When I read the article “UCLA student Jessica Rose pursues self-publishing, discusses commitment,” I immediately thought of my own experiences with self-publishing and co-authoring research.

Her reflections on doubt and perseverance reminded me that the first steps toward a project, no matter how small, often feel the hardest, but they are the ones that make the biggest difference. I recently co-authored a research study called Decon Hemp: Decontamination of soil through Industrial Hemp at BVNG which was published last year.

Before my research work, I began my journey with self-publishing as part of my Girl Scouts Silver and Gold Awards. In 2018, I wrote and self-published a novella for my Silver Award. Then, for my Gold Award and Signature Project in 2022, I wrote a novel.

Both projects required consistent effort. For my Signature Project, I documented weekly progress through vlogs. I also tracked parts of the project on social media, including charts from a book-matching event where I agreed to donate books to Girls Inc. based on purchases of my second novel.

The goals of my Silver and Gold Award projects were not only to create something tangible but also to have a lasting impact on my community. After publishing both books, I hosted book-signing events and donated copies to different age groups at Girls Inc. I chose to self-publish through The Troy Book Makers.

Any profits from book sales at pop-up events I hosted at school or Girl Scout Headquarters went toward paying off publishing costs. I did not personally profit. These experiences taught me not only about the publishing process but also about responsibility, community service and the value of giving back.

When reading Jessica’s words “I’m not sure if I’m good enough. I’m not sure if I’m smart enough. I’m not sure if this is enough. Maybe you don’t think you’re good enough but the only way that you’re ever going to change that is if you start doing the thing,” I felt a strong connection.

I remember feeling doubt many times during my writing and research projects. Could I finish a novel? Could I conduct and contribute to an academic study? Would anyone care about what I had created?

Those questions were intimidating, but the truth is that progress happens only when you begin. Taking those first steps – writing a page, posting a vlog and submitting a draft – all helped me grow, learn and make a real impact. Action is the antidote to uncertainty.

My message to readers is simple: Don’t wait until you feel ready. Start. Try. Create. The path may feel uncertain at first, but every step you take builds skills, confidence and impact.

You may uncover talents, strengths and opportunities you never knew you had.

Whatever your goal (writing a book, completing a research project or starting something entirely new), the only way to know your potential is to begin.

Cassandra Carraher is a fourth-year music industry student at UCLA.