Hey there fellow Harmonauts! My name is Kyle (Harmonious Dude). I’m here today to pickup the baton from @Globey.one and continue the conversation he so eloquently began of 'What Harmony means to me." I will then ask other governors to answer this question in the manner they seem fit. Our hope is that you, the wonderful community members, will continue this conversation after we have each presented our replies.
Globey stole a little of my thunder in his response by highlighting the name, Harmony. It says so much about what this community and protocol exemplifies. When I began my crypto journey, I was immediately struck by the innovation and forward thinking mentality of the industry as a whole, but to be honest, I never felt the sense that I was a participant in it as an investor in other projects. After finding Harmony, I was immediately impressed with not just the tech (I won’t get into the details because if you’re reading this, you probably already know), but with the ethos behind it: creating a radically fair economy and scaling trust for billions. A common theme I’ve noticed among blockchain enthusiasts is the general dislike of the status quo. Centralized structures have worn on our society and, beyond the tech, cryptocurrency has awoken an optimism in millions that there may be not only be a better way to move into the future, but that it’s attainable through these exciting technologies.
Even with all of that said, until I found Harmony I was occasionally turned off by coin maxis and shillers that don’t care about the deeper meaning behind what is possible with these opportunities. Yes, financial freedom is likely the primary goal of all investors, Harmonauts included. But with Harmony there is such an amazing palpable energy of community. We don’t drag ‘competing’ protocols through the mud. We appreciate the contributions of others. We look out for each other. And most importantly, we encourage and bring out the best in one another.
At the time I found Harmony, I did not have any ambitions to participate in a community and contribute to its success. It seemed impossible. It did not happen overnight, but as I became more accepted and ingrained in the community I started to make friends that seemed genuinely interested in helping bring out the best in me. I was so anxious at the prospect of running my own validator node, but with the help of the existing validators I received enough support to fight through it and pulled it off. I’ve made such good friends with so many of them. It has really become a catalyst for me to repeatedly step outside of my comfort zone. In recent months, I have taken part in podcasts and twitter spaces, even though the thought of speaking to an audience is quite crippling to me. I started and am commissioner of a Harmony fantasy football league where 11 fellow Harmonauts and myself message on an almost daily basis and just have fun chatting. Then, perhaps most exciting for me, I was encouraged (with much personal hesitation) to run for a governor position on the Community DAO council. It’s not that I felt I lacked the passion and presence to contribute. I just had self doubts due to a lifetime of feeling like no matter what I did, I was always running uphill and not making the difference I wished I could. More recently, I was hit with several life altering situations in my personal life that struck me to the core of my being. Fortunately for me, I had the Harmony community on my side. The support they had shown me the previous months gave me the willingness to show my vulnerability at that moment. I’ve never been so supported and lifted up and encouraged in my entire life and I credit, to a large degree, the Harmony community for being able to get on the other side and be a better person for it.
In conclusion, I guess what I’m trying to say as I answer “what does Harmony mean to me?” is that Harmony has become my family. It’s who I turn to for support, advice, humor, inspiration, comfort, friendship, and just general good cheer. Yes, the technology involved with this protocol is incredible and I am in awe of what this team accomplishes every day, but the community is what sets it apart without a doubt. Its incredible, but I guess it should be no surprise, just how well the communal nature of the tech with its bridges and compatibility is manifested within harmonauts as a whole. I’m truly blessed to have found Harmony and not only am I the most optimistic for my future than maybe I’ve ever been, but I’m pushing the boundaries of what I can accomplish everyday with more and more confidence. My message to everyone in closing is that you have the ability to take part in this. With the emergence of decentralized governace and it still being such a new concept, we very much hold the power within ourselves to contribute to making a future that we can all be optimistic about. Take that first step. Participate. You won’t regret it.
Thanks for listening to my story and if you read this and ever want to connect to discuss anything and everything, Harmony related or not, please reach out. I love engaging with you all. Now, I challenge @Krypto_Kakashi and all other member of @HarmonyCommunityDAO to tell us what Harmony means to them.
Abiding as always,
The Dude
though, I’m only human.
and the door 
is open for the next person up!
next!
