My 1st Steemit Anniversary — Looking Back at an Amazing Year Of My Life!

in #steemit7 years ago (edited)

I wasn't planning on writing this but then during my recent travel I realized the importance of recording a few milestone moments in my life. Steemit has been one of the best things that's happened to me. The past year on this social media platform has been nothing short of a dream come true.

You reap rewards if you are prepared to put in the effort!

I joined the old Steem Slack (now deprecated) around mid-June 2016 but I didn't sign up until 8th of July. It took me 3 weeks to be convinced this platform and everything about it is real. I was a big skeptic once upon a time!

The journey with Steemit ever since has been nothing short of incredible. I started from a mere 10 SP and today I have reached about 28250+ from using this platform over the past year. It took a lot of hard work to get this far and I'm excited about what the future holds!

I'm a community person. I love socializing with people and building thriving communities. I want us to grow together and my work on Steemit has mostly been about helping new and existing users thrive and grow on this incredible platform.

Human Connections

Steemit at the face of it looks like a blogging site but I think many here will related to the fact that you can make some real human connections here.

I've become friends with a quite a few people that I've had an opportunity to collaborate with on Steemit. SteemFest also put faces and personalities to usernames and I bonded closely with a bunch of people I spent time with during SF2.

There are far too many names to mention but I'm grateful for all the love and support you guys have showed me over the past few months. Especially when I was down and out!

There's not a day that passes when I don't talk to some of these people and it feels like the virtual life has seamlessly merged with the real one!

Personal Achievements

I want to a highlight a few nice things that I've accomplished on Steemit over the past year. Because I think with some hard + smart work anyone can do something like this in their life. This post will serve as a reminder that I cannot stop here and I have to keep working harder!

  1. I worked up the ranks from a normal user to become the Admin for user management at Steemit.Chat thanks to @riverhead who continues to trust me with this position right from the early days of Steemit.Chat. A small team of volunteers has ensured things run smoothly behind the scenes. I'll post to this effect soon.
  2. I worked together with a small team of enthusiastic Steemians to setup and run initiatives such as RobinHood Whale and SteemCleaners and users such as @anyx @patrice and @fubar.bdhr.
  3. About 10-11 months ago, I was invited to join Project Curie couple of weeks after they started operations and it was one of the most exciting projects I've collaborated on around here. It is always a great experience working with @donkeypong @liberosist @kevinwong @lpfaust and others from the team.
  4. I've also curated for @smooth in early July 2016. Our team of 10 was the first curation guild of any sorts which basically led to ideas taking shape as RHW, Curie and other curation guilds.
  5. Many might not realize but these initiatives have helped shape this platform positively over the past year and when I came back from my recovery I took on some newer challenges such as growing Steemit in India.
  6. I pitched to @roelandp to assist him in execution of SteemFest in August-September 2016 and this opportunity allowed me to bring together a fantastic bunch of people. Thanks to Roeland's vision and efforts and some help from 'Firepower Crew' we created Steemit history with the first Steemit conference. We're all coming together again in Lisbon this year for SteemFest 2.
  7. Today, I'm the 12th most followed user on Steemit and I hope to get into the top 10 very soon! I've gained 8200+ incredible followers over the past 3 months.
  8. As one of the top authors from India I hope to continue growing my stake to a figure that helps in making a greater difference to users on this platform.
  9. I've managed over 8350+ comments and approximately 6000+ of those were in the past two and half months.
  10. I've been a trending author with consistent quality of posts on a regular basis.
  11. Got into the big leagues once by managing over 1300 votes/post. A fantastic achievement for me!
  12. Steemit and I celebrate birthdays on the same day!

My accident gave me a second chance at life and I've poured my heart and soul into my work around Steemit ever since I've come back and incredible things have happened as a result.

