For those that have been following the posts being published on Coil.com this year, you will have noticed that the CBC has been on fire since launch back in mid-September. Members have been seeing amazing things happen and have formed bonding relationships that have the capacity to last a lifetime. It has been a joy to see this group expand into the tight-knit community it has become up to this point.

The CBC used to be known as the Coil Blogging Club but has been re-branded to the Content Builders Club. The CBC is a group of passionate content creators that publish a majority of their work on Coil.com to help spread utility and adoption of the platform while also enhancing individual creative abilities.

The club meets privately inside of an invite-only Telegram group that specializes in high-level support and encouragement for each member involved. Each month the group partakes in at least one content activity that is both fun and rewarding at the same time.

Source

The name, Content Builders Club, was an idea given to the club by new CBC member Lauren Lewis. We definitely appreciate the contributions she has made so far in her brief experience inside the CBC. All member feedback is important as the club continues to evolve over time.

The CBC is in no way affiliated with the company, Coil, and is not an official group formed by Coil. Instead, the group was derived by the users out of a need for creators to have a safe space to share and be properly supported by other like-minded individuals.

As of October 27th, 2019, the CBC is enacting enrollment updates as detailed here. For those considering joining the club, feel free to reach out to Ken Melendez on Twitter and ask for more details on the process to joining the group to help enhance your content creation journey.

Header image source

Swell, the annual Ripple event, is taking place in Singapore November 7th and 8th of this year. A handful of prominent XRP community members received an exclusive invite to the event via direct message on Twitter. To me this reminds me of the movie Mortal Kombat when the best of the best fighters from around the world get invited to the tournament of a lifetime.

Why are XRP community members being invited to Swell for the first time in history? Well, many have speculated as to the reason for this happening. In my opinion, I believe that Ripple is pulling back the curtain for a select few XRP influencers so they can help spread the news of something HUGE revealed only at this event. Also, I think they are flying out to Singapore to give feedback to the Ripple team as to how the rest of the community may react to a new product or service.

The premise of this article is to put my intentions out into the universe... my desire is to be invited to attend the Ripple Swell event next year in 2020. Through the duration of this blog, I am going to outline the reasons why I want to attend as well as a specific plan on how I intend on receiving an invite. Now, to set the record straight, I do realize that this is an ambitious venture but I won't let that stop me. I can't squash my ambition even with a sledgehammer.

If you've seen the movie Paycheck with Ben Affleck, then you would know that for something like this to work, we have to work backwards. We have to start by looking for clues as to the characteristics each XRP community member has in common who received an invite to this year's Swell event. A few Twitter names who got invited are Digital Asset Investor, Mr. B, and Steven Bull From the Diep.

If we take a deeper look at these 3 gentleman, we can begin to put the pieces together...

1. Each has a following on Twitter of over 10,000 users.
2. Consistently creates or shares pertinent Ripple / XRP news and information.
3. Receives hundreds of likes, retweets, and views on their content.
4. The community trusts the validity of information coming from their channels.
5. They have been committed to the XRP ecosystem for at least 1 year and has a good understanding of the technology.

The above are the commonalities that I have seen among those who were invited to this year's event.

Operation Swell 2020

Honestly, I do not know which location will be chosen for the event in 2020, but wherever it is, I will fly there. In fact, it would be pretty convenient if it was by their new office in Washington D.C. which is only a few states away from me. It all starts with WHY. Why do I want to attend this event?

Attending Swell 2020 means that I get to rub shoulders with those who are on the front lines of the Ripple team. I get to hear from the leaders from all corners of the finance sector from multiple different countries. Meeting the people responsible for the amazing technology that we have at our fingertips is a dream come true.

In order to receive in invite, I have to be dedicated. By dedicated, I mean in the trenches daily spreading value to the community and also others who are outside of the community. I feel like Coil is a great medium to get the word out since the platform will continue to grow over the next year and beyond, especially with Grant for the Web launching applications in Q1 2020.

In order to receive an invite, I have to be disciplined, saying NO to distractions as they come my way. Emails, phone calls, video games, dopamine rushes from social media, anything that tries to steal my attention away from my work time is going to get thrown out the window (not literally but you get the idea). Discipline is what will carry me through to create the daily success habits such as researching, writing, sharing, and so on.

In order to receive an invite, I have to grind, and grind hard (somehow that doesn't sound right but oh well it's staying). People who go after what they want are the ones who get it. There is a saying that goes “Don't wish for it, work for it”. Life may hand you lemons, but it is up to you to make the lemonade. It is up to the one who grinds everyday to make something of themselves and reach the level of success they desire.

Practical Steps to Earning an Invite

Go all out – Have you ever gone for something with everything you have in you? Have you ever had a goal so lofty that it was almost impossible to achieve? Going all out requires being sold out for what it is you want to accomplish. It means reaching for the stars when no one else wants to hand you a step ladder.

Be fanatical - Kids are this way. They are utterly fanatical, especially when they don't get what they want. And also, when they do get what they want. Either way, their reactions are fanatical in a positive or a negative manner depending on the situation. Adults tend to lose this trait as they age which cannot be the case with Operation Swell 2020. “Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do” – Steve Jobs

Mention names – Twitter has this awesome feature called mentions where you can tag a specific username. This is effective when you want to get someone's attention on your content. Mentioning people like @bgarlinghouse, @ripple, and @joelkatz on quality posts, will be an essential factor in making my mission known to the masses.

Create / share value – This is done in the form of blog / video content shared to social media platforms, particularly Twitter where the XRP community lives. I create my best works in blog format on Coil so that is where I will be focusing a majority of my efforts. I plan on ramping up my video efforts next year and will be more active on Cinnamon and possible other platforms.

Pour into others – Pouring into others is basically the act of putting others before yourself. Thinking about others needs and meeting those needs position you as a servant leader just like the Bible teaches. Mentoring others to learn what I know will be an essential aspect of earning a spot at Swell.

Don't care what people think – this is a biggie. I used to be a sucker for what other people thought of me until I started not caring as much. It is still tough and anxiety still creeps in occasionally, but people are going to judge no matter what actions you take or belief systems you abide by. My mission on this planet is unique to me which makes me accountable only to God and no one else.

Avoid Naysayers – The internet is ridden with naysayers. In fact, they are everywhere, including in your family and friend circles. Again, this is going to require going all out as mentioned in a previous point. Being 100% sold out for the cause is the only way to avoid the damage that naysayers can bring emotionally. Avoid naysayers at all costs as to not be brought down to their mindset level.

Carry the baton – In a relay race, runners are challenged to run a certain distance, then pass the baton to the next runner as they sprint to the next destination. Carrying the baton means setting a strong example for others and filling any gaps within the community that need attention. Hodor used to produce quality content, but he has since passed the baton and I want to continue in his footsteps while putting my own twist and personality into the process.

Never look back – Keep charging forward at all costs. No time to look behind at the past. Keep eyes facing the prize and don't lose sight of the future that awaits. Victory awaits those who are patient and who put their heads down and WORK. No other way around it. No looking back and no turning around allowed.

Come with me

With all that said, are any of you crazy enough to join me in Operation Swell 2020? It will take a ridiculous amount of commitment, drive, and fanaticism to pull off, but nothing is impossible with an open mind and a full heart. I honestly do not expect to attend alone as I want 1 or 2 friends who can join me in this wild expedition. Put all of your excuses behind you as we “go where no man has gone before”.

Operation Swell 2020 can be your mission should you choose to accept it. Because, lets face it, a year will pass by anyways, might as well spend it by waking up excited to take action and work towards a lofty goal that is difficult but not impossible to reach. And, if for some reason we do not receive an invite to next year's event (which we will), think HOW MUCH FURTHER along we will be than we are right now!

Thank you for reading about Operation Swell 2020. Hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did creating it. This is a big undertaking and your support means a lot. More info and updates to come in the near future. Stay tuned.

[Header image source](https://blockexplorer.com/news/5-things-we-learned-from-the-ripple-swell-conference/)

The Content Builders Club has experienced steady growth since official launch back in mid-September. Dozens of Coil bloggers have raised their hand to participate and have seen tremendous advantages to being involved with such a vibrant, passionate community. As a result of the club's successful growth, enrollment updates are being put into place as to maintain a strong balance and proper level of support for existing members.

Official Content Builders Club Changes

Effective October 27th, 2019.

The following changes do not affect existing CBC members

1. Cost of Membership

As of October 27th, 2019, the Content Builders Club is moving away from free membership as the invite-only group has become too valuable to provide at no charge. Members are experiencing accelerated growth in blog post support as well as a plethora of new readers, generous feedback, and constructive criticism on their formatting and composition abilities. Also, it takes a considerable time commitment to administer the group on a day-to-day basis.

