After reading No more mr nice guy and models, I've realized that I have a lot of toxic shame and lived my entire life dishonestly. These are two major points in both books that prevent nice guys/afc's like myself live the life I want.

A little background on me. I come from a very toxic environment where fear mongering and the threat of physical and emotional abandonment are not only norms but principles. I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness, a fundamentalist doomsday cult. The majority of society knows this group as the religious people that go door to door but don't really know the dark side of this organization because displaying a good public image is extremely important to their proselytizing. The psychological abuse of child indoctrination through their propaganda and policies against higher education leave people such as myself unprepared for the real world, especially when it comes to forming romantic relationships. So with all the toxic shame and dishonesty I have, where I do I start my path to self improvement? Does anyone on seddit have a similar upbringing?