Love this. Thanks for the reminder about not giving up. I was rejected from a publication yesterday - one that prides itself on mental health/wellness because it tried to bring awareness to the toxicity of diet culture. Many of my other pieces have been published there and done well, however, I question if I will ever submit again due to the fatphobic vibe that goes against my values. They told me "food articles haven't done well here," yet that very day I saw 2 articles about losing weight, one promoting detox diet. Sorry for the rant, but this reminder me of that experience. I self published and it was curated. Take that unnamed publication! Can relate to so much of what you said.