The cost for new members on or after October 27th, 2019 will be $10 per month paid in XRP. If for some reason you cannot pay in XRP, contact me directly on Twitter @_kenmelendez for other arrangements. A portion of the monthly membership fee will put towards challenges and other activities that the group partakes in such as the 30-Day Coil Blogging Challenge and the 14-Day Coil Blogging Blitz.

2. Open Enrollment Period Ending

Since the beginning of the CBC, enrollment has been open to any and all Coil bloggers who wanted to join via private invite on Twitter. Since we are quickly approaching maximum capacity of active members, open enrollment is soon closing down.

As of Sunday, October 27th 2019, open enrollment is officially closed. Saturday, October 26th is the last day to be openly considered for the club. After Saturday the 26th, you will be asked to sign up for the wait list as described below.

3. Wait List Sign Ups

For those who wish to join the CBC but an open enrollment period is not active, you will need to join the wait list. You will be taken to a website called waitlistr.com and asked to “Join the List”. From there, go ahead and enter your best email address, your first and last name, as well as your Twitter and Coil usernames.

Once you submit the necessary info, the admin(s) will be notified and will keep you in the loop as to when the next enrollment period begins. In some cases, your Twitter and Coil profiles may get reviewed before the next open enrollment period and you may get contacted for early access to the club. Sign up for the wait list if you are serious about participating in the CBC.

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The above enrollment procedures have the freedom to be updated at any time by the CBC administrator(s). If changes are neccessary to be made in the future, new and existing members will be notified with enough time to make adjustments (if any).

Social media is running rampant with FUD as untrue stories spread like the wildfire in the Amazon. How can you honestly tell the difference between a true article and a false one? Well, most FUD articles are not backed by facts and instead based on sheer opinion and speculation. True articles on the other hand either include facts, and/or are coming from the source itself, such as Ripple.com.

Today more than ever, people are being bombarded with one story after another, and sometimes it's good to turn it all off and move on to more productive measures. Discernment of true vs. false news is a top characteristic of living a somewhat sane and happy life, so be smart with what you see and hear, as it has the power to lead you astray.

The article you are about to read will give you the armor necessary to defend against FUD, while also equipping you with metaphorical weaponry to “cut through the crap” and embrace the coming bull-runs. Let's face it, the next bull-market will be upon us soon with all of the true stories being released about Ripple, the most recent of which being the new office opening in Washington D.C. Let's take a look at a few ways you can fend off FUD and prepare for the coming tidal wave of crypto goodness.

This is exactly what is sounds like, except not in the literal sense. I mean, I suppose you could go into your yard and plant some flowers or something, but that is not what I am referring to here. Getting your hands dirty insinuates that you get productive by getting to work. Whether that work be a project, a job, writing a book, parenting your kids, or even coaching a friend or client, get busy being productive.

When you are living in a productive state (of mind, not one of the 50 states), you feel a sense of accomplishment which then leads to even more productive actions creating an epic snowball effect. Getting your hands dirty will help you ward off FUD because your focus is on productivity which gives you peace and strength as opposed to inaction which can quickly cause you to spiral into severe levels of anxiety and depression.

Finding a hobby is on this list because it's going to keep you entertained while also keeping your spirits up. People who engage in at least 1 hobby during their week are shown to be 50% happier than people without a hobby (not really, I made that statistic up). But anyways, you get the idea. Look, I don't care if you choose underwater basket-weaving, corn-dog tossing, or even turtle surfing, at least it is an activity you enjoy.

Hobbies are normally done on your own, and on your own time. Who wants to be normal though, right? If you enjoy spending time with your friends or going out on a date with your spouse, those can be a hobby that are shared with others you care about. A hobby will help bring joy into your life by allowing you to unwind from the pressures of everyday life as you bask in the beauty of complete and utter harmony with yourself or with others.

Add value. What in the world? Yep, add value. You've probably heard that one a thousand times, but what does it actually look like in a practical sense? Well, it basically means giving to others in a way that will benefit their lives in some shape or form. In the online world, adding value is done best by creating content (like the article you are reading right this very second and are still reading because you keep on reading this sentence and I'm wondering why you are still reading it but at this point it's a run-on sentence and you are laughing and wondering when it will stop OK time to stop).

