I've learned a lot from some of the negative experiences, especially trusting people. It's sad that I don't feel I should trust many on Medium. Not everyone, of course, but I've encountered those whom I would consider to have hidden agendas of some kind. It's always subtle, like sending private messages (not just in stories but through email, etc). I've now made a rule for myself that outside of Medium platform, if anyone gives me their email address or messages me directly on facebook, I won't engage with them. This has resulted, in the past, in what I feel was insincere behaviour, which I felt sabotaging. In my experience, people doing that are trying to influence me in some way, or want to exert some control, and it's never ended positively.