All of them. Even the ones I would do differently does not mean I am not proud of the effort and character it took to achieve. There are a few times in particular though. All revolve around standing up and doing the right thing, even when it was small. Those after school specials are corney but it does take a lot to go against the crowd and go with what seems right.

There’s things that I like about myself that I cannot put into words; it’s more a feeling.

Honestly, just where I’m at in life. I’ve been pulling myself up by my bootstraps for all my life.

Grew up in bumfuck poorsville with abusive parents, joined the military, did some cool stuff, left and went to college, bought a house, graduated, sold the house, moved across country, got a job with my degree, and found a solid friendship group who encourage and care for me and vice versa.

This is all while suffering from an unseen disease that I was finally diagnosed with while in college and have been fighting against ever since.

I am proud of my achievements and I can really say to myself that I made it, despite everything, I made it.

My brain is not wired to be proud of things (chase the process!).

But i think achievements that I would put on my resume of life:

• Smoked for 15 years, quit, now 10+ years, nifty to think of. (i like number go up)
• Still alive even though i never thought that would happen a lot of times in my life, keep on keeping on
• I have released a bunch of cool music with other people and it has been a ‘getting out of hand’ hobby also for the past 15+ years
• Up until now haven’t screwed up the next generation bonus-mini-me, today was their first day in high school, so pretty proud of them (not my achievement though, i just supported along the way).

Quitting the for-profit sector for political and moral reasons. Not easy and it’s still a struggle, but I keep going.

All these people posting inspirational stories and here I am with my first thought being “Finally saw the northern lights”. Got some decent pictures too.

I’ve not been to jail or prison in my life. Someone at one time or another has ran afoul with the law and broken justice system. I on the other hand, haven’t. Granted, there’s things I know that I did that would’ve seen me at least serve a handful of years but I hadn’t been charged and the statue of limitations have long fallen off so I can’t be touched anyways.

All I’ve ever gotten in my life is just traffic violations that I had to pay for, that’s it. But no prison time for me.

Homeless at 18. First apartment at 20. Put myself through college going part time while working 2 jobs, 21-25. Bought my first home at 29. Hit 6 figures at 33. Now in the top 10% of earners in my city.

I had no one, no support network. Just me and a goal and strategic hard work every single day.

The tough part is I’m now in my mid 30s and have had very little life experience because all I’ve been doing is working. Never been on an airplane or have been on a vacation. No passport or friends or social life outside of 2 internet friends. It’s been tough to sit down and figure out what will actually make me happy now that I’ve achieved my life goals.

Talked a friend out of suicide when COVID first hit and a bunch of people lost their jobs and homes. Now he’s got a pretty sweet work from home job with full benefits and his own place again. Am very happy for him.

Graduating from college, and with a 4.0. I fucking HATE school, and i put that shit off until my 30s. None of it was easy and I studied my ass off to get that 4.0. I truly never thought I would ever graduate, I started and stopped so many times.

Putting up with people and not murdering them.

I know I shouldn’t have even started, but I did, quitting smoking and drinking. It was really, really hard.

I’ll be married for 5 years next month. We haven’t killed each other (yet)!

That’s good news!

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