Adding value is lending a hand to one or a group of people in the form of a private message, a public tweet, a Cinnamon video, a coaching call, a conference call, a webinar, a Coil blog, a course, a live seminar, and so on. If you use your imagination, the possibilities are endless. Also, if you think you don't have any value to give, think again. Do you have a pulse? Then you have value to give.

People are in deep need of others who are willing to step into their lives and make a true difference. One such person I've noticed recently that does this goes by the name Riley Q. Riley cares deeply about others and wants to see them succeed at life, which is why she produces songs and blog content to help ADD VALUE to the people in her audience. To read a recent interview that Coil Blogging Club member, Sandra Scala, did with Riley Q, go here.

Community. Are you part of a community online? Perhaps you are leading a community? You are already fighting the battle against FUD and embracing the bull-run sentiment. Fostering, encouraging, and promoting community is one of the BIGGEST ways to stay motivated during a bear market and to keep your eyes on the prize. Can you go it alone? Sure... but have you seen a 1-man or 1-woman army before? And if you have, did they win the battle against the opposing army?

But... but, Ken... I can't find a community that is going the same direction and doing the same things that I am! Help! Two possible scenarios exist that explain the answer to the previous statement. 1. You are not looking hard enough as there are communities literally everywhere online. and 2. If for some reason there really isn't one... CREATE ONE YOURSELF. Yes, you, the one reading this article. By the way, if you are still reading this article I applaud you. You are taking your self-education seriously which is what's required for you to go to the next level in your life.

My background is in personal fitness training. In fact, before I heard about online business or cryptocurrency, I went to college for exercise science and sports management. The amazing thing is, I am still active to this day. In fact, I made a trip to the gym this morning so that I would be pumped for the day and was inspired to write this article as a result of feeling physically and emotionally worked up. Going to the gym is just one way to stay active, there are many more.

Walks are a great way to stay moving without getting sweaty (unless you take a trip to the desert like CBC member, Srdan Vocanec). Staying active is going to keep your adrenaline and dopamine levels up in your brain which will keep you in the right frame of mind, helping you discern the FUD from the legit news stories. Also, when you feel amped up, you also feel optimistic about the future, giving you a sweet taste of bullish sentiment on your taste buds.

One of the best ways to feel encouraged is to send someone encouragement first. Weird how that works, right? Over the years as I have experienced less-desirable occurrences in my life, I've found that when I reach out and give someone else a boost, that I get one in return. I'm not talking about the other person returning the gesture, I'm talking about the pure satisfaction that I helped someone else feel better about their day.

Encouragement can come in all types of forms such as a phone call, a text, or a note to a co-worker that you place on their desk. Being an encouraging person brings with it a level of creativity that allows you to be original in your gestures. Usually, the simpler and more sincere the gesture, the better the reaction from that person or group of people. In fact, just the simple act of letting someone know you are thinking about them or that you appreciate them goes A LONG way.

-—

The above FUD armor and bull-run weaponry are simply a few examples of the many that exist out there. If you want to take the entire list and throw it in the trash, go ahead! (it will still be safely stored on my Coil profile ;). But seriously, these are not set in stone so feel free to come up with your own list that works for you and your personality. Thank you for reading.

[Image source](https://unsplash.com/photos/6CfpUEmNWAU)

In American or Canadian football, a blitz is defined as a tactic used by the defensive team to stop the offensive team's quarterback from successfully completing a pass. It's a fast, aggressive move that often-times works when executed properly. We can apply this tactic metaphorically to our lives in terms of taking action towards a specific goal of ours.

Once in a while, our action-levels can plateau or become stagnant, achieving little to no progress towards a desired result. It doesn't matter if you are looking to lose weight, gain weight, build a business, or score that job promotion, blitzing is a powerful, short burst of action that can help kick your behind into high-gear.

In the spirit of football season, even though I mainly watch sports for the food, the Coil Blogging Club is going to partake in what is called the 14-day Coil Blogging Blitz. The blitz will kick off Friday, November 1st and end on November 14th. For those that celebrate Thanksgiving, the blitz will be over before you start shopping for turkey and cranberry sauce.

