WHAT IF HIVE NEVER EXISTED?

The inspiration behind this post streams from @starstrings01's post. He is my Hive mentor and I run to him whenever I have any trouble, concerns, or questions about Hive and he never disappoints.

The first time I'd be on Hive... to be honest with you... It was due to SAPA.

What is SAPA? It's a popular and the most used lingo in my country, Nigeria. SAPA means Sudden Absence of Purchasing Ability.

SAPA aside, I was going through a lot.

My body was already leaving my soul. I never mentioned this in my introductory post which gained a massive engagement.

It's been 5 months since my introductory post and there has been a lot of progress in my physical and mental health.

Hive might have been a bridge. It's actually a bridge that connects me with great minds in my country and the world at large, even though I haven't been consistent with Hive.

Hive came into the picture when I was at the lowest point of my life and struggling financially. Basically, the cause for the SAPA wasn't due to money itself. It was due to my mental health back then. Those who read my introductory post could have known the reason. I moved on already, so I'm not going back to that.

HERE IS HOW HIVE SAVED MY LIFE

It's actually simple... It made me believe more in myself...

How?

Well, my first Hive post garnered attention and a lot of love for a guy like me just starting out.

Upvotes of 155 Hive were really enough trajectory moments of self-esteem for me.

I find this moment to appreciate you guys again. You are all wonderful.

The inspiration behind that post was a wave of anger.

I and my two other friends were owing hostel rent. We were final-year students waiting for our Statement of Results while school was delaying it. In that kind of situation, our stay at the hostel got extended by 3 months. Even though we already settled with the owner of the hostel that we would pay for whatever period we end up staying, the caretakers didn't stop humiliating us.

I got so angered the last evening at the hostel that I had to borrow money to pay for the 3 months stay. A few minutes after making the payment, I grabbed my phone and that's how the Hive journey started.

With my friends, we got another place at the same town. We already got the place a few weeks before moving out of the last residence (the hostel), with my last savings back then.

Fast forward, it was from the 155 Hives that I was able to pay off my debts.

That one post alone got me back on my feet. While I was struggling with depression, I got lazy and lost hope. I got tired of everything.

Hive got me back... I started back on my journey of financial freedom.

There is one saying I got from Sabri Suby, the author of the International bestselling book - Sell Like Crazy

The Most Valuable Resource Isn't Time It's Energy.

It's very true.

When I was depressed and struggling, I'm a freelancer so I was still trying. I didn't quit completely... But nothing was working.

It became my realization that it was actually my bad energy working against me.

Even though a lot of time was wasted in the past, no matter how I might have tried, I could have still ended up being even sadder and depressed.

HIVE GAVE ME THE WINNING MENTALITY AGAIN...

I got my smile back and doors started opening.

I got a new skill (copywriting), won some clients, and got my freelance business back on track. Even though I'm not yet at the stage where I used to be in my freelance business, I'm happy I have a few dollars in savings to my name.

I used to read a lot and I'm back to being a book addict.

My physical health improved a lot.

Baby step, ain't it? But a lot of things got better.

In July, still on the verge of self-discovery, I summoned the courage and I made peace with my past.

To commemorate that, I changed my environment. I came to my hometown where I'm being loved whatsoever the situation. Leaving behind an apart where I paid a huge amount of money to reside wasn't an easy decision, but I knew it'd pay off. I left my friends behind as well. My friends couldn't save me. Whenever I think I was moving on, they find a way to sabotage my progress. Through the moments, I struggled to post on Hive.

Eventually, I left my past behind. I was worried about a lot of things. With my family, I feel safe and happy even though I don't want to live my life being pampered.

Being with them, I see it as a comfort zone whereas I think I can never achieve my goals in my comfort zone.

Truth is - I needed my family. I always do but as men, our ego is the problem.

HIVE GOT ME A BED.

Two to three weeks (in March) when I got into the apartment where I left, I used to sleep on my decent but rather a neat mini bed I used for 6 years in the university...

New apartment, same bed... Although there wasn't any discomfort, but I knew "enough was enough".

Maybe, that discomfort could have happened...

However, in the evening of one Thursday, I got off my feet and went into a market nearby.

To cut the long story short, I got a new bed of N60K (Sixty Thousand Naira). That should be around $100 USD.

Hive sponsored more than half of the cost by the way. I made a withdrawal from my wallet into Binance and sold my coins into Naira. I got the rest from my Piggyvest locked savings as I didn't have money at hand back then.

Maybe that's not extreme, but it was important. It was something related to health. I wasn't used to prioritizing my health as I don't get sick.

Hive might have saved me from unprecedented sickness or body aches, maybe.

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS

Like today, I decided I'm going back to working out... I don't have Naira at hand as I prefer to have my money saved in dollars or on Binance in Hive and stablecoins...

As according to your suspicion, I'm expecting my workout equipment so I can exercise in my room without the fear of "someone is probably making a joke of me" lol.

So many occasions and miscellaneous that Hive had got my back.

Apart from the financial part, I've mentioned how Hive has been instrumental in getting me my life back in stable condition.

And what if Hive Never Existed?

By the way, there has been a lot of improvement since I've been with my family.

By October/November, I'd be in NYSC camp. Sure, Hive will take care of some part of that too, but I'll make sure not to have the fun alone.

I'll feed you guys as it goes.

Thanks for the inspiration @starstrings01.

Over to my Hive family. Let's hear your own story too 😊