Last week, I announced a contest to celebrate the milestone that I had recently hit, obtaining 100 followers. I wanted to get people to tell us their Steemit stories, to showcase the human side of Steemit. A lot of people get drawn to Steemit because of the promise of getting paid for the things that they post, so they come on here thinking that they will make some quick and easy money without doing any real work. These people typically get discouraged and leave the platform after long enough of not making any good returns on their posts.

I came up with the contest as a way to show how Steemit has changed people's lives even if the money factor isn't quite there yet. I wanted to highlight the amazing connections that people make through Steemit and the communities on Discord. I wanted people to pour their hearts out onto their screens and tell us the raw stories of how Steemit has changed their lives for the better.

I only managed to get 5 qualifying entries, which still brought a smile to my face! Perhaps it was the 500 word minimum that scared more people away, I don't know. What I do know, is that I am so grateful to the five individuals who stepped up to the plate and tried their hand at the contest! It was such a pleasure to read your stories and get to know the kind of impact that Steemit has made in your lives.

Here are the winners! Two honorable mentions first:

But, I gave it a try, to see if I would enjoy posting here, and I have gained much more than Steem. Being part of a community that “gets me” has been so uplifting!
In terms of monetary earnings though,since I started posting on Steemit, I have earned enough to cover some of my annual expenses, and I am setting more aside so I can get other tools that will enable and facilitate what I do, allowing me to do more of what I love.

@binkyprod told a story of how Steemit has helped them not only financially, but has also helped with finding a community where they feel at home. They've even used Steemit to help overcome many struggles with PTSD and depression! Check out the full story here.

I am also get interested with drawings and Steemit community and it's people really did help me boost my confidence. I am really happy that everyday i am improving my drawing and sketches. I will continue to draw until i improve myself , i am happy that even my drawing is not that good, many still help me pushed through my drawings and improve it. I am thanking all the people that help me to continue and pursue my drawing artist dream.

@robin-ho talked about their personal history with using social media networks in the past, and how Steemit has done a lot more for their self-development and has provided such a great cure for daily boredom. They went into the growing cryptocurrency market and how Steemit has helped them learn so much more about the cryptocurrency phenomenon. Then they discussed how Steemit helps them to imrpove their craft because the community is always so helpful. Check out the full story here.

Third Place - 3 SBD - goes to

Over these three months, I have seen the support that people have given me, seen myself break one milestone after another that I had set for myself at a shockingly fast pace much to my surprise. Steemit inspires me to keep working hard and doing what I can for my family whenever I come here to read the amazing articles by other people. I might not have the job that I wanted but the people here have taught me to always remain positive.

@kyrios talks about how much they have grown over the three months that they've been on Steemit. They focus on how they've been able to improve their writing while making some pretty great friends in the community as well. They mention how they've made several attempts to blog in the past, but it wasn't until Steemit came along that they've finally been able to keep up with it. Check out the full story here.

Second Place - 5 SBD - goes to

Finally, one is no longer alone in the wide world of cyberspace, but involved in a large community with a big heart ❤️.
Here the blogger's heart can fully unfold. Brilliant! Recommendable! With a high addiction factor!
Yes, of course. The rewards are ridiculous! But if you really want to blog, you normally do this for much less, i. e. for nothing plus provider fees and time or money for homepage design, for NOBODY to read your articles in the beginning!!

@sonci told a fascinating tale of how they initially discovered Steemit through @jerrybanfield, and then continued into their rise to 111 followers, as well as growth to an upvote that actually puts out a few cents. They talked about how even though the gains are small at the beginning, it's still several cents more than someone would make posting about the same things on other places. They outline their strategy for future success and provide a nice little roadmap for victory on Steemit. Check out the full story here.

First Place - 7 SBD - goes to

I view earning cryptocurrency as a perk — it would really be nice for it to come rolling in, but it is not my primary reason for being here. I am here to blog and interact with people, and there are quite a few who do exactly that, and it is wonderful! Because we Steemians are spread-out all over the world, it gives us a perfect opportunity to learn about each other’s cultures and experiences. I am finding some wonderful photographs here from places I will never be able to visit, and it is an extraordinary thing! Through Steemit, I have seen sunrises in East Timor, sunsets in Kuala Lumpur, waves lapping the shore in India, a colony of mushrooms in Germany, autumn leaves in a forest in Russia, amazing architecture in the Netherlands, stunning mountains in Pakistan, and woke up in a yurt in Kazakhstan. I have read the stories and musings of a gentleman in southern Texas, inspirational posts from someone in South Africa, and learned a bit about the country of Ghana.

@thekittygirl truly brought the contest home with their entry. They encapsulated everything that I felt was the proper mindset/mentality to have when starting out on Steemit. You can't come in just thinking about the money you'll be making. That's a sure-fire way to hit a brick wall and lose all your motivation to keep on going. I love how they went into how Steemit breaks down barriers and borders and exposes you to the lives and cultures of so many people from around the world, which only serves to further enrich your own life! They stress the importance of making real connections, which is a key aspect to real success here on Steemit. Check out the full story here.

This was such a great first contest for me, so thank you again to @binkyprod, @robin-ho, @kyrios, @sonci, and @thekittygirl for taking the time out of their day to tell us their stories! I hope that their stories will further help to draw people into Steemit. I know this place is going to blow up someday, we just have to keep on telling our stories of how Steemit has changed our lives and helped us to overcome so many barriers that kept us held back in the past. Here is proof of payout: