It's all about strategy, right? About making sure you get all the rules or algorithms or tricks or loopholes down so you can succeed, right?
You know, sometimes it is. Sometimes it is, and I don't think it's a bad way to do things.
But the more I go on in life, I realize it's not really how I function, at least most of the time.
(Edited pixabay cottage - random and lovely.)
I remember talking to my mom in my last semester of high school, which was a particularly difficult and exhausting semester for a lot of reasons, and realizing that there weren't any real "rules" for what I had to do. I didn't have to go to university; I didn't have to do what everyone else was doing.
I would soon be graduating fairly near to the top of my class--but I chose not to apply for any scholarships because I didn't want to get them and then feel like I had to go.
I got one anyway, which was automatic based on GPA. So I took one philosophy class that interested me, while working a random couple of jobs and basically going nowhere. (I'm so glad my parents didn't force me to go to school! It would have sucked the lifeblood out of me.)
My life has certainly unfolded unconventionally ever since:
- I long-distance dated an American before that was cool;
- I considered a performing arts school;
- I ended up at a sort of backwoods formation school which changed my life;
- I attended 3 different schools in 3 different countries before receiving my first degree--a Master's (I don't have a BA);
- my area of study was in no way practical but was eminently educational--the antithesis, I think many would argue here, of our current education system, where it is often emphatically non-educational and tries only to be "practical" (which has now turned into grads unable to find jobs. Crazy town.);
- I worked with a record label in the UK and made music friends from London to LA and several places in between;
- I saw Europe on a shoe string and have friends in probably 20 countries;
- I have moved probably 17 times in just a few years;
- I drove across the whole North American continent (literally to the easternmost tip of Canada) with a friend on tour.
(My friend's husband gets her flowers every single month on the day of their anniversary. Pretty awesome, hey?)
Has it been easy? Absolutely not. Has it been worth it? I think so. I'm watching that unfold, and the jury is still out. But even just for freedom and fullness of life? Yes, absolutely yes.
It would have been easier, and certainly more lucrative, to just "follow the rules." If I had even just worked at a bank out of school (as I considered at the time) and worked my way up I would currently feel like I am rolling in the dough compared to how hard things have been as an unconventional artist.
Why do I say all of this?
Well, I realized it's how I'm approaching Steemit, too. I know there are many "rules" and "tricks" I could follow to try to beat the system, or follow the system, or whatever people call it, and when I've seen them mentioned, I've attempted one or two. A slight bit of self-voting experimenting, for example, with all of the huzzah about that lately--but, friends.. it was so boring and bleh.
I always just end up feeling like any of the different strategies take the life and joy out of being here for me. In the end, my way, especially as your classic artist, I suppose, is a lot more fluid and intuitive.
I write what I would like to write about.
I record what I'd like to share.
I stick a picture up if I think it's beautiful.
I ask a noobie question if I need an answer.
I forget to follow up on REALLY IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS and wince at not being able to find them in my comments section.
I comment on things that interest me.
I upvote when something is great quality, or makes me laugh, or when someone is new and might be discouraged, or when someone leaves me a nice comment, or because someone made a valiant attempt with their English on an intimidating platform, or simply because I like being contrary.
(A nice used-with-permission library where I'd like to put a giant bed and make my little kingdom)
Would I maybe be doing "better" if I were doing things a little differently? Maybe.
But for the most part I've just found that being my best and being sincere, and seeing what every unique day brings/invites me to has made this a great place to be and succeed. This doesn't mean I don't want to do well, or that I'm not disappointed at a post that I work hard on that doesn't get much traction but.. I'm just finding it can't be my driving force to worry about that.
Still just.. grateful. And enjoying life here.
xx,
Kay
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P.S. Hey! Listen to me sing a cover of Adele or an original of mine :).