How did Steemit & cryptocurrencies change my life?
In order to fully understand, I will give you some background. I'm one of those people who thought that getting myself into huge debt in order to go to an Ivy League school, was a good idea.
And don't get me wrong, I don't regret my 2 years at Colombia University. I met people I'm now considering to be my best friends, I learned a lot, and these 2 years were some of the best of my life.
I didn't worry about money back then, because a great job afterwards sure will allow me to pay this off quickly, right?
Wrong!
Life does not always go as expected, and dreams, aspirations and goals change over time
I went into finance and worked in London, mainly for the money. This turned out to be a big mistake, because I did a job that I essentially hated for over 2 years, just for a paycheck at the end of the month.
Once I realized that life was not about counting down the days until the weekend, I just quit and left to Panama.
My salary here is extremely low compared to what someone would earn in Europe or in the US (think 3-digit figure!), so it is a HUGE change compared to when I was receiving a sign-up bonus without having any experience at all.
I don't mind though, because at the end of the day, free time (I now work 6 hours per day instead of 12!), quality of life and happiness in general are priceless. I can go for a swim in the ocean whenever I feel like it .
I even have time for hobbies now, imagine that!
I can work in my garden, play with my dog, train jiu-jitsu, watch a series on Netflix and post something on Steemit all in one day, after my regular work day.
Of course, the downside is that my student loan didn't just disappear when I quit my job, and the debt collectors from Navient constantly lurk around the corner, each 17th of the month. It's the only thing that keeps me up at night, because I'm wondering when I'll finally be free of the Navient Grinch.
I refer to my loan as the cloud in the sky, the shade blocking my sunshine, the zit on my face, the hair in my soup, the nail in my shoe...you name it. It's an issue I need to solve somehow.
Most of my friends from University are now done paying for theirs, and probably have made smarter financial choices than me.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it appeared in the form of cryptocurrency though Steemit.
Ever since I've joined 2 months ago, I'm a lot less worried about being able to make my monthly payments, because the platform has allowed me to earn money while doing what I love: writing and posting pictures & videos.
Last month, my first earnings reached the equivalent of 3 full monthly loan payments, thanks to the high value of SBD, and this month I'm almost reaching an entire payment again.
View from the nice hotel I stayed in during my last vacation, thanks to Steemit
Result I'm sleeping better, and can enjoy a meal out without constantly worrying about the Navient Grinch.
I don't think that Steemit will make me rich one day, but I'm so extremely grateful for what it has given me so far: a great network of people, a voice, and some well deserved rewards in the form of SBD.
I hope this will inspire you to join the Steemit community, and hopefully help you reach your goal of a brighter financial future.