Source

The blitz will consist of a short, 14-day burst of action designed intentionally to create buzz around the power of blogging, especially when published on Coil.com. Earlier this morning, Matthew Kobach, head of social media for the New York Stock Exchange, tweeted this message out to his audience: (thank you Ramon from the CBC for bringing it to our attention)

Source

Matthew explains how writing is an extremely powerful medium because it scales, it gets shared, and it attracts like-minded people to you and to your other published content. What this blogging blitz will allow CBC members to do is get into action-mode which will carry them through to the end of the year.

Inside of the invite-only Telegram group, members will encourage and support each other through the blitz, holding each other accountable to finishing strong. Football is impossible to play without 2 teams going head to head. The same goes for this blitz as the CBC is divided, yet comes together with one purpose and one mission to accomplish.

Guidelines for the 14-Day Coil Blogging Blitz

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TEAM UP!

Hut hut hike! I, Ken Melendez, will be your coach for this competition. The Coil Blogging Club will be divided into 2 even-numbered teams...1 red team and 1 blue team. Each individual team member on each team MUST do the following:

1. Publish 1 post per day on Coil.com

2. Each post must be a minimum of 250 words

3. Share each post link inside of the Coil Blogging Club

4. Share each post to at least 1 social media platform

5. Have fun

The team that completes the entirety of the 14-day blitz, without running out of bounds (missing a guideline), wins the competition. In the event of a tie, a coin toss will take place to decide the final result. May the most committed team win!

Source

Incentives for participating

1 team will receive:

1. Bragging rights as the 14-day Coil blogging blitz champions

2. $100 worth of XRP split among the winning teammates

3. Recognition on the pinned post of the CBC Telegram group

If everyone on the winning team lived close to me, I would throw you all a pizza party. But, since that is not the case, pats on the back and a little XRP should do the trick.

Over the next week and a half, club members will be gearing up as teams are formed and bloggers prepare their content to be published on Coil each day of the blitz.

Not a member of the Coil Blogging Club? You still have time. If interested in becoming a member, please reach out to @_kenmelendez on Twitter for an invitation. Any questions, please feel free to reach out and I will do my best to respond within 24 hours.

It has now gotten to the point in the CBC where we are giving each other nicknames and roles in the group. I for one am loving it. For instance, Srdan is now the official CBC bouncer who is in charge of guarding and protecting the club. He is one of our many passionate members inside of the invite-only Telegram group.

In this edition of CBC Member Highlights, 2 members will be highlighted who have demonstrated regular participation in the club while at the same time provided genuine support to the rest of the group. The club's foundation is built upon members who truly care for others and have a heart to serve one another.

Not only have they participated in the club, but these members produce blog content on a regular basis which is an important aspect of CBC involvement. We encourage publishing works to Coil.com to help grow the platform, and also to allow each blogger to unleash their creative genius.

Deyner López Fernández @deyner1984

Deyner has been a pleasure to have inside the Coil Blogging Club as he has demonstrated proficiency in his blogging abilities, as well as with encouraging and assisting other CBC members. Deyner has a knack for technology and for composing interesting blog content that the entire community appreciates viewing.

Deyner is an intelligent, caring, well-mannered person and is a great fit for Coil and also for any community he becomes a part of. It's been great seeing you grow along side us, Deyner, and we look forward to what you are going to do next both on Coil and also in your personal life as you progress on your journey of fatherhood.

Next up...

NickelNDime @NickelnDime

Nickel... what can I say about this man. For starters, he is a damn good singer / songwriter. He is incredibly talented on that guitar of his. Plus, as of late, he has been dipping his toes into the coding pool, testing his hands at creating a new game on his own. His wife does not understand this at all but Nickel doesn't seem to mind.

It has been an honor having you in the CBC, Nickel. You add a flavor to the group that helps spice it up and you bring value through your encouraging words and songs. Looking forward to seeing your creative genius continue to flow as it is showcased on Coil.com. That young one of yours will be proud one day soon.

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Thank you for joining us here in edition 5 of the CBC member highlights. If you would like to be considered for one of the next editions, please continue blogging regularly and participating in the CBC. Active members always benefit the most from the club as they give and receive proper support.

The more that is written here about the XRP Ledger, the more I discover how long it will take to cover the entire scope of the topic. It might take weeks, months, even years to uncover the depth of this groundbreaking technology originated in 2012 by Chris Larsen, Jed McCaleb, and Arthur Britto. In this article, we are going to cover information on the digital asset, XRP, currently ranked #3 on Coinmarketcap.

XRP is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger.

