When I look at the people around me and read what they all write and see what they can all do, I feel woefully under qualified.
These guys are educated, leaders of their fields or heading there. Whereas I didn't even finish High School.
That never really bothered me before, but these days, surrounded by so many degrees, when all I can really offer up is my year 10 certificate - I always wonder to myself.. What am I doing here? What do I have to offer?
I read someone's rant today about how people that succeed here have put their money into Steemit..
I'm only a minnow, I have never put money into my account but I feel very successful here.
But I measure that success by the amount of meaningful relationships I have formed here and the things my friends and I achieve together.
Never have I ever measured it by the amount I have in my wallet. When really, I think perhaps I need to be focusing on the earning part more because there's something I haven't told you guys.
Most of you are aware I have a 16 year old daughter. What you all don't know is she was diagnosed with Scoliosis in April. The specialist said the bend is too far gone, although we felt we caught it on time, we didn't and it seems she will need spinal surgery after her HSC which is at the end of next year.
Really instead of being on Steemit I need to be getting back to my day job and making money to pay for chiro (in our bid to avoid spinal surgery) which she has to go to twice a week.
I don't really talk about it because I can't you guys...
My Steem Power is my emergency money. If chiro fails, expect me to be powering down towards the end of next year and I am hoping to God the price of Steem skyrockets as it could mean the difference between metal rods or stem cells.
Everything considered, unless I go back to my day job, I really should start looking after myself and putting more time into meaningful, 
Because that's what I've realised I contribute here.
I help build communities.
What I lack in education I seem to make up in, in my ability to gather people and get them to believe in themselves and what they are capable of.
I spend a lot of time talking to community leaders, helping their organisation grow, giving them ideas from things I have learned from @SteemPh and offer my services if they need graphics for their community free of charge.
Why do I do this?
Because I can. Because I believe in
BE THE CHANGE
We've all read it, heard it. But how many of us actually really OWN IT?
If you haven't realised this yet. Steemit is the beginning of the change we have all long prayed for and should be seen and treated as that.
The fact that we all have stock in Steemit (Steem Power) should really further people's incentive to help grow the community because - You, WE are part shareholder of Steemit.
Act like you own it and grow it!
I will admit, some of my motivation to grow Steemit comes from what I may have to face next year and it's in my best interest to get Steem over the $10 mark by the end of next year just in case chiro fails.
But my biggest motivation to grow Steemit is to change lives.
It's changing my life and I want to bring people with me.
And that doesn't mean just lives in the Philippines but lives all over the world - that's why I like working with and finding community leaders everywhere.
Service to others pays off.
I don't really know what would have happened to me if I decided to just focus on the earning money side instead of the community building aspect of Steemit.
I sure as hell wouldn't have met all the wonderful people I now regard as Family. I wouldn't have been a part of so many amazing charities and initiatives. I wouldn't have seen the birth of communities and watched as people banded together in a common cause and that is, love and belief in Steemit.
So take it from me when I say your success here is dependent on the attitude in which you want to approach the platform. Don't just think about what the platform can do for you, think about what YOU can do for the platform. You'd be surprised at how much further you get.
💗Arly
Picture taken with my Samsung Galaxy Note 3.