  1. I've taken a lead on the India side of things with the India Steemit Accelerator program to spread the word on Steemit and Steem blockchain amongst Indian users and media. I've conducted two conferences that has gotten considerable eyeballs on and off Steemit with some excellent media coverages.
  2. I was also featured by one of the top Indian digital publication, "The Quint."
  3. I've been fortunate enough to be able to donate INR 1,00,000 or $1560 from my earnings on Steemit in the last 3 months to charitable causes that is improving lives of people in our community.
  4. I've got my 58 year old mother @geetharao to sign up on Steemit in addition to few influencers including the youngest surfer girl from India and they are all participating regularly here.
  5. My most recent India Steemit Accelerator event was hosted by Robert Bosch India HQ which was the latest feather in my cap. My step brother worked as a Senior Engineer at this facility before moving to US few years ago. So, it was great opportunity to present at their facility!

There are few more exciting things brewing behind the scenes and I hope can talk about it in the future...

After the Bangalore event I felt like I needed to rest my mind a little and therefore I took a couple of small vacations recently to meet some close friends and spent some time at Bangalore, Hyderabad and then at Jaipur most recently.

Jaipur was extremely memorable because my dear friend Hari Singh (of Hari + Sukhmani fame) who saved my life when I met with an accident as we were traveling together in February, was performing at the top club in Jaipur with his band partner. It was a sheer coincidence that we happened to be in the city at the same time.


L-R: Hari Singh, Me, @aishwarya and Sukhmani Malik

My dear friend @aishwarya joined me that evening. We were on the guest list and the night turned out to be simply incredible! I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate life and overcoming many challenges over these past months!

After two difficult years and then last 6 challenging months of recovery after my accident it felt good to celebrate my 1 year on Steemit by actually getting out of my house and doing things I love, with the people I really wanted to spend my time with.

All this wouldn't have been possible without some key people in my life supporting me and my vision in the past year on Steemit.

@riverhead @donkeypong @roelandp @liberosist @gandalf @aishwarya @sjennon @mammasitta @things @pfunk @acidyo @smooth @thejohalfiles @leftfield @thebatmanbiker @ned @sneak @blocktrades @foxxycat @razvanelulmarin @anduweb @lpfaust @kevinwong @anyx @nextgencrypto @timsaid @timcliff @roadscape @cass @good-karma @sauravrungta @andrarchy @saramiller @everlove @repholder @varunpinto @srinidhi @wandereronwheels and many many more people who have helped me along the way but not everyone is on Steemit...yet!

Thanks guys!

@geetharao thanks for being the best mom ever!

I'll be sponsoring conference ticket to SteemFest at Lisbon. Stay tuned for more info on the contest as well as my posts and other updates as we go!

Thank you everyone for your support!


If you like my work kindly resteem it to your friends. You may also continue reading my recent posts which might interest you:

  1. Successful #2 India Steemit Accelerator and Steem Cryptocurrency Meetup 2017 at Robert Bosch India HQ!
  2. I Donated $1300+ Of My Income Earned On Steemit Last Month and This is My Mid-2017 Donation Update!
  3. Dummies Guide to Basic Steemit Account Security + Account Recovery Guide! Must Read For Steemit Users!

Follow Me: @firepower

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I am so incredibly proud of you Meghan. I remember talking to you about the year ahead and how excited we were (still are lol). It feels so fantastic to see you accomplish so many things inspite of the troubles that you went through.

Also, you are doing such a great job for the steemit community and especially the Indian users. It feels so good to have a person like you who I can count on and just want to thank you for your continuous support! I am very grateful that I got to meet you & it was such a pleasure hanging out with you and I am really looking forward to the next time. :)

I am kinda short of words right now but just want to say that keep doing all the awesome things that you do and hope you check mark every item from that bucket list of yours ;)
Have a Great Day!!

Thank you for being such a great friend and pillar of support in these past few months!

When I read the title of this post I thought to myself, "well, aren't you a big liar, you've been here in June too!" But yes, here you are. It's been a little over a year now but what a year has it been.

