This isn’t advice—it’s my personal journey of rebuilding my confidence, purpose, and career after years of feeling lost.
I spent more than 10 years at the same, stable job in a bookstore and print shop. Wake up. Go to work. Come home. Repeat.
It was safe, but I was stuck.
One evening, I sat down with my bank statement and felt my stomach drop. Another month gone. Another paycheck spent. Nothing saved. Nothing to show for all those hours.
I looked around my apartment and asked myself: What do I actually have? The answer scared me. Nothing felt like mine. Not really.
That’s when I knew something had to change. That uncomfortable feeling? It became the spark for my first publishing project—a small venture that my best friend and I decided to start together, hoping to create something that actually mattered.
What I Learned When I Felt Like I Wasn’t Enough
Your Value Doesn’t Come From Your Job Title
Here’s what nobody tells you: believing in yourself isn’t selfish. It’s survival.
When I kept thinking “I’m not good enough,” my whole life suffered. I made worse decisions. I snapped at people I loved. I stayed in situations that drained me.
Your mental health isn’t a luxury—it’s your foundation. When the world feels heavy, a stable mind is the only thing that keeps you standing.
I’m not saying you need to become some super-confident person overnight. I’m saying: stop waiting for permission to value yourself.
Stop Comparing Your Behind-the-Scenes to Everyone’s Highlight Reel
Social media almost destroyed me.
I’d scroll through Instagram seeing people my age with houses, vacations, and seemingly perfect lives. Meanwhile, I was eating instant noodles for the third time that week.
But here’s the truth I wish I’d known earlier: those posts aren’t real life. They’re the edited version.
That successful entrepreneur? They’re probably stressed about bills, too. That happy couple? They fight just like everyone else.
Chasing likes and approval becomes exhausting. You start performing instead of living. I had to delete apps for months to remember who I actually was without an audience.
Make Decisions That Feel Right to YOU
People love giving advice. Family, friends, coworkers—everyone has an opinion about what you should do.
But they’re not living your life. You are.
I learned this the hard way when I quit my stable, 10-year job. Everyone said I was crazy. They all advised me to take a “safe” promotion that paid well but would’ve made me miserable. I didn’t. Best decision I ever made.
Good decisions need both your head and your heart. Logic alone makes you miserable. Emotions alone make you reckless. You need both.
And remember: there’s no such thing as a perfect choice. You make the best decision you can with what you know right now, and you adjust later if needed.
Feel Your Feelings, But Don’t Let Them Drive
When I felt angry or frustrated, I used to send texts I’d regret. Make impulsive purchases. Quit things too soon.
Now? I wait.
Not because I’m some zen master. Because I learned that emotions are like weather—they pass.
When you’re upset, your brain isn’t thinking clearly. You’re in survival mode. Every problem feels bigger than it is. Every option looks terrible.
So I made a rule: if I’m emotional, I don’t decide anything important for at least 24 hours. Sleep on it. Take a walk. Talk to someone. Let the storm pass. Then respond with a clear head.
The Real Lesson: Progress Over Perfection
Starting Wardoh Books didn’t fix everything overnight. We still had tough months. I still doubt myself sometimes.
But now I have something I didn’t have before: direction.
I’m not just existing anymore. I’m building—even if it’s small, even if it’s messy.
If you’re in that place I was—feeling stuck, feeling worthless, wondering if anything will ever change—let me tell you something:
It can. But only if you start.
Not with a perfect plan. Not with tons of money. Not when you feel “ready.” You start where you are, with what you have, believing that you’re capable of more than your current situation suggests.
Because you are.
Your Next Step
You don’t need to start a business. You don’t need to quit your job tomorrow. You need to do one thing differently today.
Maybe it’s saving $5. Maybe it’s learning one new skill. Maybe it’s just believing, for five minutes, that your life can be different.
That’s how change starts. Not with a dramatic moment. With a small decision that you make again tomorrow. And the day after that.
You’ve got this.
