When I first joined the Steem community, I was a bit stary eyed. The promise of making money quickly grabbed my attention. I needed money and I needed it fast. Being unemployed and depressed is a tough combination of life circumstances that can drive people to do crazy things (like sign up for a Steem account).

I quickly learned that my unrealistic, lofty dreams were not going to be fulfilled instantaneously. I quickly realized that networking was going to be hard work and that I would have to labor to hone the craft of creating content. I quickly realized that I would have to practice delayed gratification - working hard today in anticipation of enjoying the results in the future.

And despite all of the "slap-in-my-face" realizations, I am still here.

Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash

Why Am I Still Here?

The simple answer is authentic, genuine connections with other members of the Steem community.

One of my first Steem memories is meeting @reddust. You will see her Steem user-id scattered throughout my posts over the last two years or so. Why? Because she made an impact on me.

Honestly, we have very little in common. We did not connect because we both live in the Midwest, although that is true. Our bond is not shared faith. On the contrary, our faith stories have very few similarities. @reddust always impressed me with her artwork, while I prefer to draw stick figures.

No matter how different we are, I knew she cared. How? @reddust responded when I reached out to her. She invested time and energy in thoughtful replies to my comments. She showed appreciation as a larger Steem account through upvotes.

Unfortunately, @reddust cannot be as active in the Steem community as of late. I do hope she will return someday to post butterfly paintings (they were beautiful). It was her kindness in those early days of my journey that helped propel me to where I am today and encourage me to stay the course despite all of the struggles. Let's be honest, we all struggle sometimes!

Filling That Gap

As of late, I have been particularly blessed by @dswigle. Her kind words and generosity are acts of encouragement for my heart. In some ways, she has become my modern-day @reddust.

Both of these ladies have shown me kindness (think of it as a social investment). Their examples and their actions have encouraged me to be a blessing to others and have convicted my heart when I have not done so. As I have watched them both, I am reminded of the type of Steem community member I would like to be.

The following are some thoughts that I hope will guide my Steem journey. These are some of my "people investing" principles.

• Do for one person what you wish you could do for all people.
  There is not a single person in the world who should bear the burden for every act of kindness. We all share the responsibility of being kind to those around us. When we cannot impact the lives of everyone, at least impact the life of one person.
• Be willing to give without the expectation of receiving.
  Let genuine, authentic relationships be the ultimate reward. Treat financial rewards as a bonus. When you focus on people first, you may be surprised by the reciprocity of others.
• Show grace - treating people better than they deserve.
  We often find people in low moments in life. Since we cannot see everyone's internal struggles and pains, we need to be ready to offer kindness even when it is hard to do so. Loving the unlovely is a challenge.

Final Thoughts

I believe that investing in people within the Steem community is as important as investing in technology and the platform. Strong relationships are anchors that will keep people involved with Steem. And as we grow together, our influence and reach will grow as well.

I want to hear from you.

1. How do you invest in other members of the Steem community?
2. Tell us about someone who made an impact on your Steem journey.

Thanks for stopping by!
@SumatraNate