Panda Breaks 1000 Followers - A Tale of Heartbreak to Hero Through Writing - Thank You SteemIt (And the Unmentionables)
It's been a while since many of you have heard from me.
This post will be a positive one, although my next one will tell a story that's pretty grim and somber, as it involves some pretty traumatic events in my life that have caused a lot of pain nearly took my life. BUT, that's for the next post.
I just wanted to share the news that the Panda has FINALLY surpassed the big '1000' follower mark!!! WOOT WOOT!
It's been quite the wild adventure on SteemIt over these past 5 months, as I've met so many amazing friends, many of which I truly consider family for life now.
I've met so many of you in person, shared countless meals, had incredible meet and greets wild adventures, and just tons and tons of laughter and smiles. Memories that I will cherish forever - all because of a website that I never even knew existed 5 months ago.
I am so thankful that I was introduced to SteemIt and being told to come and share my passion for storytelling on here - at the time when I joined, I was an angry, passionate, trainwrecked lost soul wandering the world, searching for my purpose and what life really meant to me.
I was going through a pretty tough break up that I still hadn't gotten over, even though it had been over half a year already.
I was still hating myself for my past addiction issues and my demons from Vancouver that haunted me daily.
And I was still a mess that wanted to use, but didn't, at every step of the way. I was angry, I was hurt, I was sick, I was tired, and I was emotionally worn out.
Then I turned to journaling and writing on SteemIt. And things started getting better.
I started connecting with new people. I started meeting like-minded individuals that helped me cope with my sorrows and see things through a different set of lenses.
But most of all, I finally discovered that the person I was - the man who I had loathed and hated every day, that I hated looking into the mirror at daily - was someone that was worth it.
I was someone who deserved to be loved. I was someone that deserved to live a good life - to be happy, to be free of the bonds of drugs, codependency, the bonds of my own mind, and most of all, the shackles of anxiety.
I deserved to be happy and FREE.
And I am so proud to report that today, months later, that same man sits here, proudly stating that I am worth it. I am deserving. I am happy, I am free, and I am worth everything that I choose to be worth.
I have the power to live the life I wish to live - and I am working day by day to build that life for myself. While it hasn't been easy, it's surely been worth it.
Many friends along the path have helped me, and I would not be here without them today - you guys all know who you are, #TeamMalaysia.
I also owe a massive debt to my entire family and a huge group of friends and loved ones over at my 2nd home, #TheUnmentionables.
We have built a truly incredible home for everyone that's looking for something outside of the status quo.
I love our zany, whacky, wild, rambunctious, spontaneous, yet loving, compassionate, and downright caring group of friends that look out for each other through thick and thin.
We have all grown so fucking much since our inception. I'm so glad that we started that group a few months back - look at what we've become now. The @Unmentionable group account is a force to be reckoned with now!
Come check us out if you're looking for a home or are a writer that needs an extra push and a hint of inspiration - you'll surely find it there.
You can submit an application here: https://theunmentionables.typeform.com/to/katsnH
(and yes, all previously submitted applications WILL be looked at over the next few days - there's a reason it took so long, which will be explained in my next post).
I'll end this rant by saying this - breaking 1000 followers has taught me a valuable lesson here on SteemIt, and it's this:
"It's not about the width of the connections that you may have, but the depth of each and every one of them."
"How deep do you connect with each person that you call a friend? For me, I value my bonds very deeply, and my people will vouch for that through and through."
I love you all. Thank you all for helping me make it through these past 5 months. The ups, the downs, the trials, and tribulations. I've grown and learned so much because of each and every single one of you.
Let's keep killin' it family. Shoutout to my crew at #TheUnmentionables, and especially to my team over at #CoinPanda aka you @AdamTilsley - we're doing big things this year brother!!!
Let's CRUSH the rest of 2017, friends!
Interested in grabbing my Cloud Mining Secrets eBook Pre-Order before it's released in a week?
Congrats on your 1000 Followers @fatpandadesign, I just hit the same milestone today myself!
Wow, huge congrats as well! It's a big milestone and I hope that we continue to smash these milestones together for years to come :) Stay classy my friend!
A what a journey!! Rest up... heal... eat... get stronger... This next year will be an amazing year for you! 😃 Resteemed w ❤️.
Karen, thank you so much for your kind words, and I especially want to thank you for your post that you did for me. It made me cry. You're truly an inspiration and I am so grateful to have friends like you <3
Congratulations! And speedy recovery! ❤️💖💗💕
Thank you my dear friend <3 You've been an angel that's helped me weather the storm!
Take good care of yourself and keep in touch! 🐼
Very inspiring post. However, some passages of that post look like "hippy mantras" to me. So I am gonna drop this here.
"You deserve to be happy and free". Definitely not. You can not change reality. However, we need some of our delusions to survive.
I however think that I deserve to be rich because I am putting the work in for 2 years. Which is nothing on the grand scale. However, it keeps me hustling.
Pragmatic Truths to live by
-No one cares about you
-You are not special
-Your feelings mean nothing
-Your weaknesses are your fault
-You deserve to be where you are right now
Thanks for your feedback mate. As a writer, I do actually truly value the feedback and opinions of my following and readers, and take constructive criticism very well.
I will agree that technically, we don't "deserve to be happy" - but as a human right, we do deserve to be FREE. Happiness can be attained only if we truly desire it, and as a man that wishes to live a fulfilling life, I wish for nothing but happiness, health, and the pursuit of an amazing life for myself, my friends, family, and loved ones.
So, thanks again for dropping by. It's been great to meet you briefly over the past day, and I hope that we interact more over the coming months :)
So true. tip! 2.0
Hi @fatpandadesign! @unmentionable is sending you 0.1 SBD tip and @tipU upvote !
@tipU - send tips by writing tip! in the comment, get share of the service profit :)I agree with that free point.
It is great to have become a member of the unmentionables.
I wonder where you will lead the group to!
I'm attempting to lead us to a great place. First, I have to get my own life in a good spot though :[ Living in a homeless shelter might make for a great case study of "rags to riches", but while you're living it, it's certainly not the wonder story it's all cracked up to be.
I have big visions and plans for The Unmentionables, as well as Coin Panda, and I will make them happen. It's simply a matter of having the time and ability to do so :) I know people believe in me, and believe in the vision that I have for both endeavors, so I'm excited to lift us off into space!
That doesn't sound good mate, you need to get out of there asap. What is important is that you get your own shit asap.
I know how hard it is to get shit done when your environment is complete shit. I almost had a heart attack because of that once.
It's good to see you back, bud!
It's SO good to be back, mate. And it's equally great to hear from you my man! I hope you're doing incredibly well.
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Congrulations to 1000 followers panda! You are amazing!
Ben you should establish a rule that people in our discord have to be active. The chat is dead even when people are green status in the server.
They only are there to use the post promotion, they don't contribute in any way and this group is just like any other group with this dead chat.
I tell you, remove the post promotion and in 10 days 75% will be gone and 25% not responding because they lost interest in Steem.
There has to be something done about that. I see no other reason to come to the discord chat than to use the post promo, because in the chat I am talking to myself.