Source

As investors in XRP, many, including myself, don't truly grasp the magnitude of this technology and the problems that it solves both now and in the future. Even the original creators can't foresee every use-case for this digital asset that is coming down the road. XRP is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger. In other words, it was born and raised there, kind of like a group of people who were born in a particular country of the world.

The genesis (or first) ledger contained 100 billion XRP. No more can or will ever be created. Comparing this to Bitcoin, that network contains the capacity for 21 million bitcoins in circulation. Over the years, a good amount of those unfortunately were lost due to crashed hard drives or lost private keys. Cryptocurrency is deflationary in nature because a set amount is placed into the code from the very beginning quite unlike fiat currency.

Cash, as all of us are familiar with, is inflationary in nature because more can be printed in a moment's notice and circulated to the central banks. Cryptocurrency is finite. In the case of XRP, it is deflationary and can be lost, just like bitcoins, and the transaction costs destroy a minuscule amount per transaction to protect the network from spam and DOS attacks.

...at the current rate of destruction, it would take at least 70,000 years to destroy all XRP

Source

Now, let's face it, will the world even be around in 70,000 years? I'd be really surprised if it is still around. Could happen, but not likely. Anyways, the point is, we don't have to worry about XRP disappearing on us any time soon. Investors can rest assured that their asset will be safe for an extremely long time.

The company that exists now as Ripple, went through a couple name changes in the past. First they began as OpenCoin Inc. back in 2012 when the creators of XRP (then called Ripple) gave the company 80 billion XRP to develop the ecosystem. OpenCoin Inc. eventually turned into Ripple Labs and ended up shortening the name to simply Ripple. A lot of names floating around, but only Ripple and XRP are the two names that exist now.

XRP is measured in what are called drops which are the smallest indivisible units used for XRP Ledger transactions. A drop of XRP looks like this...

0.0000001

...which, for any math majors out there, means that 1 XRP is equal to 1,000,000 drops. Drops are one of the reasons why XRP is perfect for micropayments like Coil Blogging Club member Deyner wrote about in his most recent blog. Since XRP is divisible down to a single drop, this makes it easy for Web Monetized sites like Coil.com to pay content creators via Interledger.

This concludes today's article on the XRP Ledger referring specifically to the ledger's native cryptocurrency, XRP (formerly known as Ripple). Stay tuned for the next one in the series to be released soon.

As some of you know, yesterday's Coil blog was quite intense. Normally I don't discuss much about my personal life and not because I don't want to, but because I like to teach and educate others about my passions such as furthering the Internet of Value via Ripple, Coil, Interledger, and so on.

The post yesterday basically outlined the fact that I am nearing the end of my rope financially and that I needed something to happen... like, now. I explained how every avenue I have chosen to go down ended with a door closing, or slamming rather, right in my face. After I put up that post, something miraculous happened.

Many members from the Coil Blogging Club supported me with kind words and gestures that I am very appreciative of. It's an amazing feeling to be going through a rough patch and know that you're not alone. Later that day, a member of the group was ecstatic because she had received a boost from Coil for her blogging performance in September.

Naturally, I was curious and I checked my own tip bot account. Sure enough, I had been given a boost as well. I knew this was a direct act of God because on the same day that I poured my heart out, on a blog that I don't normally share sensitive information, the flood gates of blessing opened up. I had to show my wife and she was happy to say the least.

The other surprisingly amazing thing that occurred was that I got a call from an employer at a job I had applied for a couple weeks prior. That employer wanted me to come in for an interview. So, today I went into the interview and absolutely crushed it... they hired me on the spot.

I went from down and broken to up and glued back together (like humpty dumpty) in a single day. What's funny is that at the end of my post from yesterday, I had mentioned how a month or two from now, you would see a blog from me talking about my situation turning around.

I had the confidence yesterday that things would be better within a couple months time. Little did I know that within 24 hours of publishing the post yesterday, I would receive a boost from Coil AND become employed at a wholesale club near my home. Wow. Just wow. God is good. He came through like he always has in the past, and I know this is just the beginning.

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. The lesson of the story is this... never. give. up. hope. NEVER. There is ALWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel. My tagline in many of my posts is this... Never give up and always believe. I say that because it's true. Never ever ever give up because circumstances can and do change in an instant. All it takes is that sudden flip of the switch.

