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I have little more to add to all the great ideas so I will try sharing my transition. I did it a little at a time for different elements of my life; the last to go was my job and that had long collapsed because I was being fired for being trans - they cluelessly had it backwards and thought I was female transitioning to male.
Counselling helps give focus to you.
ERT gives you the boost of the feelings being physically female (skin, hair, scent, taste, morphology, anatomy) - and that impetus to move your transition along. Your transformation to female also supports your mental well-being.
Work on your own schedule as you achieve being comfortable with each completed step in your transition. It looks so far when you only see the end point; remember that your next step is right in front of you - take it when you are ready. My regrets were that I failed to do my transition better and I failed to see opportunities to advance my transition schedule.
I thought I was young when I started (age 18 in 1974) but it took me until 1985 (age 29) to finish. Dena is so correct. You do not want to waste time - you do not know how many years you will experience so why waste your youth being despondent? I am 59 now and I see my end closer than my youth and that message of the ticking clock is hitting home to me. I do not want to waste any more of my days. Twenty years ago (when I was 39) seems as yesterday; 20 years in the future (when I will be 79) will pass equally fast and I can't let one moment slip through my fingers.
You seem worried about what to wear. One counsellor advised me to wear the most frilly feminine dress that I could find to suit my style. That is not totally necessary. There is plenty of uni-sex female clothing available. That's how I learned one lesson of transition's 'passing the 'passing' test' - your presentation is as much as the other person's perception. I could wear the exact same uni-sex female jeans, shoes, sox, and top and present as male at work and they perceived me as male, then re-style my hair, add a little make-up, and present as female at the grocery and they perceived me as female. I later realised I could drop the make-up and live in one hair style - that I needed only my presentation alone. At that point I was fully female transitioned.
You are so fortuneate having a loving family who support you and want what is best for you.
I had no issue 'coming out' among family because I lived my life since age three in a continual state of what was then called 'feminine protesting'. Family knew one day would be my last as male and first as female. That does not mean that they accepted me, nope, that meant they could reject me once and for all and make my change their excuse. It was tough but I knew that was coming.
Likewise, friends can be difficult; my best friend for example. He chose me as his 'Best Man' for his wedding that took place mere days before I planned to tell him. He initially took it well and curiously. Within weeks he planned an assault against me with four of his former college football buddies. Since I planned to move more than 1000 miles and settle at an entirely new community, I told none at my departing home town - I simply departed and my male predecessor was never heard from again. My new community would know me only as Sharon and female.
Yep. Your gender identity does not go away. It was fixed for life since your second month of gestation. You will do well.
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