturous to have to just "bend over and take it" as the impenetrable protections provided by the blockchain are turned against you. Of course, he's just another, in a long line of us, to take the descent into the fiery pit. It's like one giant "virtual ORGY", where we all take turns being turned into Steemit's BITCH, letting her pass us around and "have her way" with us before she tosses us to the digital curb when she finds some FRESH new MEAT. Luckily, Sam was able to "man-up" and admit to some of his own errors which contributed to the crisis - a few of which were the result of not adhering to a proper "Steemit Productivity Strategy", like the one we have been developing here; including getting the proper amount of rest and organizing a strategic and manageable mix of tasks within the limits of one's available time, energy, and resources. Sam's panicked calls for help against financial ruin and destroyed relationships made some of us wonder whether we might find him half-comatose and naked in some back alley dumpster on the wrong side of town after a week-long bender of hard liquor and/or crack-cocaine. Yet, I held to my faith that nervous breakdowns are a NATURAL, INEVITABLE - and NECESSARY - part of our existence. We are here to be BITCH-i-fied, and Steemit is one HELL of a BITCH-master.

Itchin' For A Bitchin'

But Sam knew that deep down in the BOWELS of his subconscious he was craving a good TOSSING. He knew that he had not used the proper protection, like getting enough sleep, taking on too many projects, being careless in his recordkeeping, etc. He admitted to his transgressions, while at the same time proposing ACTIVE forward-thinking solutions, and calling on the universe to give him a little payback on the many good deeds he had done in the past. So it was not much of a surprise to us veterans when we got the news that Sam had found a way out of his morass. With a bit of faith, some patience, a dash of self-reflection, and a pinch resourcefulness, the "gods of karma" returned a couple of IOUs. Sam had "Stopped, Dropped, and SPIRITUALLY Rolled" through the "Steemit Fire", and landed in (relatively) one piece on the other side.

Where There's Smoke There's Fire

There will be MANY times during our journey - both ON and OFF of Steemit - when we will begin to smell the warning smoke of catastrophe. Perhaps we are working in a job which is unfulfilling, and with each day we are sinking deeper into despair. Perhaps we are in an environment surrounded by people who bring out the worst in us, but it would be a formidable challenge, requiring a significant amount of time and effort, to change our circumstance. Maybe our romantic relationship is sinking deeper into chaos. Generally speaking, WHATEVER our pending catastrophe is, we USUALLY have available to us the basic options of :

1. Pausing and taking a step back from what we're doing

2. Reflecting on the situation, while taking inventory of some possible solutions within our power, and

3. Exercising FAITH that things will SOMEHOW naturally work out in a way which is SOMEWHAT acceptable to us.

The common saying is, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger". I tend to disagree a bit on this, gravitating instead towards the more realistic idea that, "What doesn't kill us makes us WISER". To me, "strength" and "wisdom" are somewhat different. Wisdom has more "staying power" in my view. It's WISDOM which enables us to make DECISIONS which then allow us to CONSERVE our limited STRENGTH. Therefore, wisdom TRUMPS strength.

Just "Stop Drop and Spiritually Roll"

Life (both ON and OFF of Steemit) is going to hurl ALL SORTS of nasties at us. That's just the way it is. We are "objects in space" interacting with other "objects in space" - sometimes COLLIDING with them and ending up a bit MANGLED, while at other times INTERMINGLING to produce more harmonious outcomes. Some people, things, and events break us down, while others build us up. The KEY to getting through it all - in RELATIVELY one piece - lies in CONTINUOUSLY developing our skills, talents, and wisdom so that when the "flames of chaos" start rising all around us we are MOST PREPARED to roll through them, with the BEST likelihood of coming out the other side relatively intact.

In the realm of Steemit, this is where it becomes ESPECIALLY valuable for us to constantly develop and implement our "Steemit Productivity Strategy". With a STRATEGY we are more able to move through the chaos, as we have an ACTIONABLE set of tasks to hold onto as we proceed through the fire. We may write a post which is not well-received, and instead of getting discouraged we simply divert some of our efforts towards curation activities, which we know have a more certain payoff. When we can't think of ideas for posts we can fall back on exploring some new hashtag content to get some inspiration. If we find ourselves becoming burnt out, we can simply take some time off and come back invigorated with new energy and ideas. The WORST thing you can do in times of chaos is NOT have an alternative plan. In the heat of panic you are helpless without an ACTIONABLE plan to help pull you through. You are like the panicked SCUBA diver whose immediate response is to throw off all their life-supporting equipment and make the often-impossible - and fatal - uncontrolled ascent to the surface in desperate search of air. Without a plan you are lost and vulnerable.

So, when you start to smell the smoke of "Steemit Fire" burning, just remember to "Stop, Drop and "Spiritually Roll"" by focusing on your "Steemit Productivity Strategy" to get you through to the other side, HOPEFULLY a bit stronger and a bit wiser.

Today's Dreaded Homework Task

Just like when flight attendants demonstrate the exit plan each time you board a plane, let's do a run-through of our "emergency exit" plan for when the heat gets turned up for us on Steemit. Let's take a more simple crisis for this exercise. That is, what would you do if you couldn't think of a subject to write about for your next post? Visualize this situation now. It's time to start writing your new post, but you have blanked out and are unable to conjure any new ideas. Now consult the current version of your "Steemit Productivity Strategy". Select FIVE tasks from your current strategy which are NOT directly related to post writing (but hopefully INDIRECTLY related, in the sense that by performing them you can INCREASE your chance of ultimately being able to write your post) and implement those today. Some of these tasks may include :

1. Exploring some hashtags related to a post subject which you are INTERESTED in writing

2. Doing a few minutes of free-writing to try and dig up some ideas from your subconscious mind

3. Going for a run to get your mind into a different groove, increase bloodflow and oxygen to your brain, and meditate on some potential writing subjects.

Etcetera.

Implement up to FIVE of these alternative productivity tasks and then see if you are BETTER able to achieve your original goal (which in this case is writing a new post). Using this alternative strategy we are BEST able to "Stop, Drop, and Spiritually Roll" through the FLAMES of the "Steemit Fire" which flare up - often unexpectedly - more often than we would like.

As usual, feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, insults, challenges, etcetera, and as you continue moving forward, just remember to take life (both ON and OFF Steemit)...

"One nervous breakdown at a time".

@transcript-junky

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Photo Source : theaikidowarrior.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/roll-1.jpg