Header photo by Nathan Van Egmond on Unsplash

The place-holder text before you start typing on Coil says “Tell us your story”. Please join me in a recent story about my personal and professional life...

From late 2014 to mid 2019 I worked with my brother in his IT company. We serviced business and residential customers alike all over the Greater Cleveland area. I left that company in July of this year because I knew it was time. To put it in other terms, I had an emotional breakdown.

Have you ever had that feeling when you knew it was time for something to end? Whether that be a job, a relationship, a bad eating habit, etc. I had reached a point where I wanted to remove myself from that company and pursue my dreams. I wanted to be free and live life with options.

Granted, I did not have another stream of steady income flowing in. In fact, I knew that my family and I would survive momentarily off of the remaining money in our checking and saving accounts. The plan was to find another revenue stream to replace that job. Again... that WAS the plan.

Ever since quitting my IT position, I have been meticulously searching for other means of full-time income. The problem is that every avenue I've pursued has not worked out as planned. It seems like every direction I turn and every opportunity I pursue gets blocked by a metaphorical door slamming shut over and over.

*a door closes*

*no response from this person*

*parents and in-laws begin to question*

*still hanging onto hope*

August is over, and September rolls around... I've pursued blockchain projects that looked and felt promising, but in the end, they didn't pan out. By this time, the checking and savings accounts were really getting drained but my hopes were still high. I knew that I would land something really soon. My hopes were really high still. But, yet again, things didn't pan out in September.

*another door closes*

*I really thought THIS VENTURE would pan out*

*silence from potential partners*

*door slams*

*doubt creeps in*

October rolls around... now I am really starting to feel the pressure. My wife and 3 boys are counting on me. Me. The bread-winner of the family. Me. The one who feels like he's failing sometimes. Me. The one who is trusting in God to come through but is still worried things may not work out. Will things be OK for us?

*another door closes*

*THIS email wasn't responded to*

*no call from this employer*

*that phone call didn't go as planned*

Present day rolls around... here I am, writing this Coil post. Coil is the only thing I have right now (outside of God and my family) that has been keeping me sane. I have a semi-decent sized crypto bag but it's not paying the bills, it is for the long-term, legacy-leaving days.

The Coil Blogging Club has been a HUGE part of my life and I'm honored to know each and every member inside the group. But here's where I'm at...

*SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN*

It's coming down to the wire these last 2 weeks of October. I'm not freaking out (kind of), still holding onto hope. God has always come through in the past. ALWAYS. My family and I have always been provided for, it just hasn't ever been this close to not being able to continue.

Anyways, let's end this post on a positive note. I'm really thankful for all the blessings God has given me including the CBC, my wife and kids, my health, safety, food, shelter, and clothing to name a few. I've learned over the years that whatever you are continually grateful for, you end up seeing more of it manifesting in your life.

*The right door will OPEN in the right timing*

*Everything will be OK*

*I am a fighter and won't give up*

*God has my back in the midst of the storms*

For the past 30 days straight (including weekends), the Coil Blogging Club has been participating in a blogging challenge. Each day, at least 1 blog was to be published on Coil.com and also shared to social media.

Some may think it’s easy to blog daily, but needless to say, it’s not. Sure, we could have chosen to publish low-quality blogs, but that’s not what we did at all. We stuck it out and made it all the way to the end. We finished strong.

I’m really proud of the CBC members who stepped up to the plate and completed this challenge even though it stretched them further than they thought they could go.

The entire point of this challenge was to cause bloggers to grow and stretch beyond their comfort zones which definitely happened. Another reason was to help promote Coil.com and the Web Monetization standard which was a success.

Multiple members have been able to stay on track with their publishing because the challenge pushed them to do so. Now, since the habit is instilled of publishing regularly, it should not require as much willpower to complete an article as it did before.

Without further ado, below is a video that showcases the CBC members who won a prize by completing the challenge. These members can also opt to be sent $25 worth of XRP directly to their personal wallets instead of a physical prize if they so choose.

https://youtu.be/6f42SE72764

Winners, please reach out to me privately via Twitter or Telegram to let me know which of the 3 prizes you would like from this post, or if you would rather receive $25 worth of XRP direct to your wallet.

Congratulations to ALL Coil Blogging Club members who made the effort to blog during this challenge even if you weren't able to every single day. It's been a blast getting to know each of you over the past month. Looking forward to more experiences together in the future.