It’s been over two years now, since I first heard about and joined Steem. At the time I'd been trying to figure out how I could share some of what I was learning on gardening and health on social media, even as a blog on a Weebly site, but not getting far. I knew it was a long term prospect, but hoped one day to slowly build enough of a following to maybe earn a little from it as some people do. So admittedly the draw with Steem was the chance to share and maybe earn that little something even sooner. It was to lead me on a journey I didn't expect, however.
I'm no spring chicken, so I don't pick up new things easily any more. I knew I'd have to work at it to figure things out and after avoiding learning about the crypto currencies that my husband kept mentioning, I now needed to figure them out of I was to make the most of this Steemit site.
It turned out that this wasn't your typical social media site. On most social media you have to figure it out for yourself and the community isn't likely to help you. On Steem, the learning curve is much steeper, but it seems nearly everyone is happy to help you learn and if they can't answer your questions, they know someone who can.
Steem has brought to my life, new knowledge in so many areas, from cryptocurrency to representations of what other cultures and countries are truly like and not the stereotypes we have from media. There's nothing like speaking to someone actually from another country to get a true picture of what it's like living there. It's allowed me to reach out and help others in ways I couldn't normally. Then via 
It's rekindled my love of writing and given me a reason to write for the first time in decades (now I feel old...) and I admit the response to my work has given me a little confidence in myself that maybe I can offer something of use. In a world where someone quiet and slow is generally not seen as very valuable in the employment market, it's uplifting to have a positive response to something I feel I'm competent at.
It's been a cliché for a while that Steem is a gateway cryptocurrency and you come for the money, stay for the community, however that has been my experience. I've found a place with 
When I went through a rough patch, my commitments to these communities were one of the things that kept me on an even keel. Having a constant, when so much was changing and out of my control, helped more than I initially realised. I never expected it, but Steem has had a bigger impact on my life than I'd have ever guessed when I first signed up.