The Hull Hub Issue 22

DANIEL
IN THE
LION’S DEN
616
days
later
By Danny
French
February 11th, 2021: the day this all started…
October 21st, 2022: the day of resurgence.
From Allie to Ellie. Tom to Dom. Hazel to Dan. The message has always remained the same. We share the same appreciation for one another. We
generate our own connections through our eccentric attitude and creativity. Ah, creativity - our light in the darkness, our fire in the flame. Creativity:
the one trait that attracts our acknowledgement; the one attribute that shapes personality; and the one asset that gave life to my creation.
This creation has always been there as an escape, an alternative for the outcasts. For
the individuals not labelled as “normal” in this world. For the people that relish in their
own diversity. We may not fall into the ordinary, but we are excelling as the extraordinary.
We were put here to spread spirit and collaborate with others that share our drive
and our passion. To produce the content that inspire our success or recognise others’
accomplishments.
Recently, I have decided to reignite the fire that I had 616 days ago. A decision that has
taken a lot of thought and reminiscence. I’ve missed being there for others, It’s what I’m
good at. I’ve missed seeing that excitement when someone wants to share their story.
Everyone deserves to have an opportunity and a platform where they can feel write
whilst feeling safe in doing so. No matter of age or identification. No concern of ability
or disability. The Lion’s Den is the place to go to write freely and to educate, in a setting
fit for bravery. A colosseum if you will. Yeah, colosseum, I like that. I’ll keep that in mind.
Spending the past few weeks rereading postal entries, a cloud of motivation has cast
itself over me. Seeing so many of my friends and family flex their creative muscles and
showcase their skills really helps you put things into perspective. Since I took this break
from the Lion’s Den, I have got engaged, started a new career, and have dived head-first
back into my final year of studies. It’s been a busy summer indeed. I won’t lie; I was
worried. Worried that with the extra workload I wouldn’t e able to find time for this. For
something that I love. Worried that the consistency of my content would slip and lose
all personality. I enjoy writing and I am grateful for that because I hate the sound of my
own voice. But because I have had an extended absence, I feel disconnected from the
community in which I once advocated
for awareness. I feel like I’ve
let down the side after building my
own network of inspiring people
to surround myself with. If I was at
least going to have any kind of online
presence, I wanted it to be an
escape.
“We escape not to hide, but to thrive
in the alternate.”
An ominous insight of our position
on social media. The dreams
and the nightmares - the successes
and the failures, all seem to be a
prominent addition to our profiles.
A realm to reinvent and generate
a new perception of ourselves. We
can be advocates, or we can be followers.
We can be creators, or we
can be enthusiasts. We have some
much power in palm of our hands yet don’t
capitalise on the opportunity. Why? Why don’t
we utilise this privilege? I have been fortunate
enough to see the most unlikely people succeed
through taking advantage of technology. That
is the key to a sustainable investment. Whether
that be a financial investment or a time investment.
And I plan to invest everything I can
to developing new, digital content, and giving
back to the people that have given me a chance
to tell my stories and make me feel heard.
The Lion’s Den is adapting and evolving. Our
narrative is changing but the nature of our mission
remains strong. We intend to keep reaching
a worldwide status allowing individuals from all countries to use our platform to
submit and feature in a safe environment. From all of the negativity that has emerged
from platforms such as TikTok and the comments that people can post with complete
disregard for the people behind the camera astonishes me. You saw the uprising of
Tourette’s in young people because of it (Which I understand to be a very upsetting issue
for many within the Tourette’s community) and was a constant battle for Tourette
Syndrome advocates like Evie Meg and Tourette’s Action to provide scientific facts and
statistics. A foundation that took years to set, a garden nurtured by the diagnosed, torn
down over the simplicity of mimicking the condition. But I feel like this is a conversation
for another time with the right people.
I would like to include more to our brand and have introduce a worldwide ambassador
scheme. I would like to start streaming videos with my friends and family for faster service
and more enjoyable content. This is going to be an exciting time to follow us and I’m
just as excited to be an observer as I am being a writer. More interviews, more features,
more posts, and a heck of a lot more fun!
Get in touch if you would like to sit down with me as a one-to-one, or as a collective unit
to discuss topics or stories that make you unique. I’m just a message away. I just wish we
could come up with a cool name that is bigger than a Lion’s Den, something that links to
lions and battling… The Colosseum! See you there!
Thanks for reading! As always check out our Instagram @ITLionsDen for updates, new
and frequent posts, and stop by to visit our website on our new domain: Inthelionsdenblog.com.
Thank you to the Hull Hub for inviting me back and I look forward to writing
for the foreseeable future.
Dan.
In the Lion’s Den.
28
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