Ever notice when you dwell upon what is lacking in life that lack becomes a feeling of emptiness? Feelings of emptiness becomes filled with despair of the lack ever being improved. A scarcity mindset drains the spirit of the will to thrive.

Without a will to thrive, the feeling of emptiness grows in focus and power to influence your outlook. No small improvement is enough and any improvements are not big enough to be enough. It becomes a life foundation built on sand.

When you pull your notice away from what is lacking and explore what you have, your ability to have more grows. What you already have becomes a solid foundation. What is added, no matter how small, adds to the structure.

The solid foundation gives each small progress a part in the fuller picture.

We need to view Steem as a solid foundation rather than sand. It’s a young platform, very young.

Many feel it lacks so much it is doomed to failure. They expect a mature, fully formed platform for them to play on when it is still developing. It’s still learning what works and what doesn’t work. Steem broke new ground on this type of platform, it has a ways to go.

When I see the expectations of the naysayers I’m reminded of the phrase I often heard growing up, “you can’t put an old head on young shoulders”. It referred to someone expecting a young person to have the knowledge and wisdom that came with age. It’s an unreasonable expectation.

So, why am I pondering on this? Well, @thekittygirl decided to challenge me to respond to @theycallmedan’s Gratitude Challenge. I also wanted to finally get around to doing one of @wesphilban’s #thoughtfuldailypost initiative.

The two concepts seemed to blend naturally together.

What Steem Has Done For Me

• I have met some amazing people on Steem. They will know who they are. The friendships formed on here are not just ‘virtual’. They are very real and in some cases valued beyond compare. I deeply value the unconditional caring, support and sometimes challenge to keep moving forward.

• People from all walks of life, literally from around the world, have come together on Steem. For the most part, there is not a lot of trolling and attacking on posts like on so many other media.

• The platform has become a space where I have tried things I wanted to like writing. It has also become a space where I try things I would never have dreamt to have even tried. I can write what I want here and find space to get feedback which allows me to improve and grow.

• If someone had told me I’d be doing even one online radio / podcast show I’d have told them they were crazy. Instead I’m approaching, or might have even passed, 200 shows between Pimp Your Post Thursday, Curation Corner and the Witness Chats.

• With the new things I’ve tried, I know there is much more I can do.

• Three years ago, I had heard of bitcoin. Three years on the Steem platform and I’ve learned a lot about the crypto world and have started a token. I have no doubt I will continue to learn and explore how this all works. Steem just grabs hold of you like that.

• I’ve learned that rewards don’t need to be immediate. Every Steem, every token I earn and stake is part of the marathon I’m part of which is building as the platform grows and matures.

• I’m not only watching, but participating, in a platform growing from one frontend into multiple front ends, multiple tokens attached to frontends, a growing array of D’apps and business models.

I remember when the web was just in its infancy, I would talk to people I knew about the developing technology. When I told them that this thing called the internet would become a normal part of our life in the future I received rolled eyes and head shaking. She’s lost it was the consensus.

Right now, I’m seeing the same thing happening with the power of blockchain and crypto to change they way we live and earn. Yes, I’m getting the same head shaking and rolled eyes.

The foundation is present. Every bit of improvement added to this platform will make it grow. It will have it’s ups and downs but through it all, it will build.

Last week our ranking on Coin Market Cap touched on 80. This morning it’s at 75. Who knows where it will go. Either way, I’m along for the ride.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” —Oprah Winfrey

UPDATE: Almost forgot the challenge to three others: @catweasel, @whatsup, @enginewitty

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Until Next Time — Just Steem on

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