When I met you on the digital nomad Facebook group I never would have imagined that this silly Indian guy would become one of my better friends. Someone I can crack jokes with as well as have serious conversations with.

I never would have imagined that this weird d platform called Steemit could've brought me so many and great interactions with souls all over the world, as well as some pocket money every now and then.

I am thankful that you ever decided to reply to my digital nomad post and wanted to help me out with my thesis, because if you didn't, I wouldn't have had the friend I have now.

Cheers and much love ~

It's nice to read a very positive views of how we discover life here at steemit community.

I wish this community will have a long term plan to support our growth and continue to support the many.

Best regards.

Follow me @Yehey
Thank you

What can I say! Not a day goes without us talking and I'm so glad that after nearly 2 years we've become very good friends! I cherish our friendship everyday and look forward to many decades of it!

Happy 1 year bro. What makes you an awesome human is the fact that you specifically even mentioned everybody! And you didn't forget a name man. You're truly amazing and one of the best people I've come across in my life. You're so humble. I don't know why I'm feeling proud, but I am genuinely proud of you for what you have achieved in this last year! Not only followers or fame wise but emotionally too you've grown so so much. Especially after all that you went through, you still came through, and you came through big! I feel so honored to have known you. When I grow old, I'll tell my grandkids about you, stay @firepower today, tomorrow and for all eternity. God bless you.

I'm not even close to my one year but it's a blessing to be apart of this revolution in social media from the ground up. Blessings!!!

Thank you so much.

I can imagine how my friend @geetharao raised you very well to become a successfull man.She must be very proud of you.Happy Anniversarry @firepower

I feel so humbled. I've read this many times over the past week and I can't believe you felt I was worthy of the comment you've made! Thanks Mona! I can't wait to see you and @sjennon again!

I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
—Bill Cosby
just saying have a good day )

You too have a good day and thank you.

Congratulations my Son dear @firepower...

Wishing you many more successful years on this wonderful platform. Thanks a lot for bringing me too, to this platform. Am really enjoying and having a great time here.

Thanks mom! Much love!

Great Steemit accomplishments!

Thank you.

It's been a great ride so far and you're just getting started! Thanks for everything you do.

Thank you Tom!

I have found you to be a huge influence on here and a hard worker, and spreading the crypto gospel wherever you go it seems.

Of the things I like about you, and there are many..... it might be that you help others adopt into / onboard into crypto to improve their lives.

I was run over by a car 18 mths ago and struggling through my injuries which have badly affected and disabled me in every area of my life......$ of course and physically.

I did not know you had suffered through things like this also.

The state is burying my file due to my activism it seems, I am happy you are doing so well in life and crypto.

Great job man.

Honestly.

The TWO of you have been beacons for me personally. Barry cuz you hail from the same 401 hwy I grew up near and show us everyday blokes what anyone is capable of if they just share their passion and fire because I live in India and would love to share your work with others and try to learn from your example. I manage @ecoknowme but this is my personal account. Random for the Two of you: Eucommia Bark.... it's a chinese herb used for healing injuries. I can look up where you could get it each (Canada vs India) But you don't need to read it, but I wrote this regarding the creation of a network of gardeners to help provide plant medicines for the community here: https://steemit.com/gardening/@ecoknowme/steemit-community-do-you-garden-help-the-ecoknowme-help-you-help-others-while-growing-your-own-medicine-business
Then my buddy @stortebeker wrote this gem that got my gears turning: https://steemit.com/challenge/@stortebeker/homesteaders-steem-around-the-world-challenge-preparation-2

Anyway if either or any of you would like to start expanding the potential on here into the offline.... I could (for example) send you some coffee from the Hills here and we could start a pay-it-forward wave of generosity to ripple out from Steemit. Just a few ideas I'd share since both of you share so many that helped me since starting on here.
Thank you both for who you are and what you do! And a special congrats to YOU @firepower ! The Maharaj of Steemit! Cheers @wuji

That's a great reply and GIF.

