I’m one of those people who dive deep, get out for a breather and dive right back in. It’s been a tumultuous journey since 2016. I have learned so much, distanced myself from my life long friends, lost thousands upon thousands of dollars but yet still here. Why? People ask, what is your big why? Before I answer that, I want to share how I immersed myself in Crypto/NFT Twitter(X) and TikTok. It started harmlessly enough. It had been years since my debacle with Bitcoin & Robinhood. That’s another story. If you know me, you know. It’s not pretty. That was 2016. I want to talk about the last two years. After being on Twitter (since 2009) and Vine for some time, a shift was happening. Vine discontinued and I moved over to Byte, another short form video platform. As we all know, greed takes hold and the company running Byte sold out. I had been resisting TikTok for months. I caved. It started innocently enough with me posting my beach views and the turtles in the canal. My feed was infiltrated by the images of NFTS and talks of selling art for money through crypto. I was enamored. It was the end of 2021, August, post COVID. I was looking for a way to get money to help co workers. I was familiar with crypto, not how to successfully manage crypto but I was familiar. I started engaging and learning about NFTS. I fell hard. I was hooked. I stopped my IRL life except for my job. I put my head down and learned how to make and mint NFTs, I created a curriculum I stuck with to this day. I studied blockchain technology, regenerative finances and more , went to conferences, joined decentralized medias, however, I was not counting on having to face my fears, looking deep within and finding my strengths and limitations, letting go of negative self beliefs and mistaken beliefs, finding my intrinsic value and principles, and authentic friendships, connections I never imagined. There are days I want to walk away but then my big why creeps in. I am 63 and grew up watching the internet unfold.In the late 60s, I remember watching my older cousins by the TV, seeing it their number was called for the draft, seeing protests against the government. I was a rebellious teenager in the 70s watching our president on the TV saying he was not a crook. I watched the internet evolve from a free to share platform to a place where with each click someone could invariably get your information, steal your identity or just inundate you with spam emails. My big why is and always has been, “YOU DONT OWN ME” I believe in decentralization, it may not happen in my lifetime but if I have a say, a part, then I will do it. I created Onboard60 to document and have onchain. There’s virtual spaces, NFTs, books and more educational content for those coming sooner than later. I am revisiting friends IRL and spending time with my family while I learn how to balance who I have become and where I am growing. I have bit the senior citizen pride in the butt and joined SheFi session 10 to learn what to do in crypto rather than what not to do, I could write a book, and OMFG. I FOMOed, and I felt it. That’s when I knew it was time to rethink my life choices. My fomo happened with a few things. One was BONSAI, I do love Bonsai. It was an ego thing for sure, I wanted to be seen as an OG, get the airdrop. Again, if you know me? I did not understand the concept of getting the right address and importing it into my wallet, duh!!! I thought they would magically appear! That’s the senior citizen brain, always missing one component, one step, either I don’t hear it or I don’t listen cause I am going so fast like a 5 year old and I know, I agree, it’s the latter. I got my BONSAI and got to join Lenspost( also FOMOed over) and now I get to learn what to do with both of them. Yup, the 5 year old with a new toy. I have no clue, lol. My big why is still the same, you don’t own me. I will not be set aside or left behind because of where I live( south Florida) sees people of a certain age as just that, a certain age. I will keep showing up and in time, so will others. Your parents, aunts and uncles, I see them trickling in. I am working with a 81 year old woman who has been dabbling in crypto. I am vewy aware of karma as this is the time I say how grateful I am for everyone who has taken the time and patience to help me, and yeah, I get it. I wouldn’t change a thing. I have climbed out of the rabbit hole a better person. I definitely see myself being around for a long long time. Thank you for reading this and be fabulous!!
SandraSammSababa
Founder Onboard60
