Remembering when I was grousing on a private social media account of which a friend saw that and invited me to a furry transgender telegram server to learn more about it.
Followed by years of talking about trans stuff with other trans folks, just to understand their experiences.
I ended up getting advice to check out a book about a trans woman's experience: Mia Violet's "Yes, You Are Trans Enough."
It didn't take long for me to start accepting that I was trans, and then I went from there.
Even with that happy news, in the years since, I still struggle with self-love and being proud of myself, especially with being trans. Outside factors haven't helped matters.
But I'm definitely grateful to have friends, colleagues, and a partner who care about me. That's worth something.
I don't really have a good way to end this thread, so I'll just do a little self-promotion: Read my stuff, share my work, and all that. https://asecretarea.com