December 2016, I joined the platform called Beam to support a friend of mine. He encouraged me to check out other streamers, and told me that I'd fall in love with the community, and I did.
One month later, I found myself at a crossroad when I left my previous job as a designer, because I no longer felt passion for what I did. I lost confidence in that role, and as a result, lost a part of my identity. At the same time, I had fully immersed myself in Beam, acting as moderator for several channels, and spending almost all of my time on it. Despite being depressed, and uncertain about my situation, being a part of the Beam community helped me feel engaged and lifted.
This community and the friends I made from it, were what encouraged me to give streaming a try. I went into it tentatively, not promising any schedules, and told myself I was going to be extremely casual about it. I treated it as a new learning opportunity and aptly labeled myself as a "newbie" streamer.