In some ways, my orange-pilling has been the greatest thing to ever happen to me, but it has also been extremely trying.

While I could see and understand the general economic aspects of bitcoin and how it could be digital gold, I’ve always lacked the computer science and technology skills to feel confident about jumping into the world of cryptocurrencies. I guess I just felt too intimidated to really dive in. I couldn’t make the distinction between crypto and bitcoin, but when I decided to commit to learning, I went in with an open mind. I wish I could say that I recognized these altcoins as shitcoins right away, but I didn’t. Despite not truly understanding what they were, I created a modest portfolio of the top-10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization in an attempt to mimic what a cryptocurrency index fund would look like.

I remember listening to Breedlove’s series with Michael Saylor in mid to late June 2021 and feeling things start to fall into place. This is when I really started down the rabbit hole.

By the time the Freedom Convoy was being reported on the news, I was already questioning a lot of the things I was seeing. When the convoy began to make its way to Ottawa, I decided to follow it. I literally drove alongside the convoy across several Canadian provinces and saw people waving Canadian flags as they gathered on overpasses. It was an absolutely surreal experience that I’ll never forget.

I was invited to a Bitcoin meetup organized on Twitter that happened while the convoy was in town. Several Bitcoiners that I had been following for a while had come to the capital to experience what was happening in person. I can only speak for myself, but friendships built through orange-pilling feel special. This was the kind of community I was searching for.

I’m continually amazed at how much of my preconceived notions have been questioned, and much about how I viewed money and economics has been relearned. It’s humbling and stimulating at the same time.

Every time I meet a fellow Bitcoiner, I leave the conversation feeling energized. It’s amazing how people with all sorts of backgrounds and interests can find common ground in Satoshi Nakamoto’s creation.

For the past few months, I’ve felt a strong desire to create something. I still don’t know what that is, but I know that I’ll find it if I keep surrounding myself with the great people that I’ve met on my journey. I came for the inflation hedge, lived through a moment in Canadian history, and now, I’m sticking around through a bear market to build a better world.