1QAD: What is something you’re proud of that you rarely talk about?

There’s something in my life that I’m deeply proud of, yet I rarely bring it up in conversation. Maybe it’s fear of sounding like I’m bragging, or maybe it’s because the journey felt so personal that speaking about it out loud feels like opening a door into my heart.

But here it is:

I’m proud of self-publishing my books.

It was not glamorous. There was no traditional publisher waiting with open arms, no big marketing team and definitely no guaranteed readers. It was just me and my co-writer.

Self-publishing taught me more about myself than I expected. I learned what it means to push through the obstacles to make something happen. I learned that no matter the age, anyone can make their childhood dream a reality.

But above all, I learned courage. Because self-publishing is an act of stepping forward before anyone asks you to. It’s choosing to believe in something no one else has read yet.

I rarely talk about it. Sometimes I don’t even reveal I am the writer when people ask me. I don’t know why.

But I do appreciate when someone messages me to say a poem made them feel seen or a page offered them comfort. It reminded me of why I did it.

So yes, this is something I’m proud of.

Quietly proud, but proud all the same.