Oooooh, you arrived on the Medium scene in style. I'm guessing by your follower count that you're fairly new but I like the cut of your prose my friend. Consider yourself followed. Congrats on the ongoing recovery from Nice Guy into whatever is next for you - as you've said, it's a long journey and one that takes time and effort. Seems worthwhile though. I wouldn't know, I'm a Penguin.

An unasked for word of advice.... from a Penguin to a human. Penguinsplaining if you will. I've been writing on here long enough to know this is at least three separate articles. You've sold yourself short here - many readers won't touch a 14 minute piece - and you could've had three stories out there catching eyeballs. Get the basics of title-formatting, sub-heading, eye-catching picture and editing for length in place and you are going to fly off the proverbial shelf my friend. Good writing (and yours is good writing) is only half the battle on this platform.

Great work! Now keep on keeping on. :o)