I'm fortunate in that I'm a lecturer too and this gets me out and about and away from the computer. I also have loads of friends all around the world, plus a core group of special people in my life that I can lean on, chat to, or just hang with.
I believed in myself, and I've always worked very, very hard as an artist, and I am an artist in every sense of the word.
I find that once you start helping others, it makes you feel better about yourself. It helps you figure out what you want to do with your own life.