I am stunned by this epic reply!!!!

  • I guess we should keep in touch LOL

When I'm back in Canada maybe I pass by for Pizza. Otherwise, online is easier ;) Hope you guys recover from your accidents, Glad Steemit provides an opportunity for people to realize their potential in spite of limits to participating in the 'normal' economy... you guys show what is possible and I'm grateful for your example. I didn't know both of you had had incidents that impacted your lives so greatly or how much steemit was there for you both. Amazing really what this platform offers.... :)

I've been thankful for the support by some on here and comments like yours.

Some people have really not been very nice, and the opposite, no matter what the issue is.

Thanks again, it is appreciated.

@barrydutton Thank you for sharing this with me! This is inspiring! I hope you are recovering fast yourself. Wish you the best for your future!

We are brothers in recovery now forever LOL

Thanks for the well wishes man, it is always nice to hear from you @firepower.

I pray the best for you always.

Wow!! That's really impressing! For me as a newbie your story is really inspiring and it shows me that with hard work you can climb the ladder very fast. That's very fair and makes SteemIt the best place online I have ever seen.

Thank you so much.

This is such a great story. I'm sharing this on Twitter, where I have a good number of followers from India.

Thank you so much.

Great to see you man after longtime!! Wow man it's Amazing I hope you achieved more and more success on steemit. The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one's destiny to do, and I thinks your destiny is steemit lets rocked it.”

Happy birthday to you tcha tcha tcha happy birthday @firepower tcha tcha tcha

Congratulations for your great success on steemit ...God bless you !!

Thanks a lot.

Thank you for the wishes.

I have already saw your improvement....you did it great..i really need to learn more and more from you...but it's really hard to find somebody to teach me about steemit. I have been a steemian for 2 months but it grows so slow...so poor

It's been a long way and I'm just getting started! Thanks for everything you do in steemit, I learn a lot with you
@firepower

Thank you very much.

Your words leak of your strength! Congrats on each and every achievement... You deserve much more ❤

Thank you for your support.

Wow, well done! It seems like you had a good first year. This is a really inspriing story for me, as Im just getting into this. Its great to see and hear about true success stories both financially and socially. From what I can see in my short time here, is that is a wonder platform and I hope it keeps moving inthe right direction. There is so much potential and positivity moving around. It's damn refreshing. Cheers for sharing your story mate.

Glad that I could inspire you. Thank you.

no worries man. enjoy

Indeed looking back to celebrate your success is really relevant as it allows you to review and Mark your past and see your future projections. If anyone had told me you were initially skeptical about Steemit, I wouldn't believe it. All the same, you are a great promoter of Steemit and I have learned slot about you through your works as I mimic how you communicate. Congrats on your achievements so far. Hoping to achieve as much as you have after my first years anniversary.

Thanks a lot.

Great write up. Congrats on being the 12th most followed user on Steemit. Do let me know if you have any plans of Steemit Accelerator Meetup in Hyderabad.

I do. I was there infact 4 weeks ago. But, there aren't enough users there so maybe in a few months from now I will hold it there. :)

Gratz on you 1 year anniversary!!your Hard work and consistency has really paid off for you. I hope you continue on your path here on steemit! ;)

Thank you.

I am so honored to know you. You are the epitome of all Steemit was built for and about.

You consistently go above and beyond, and your glowing, positive energy is terribly contagious ;)

I wanna be like you when I grow up, Meghan!

I am thrilled to say you were one of the first Steemian I made a connection with.
Much love and good energy to you, my friend <3

Wow! Thank you so much! It feels great to read your comment, sorry that it took me a while to respond!

Thank you for your kind words. I hope you are doing great and it's good to be connected. If you drop by Steemit.Chat drop me a message. :)

Hey! I just messaged you in chat :)

Congratulations to your steemit journey and all human connectivity that inspire us . Thanks for sharing all pictures of your lovely moments.

Thanks for your support.

1 year is so Good!

Hey, Thank you.

Congrats on the achievements! I have only been here for two months, but already realize the potential of Steem.

Welcome to Steemit and thank you for the comment.

Got into the big leagues once by managing over 1300 votes/post. A fantastic achievement for me!

Congratulations! @firepower

Congrats to you as well and thank you.

You're welcome, @firepower

Firepower, what an amazing journey for you. Glad you recovered from your accident. Your leadership role and contributions to Steemit make this indeed a great community. Just hoping to follow in your footsteps. While you got you
r Mom here, I am trying to get my five daughters and wife to Steemit this year.. Upvoted and resteemed.

Congrats on a great year! Looking forward to awesome times at STEEMFest 2.0 in Lisbon this year!

very effective. go ahead .follow you.

Thank you.

Congrats!

Congratulations. I can see that you have been successful on steemit.

Thank you.

Excellent work and good to here that you are recovering well

Thank you.

Congratulations on completing your first year with Steemit.

The things you are doing here on Steem are really inspiring. The first every post that I read on Steemit was written by you, and since then I have been trying hard and working here on Steem so that someday I will make something out of this platform.

I hope you are well and you are recovering well. I read your mother’s posts, she is a good writer and the posts that she writes somehow touches me.

My prayers are with you, and I hope you will do great things in life.

Thank you very much dude! Appreciate your kind words of encouragement and support!

I am new to steemit and I can only hope my journey is as fulfilling as yours has been. You are an inspiration to many. Wishing you many more successful years on this wonderful platform.

Thanks a lot and welcome to Steemit.

Congratz firepower totally deserved. Have a good day man!.

Thank you and you too have beautiful day.

We are glad to know you here on steamit! You made a fantastic year and I hope you'll be here for a very long time! Congrats!

Hope the same and thank you very much.

Hello @firepower. I just started Steemit today. My friends tell me you are King of Steemit in India! If you ever get a chance to come to Kodai Kanal.... please come to Karuna farm and be our Special guest! Thank you very much! Have a lovely day
This is my first post, if you would like to help me or just see the farm I am talking about!
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@tilak/hello-steemit-i-am-tilak-in-india-nice-to-meet-you-the-king-of-karuna-farm
Namaste @tilak

Thank you for the invitation! I certainly hope to make it within a year! If you drop by #india on Steemit.chat leave me a message.

Wow, Super!
I will have a look for you on steemchat
thank you bhaiya!

Sir, Good day! :) you're story is so inspirational and interesting. This is worth sharing to the world. You really have done well here in steemit.com ^^ . While' I'm reading it, it is full of positive vibes and I hope that whatever happened to you here would also happen to others. More blessings ^^ Keep it up!

Thanks a lot.

You should take a trip to Jamaica and give me a Link. Beautiful Island with amazing people.

I want to ask your help and help from you, please stone my introduction, because I just joined this community ,, would you help me ,, I know you are a great person @firepower

Nice success story and very inspiring.thanks for boosting our energy and courage .I definitely follow the steps.thanks and congratulation for your bright future with Steemit.

Thank you so much for your support.

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Great success man! Congrats on your 1st Steemit Anniversary.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for sharing this great post @firepower. Being a newcomer to Steemit like myself, it is exciting to see all the amazing things this platform can do for someone. I am looking forward to steemin' on!

Welcome to Steemit and thank you.

@firepower we missed you.
We were worried about you sir,thanks for promoting steemit and growing the community.
we are happy you are back

Great success bro

Brilliant @firepower , your journey is inspiring, I have been on steemit for less than a week and I am loving the people here, I would love to have a similar story of success and I am willing work towards that. Thank you for sharing. Cheers to many more milestones!

Thank you so much for your support.

Congrats man for 1 anniversary always enjoy your post you lead Indians in community I always wait for your post

Thank you .

Congratulations, what a great year for you!
By many more equal!

Thank you .

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