docas21 on Nostr: Since the news about the big exchange hack, a few people have messaged me. Same ...

Since the news about the big exchange hack, a few people have messaged me.
Same question, asked in slightly different ways.
"Okay, I understand why it matters now. But where do I even start?"

I'm not the right person to give a complete answer. I'm a doctor, not a security expert, and my own setup is still unfinished. But I can tell you what I did, and what I would say to a friend sitting next to me.

First, start small. Embarrassingly small.
Before moving anything meaningful, send a tiny test amount from the exchange to a wallet you control. Wait until it arrives. It's like confirming the patient's name before a procedure. Boring, and it catches mistakes while they are still cheap.

Second, the seed phrase.
When you create a wallet, it gives you a list of words, usually twelve or twenty four. That list is not a password to your wallet. It is the wallet. Whoever holds those words holds the coins, and if you lose them, there is no customer service to call.
So write them by hand, on paper. Don't take a photo. Don't save them in a notes app. Don't send them to yourself "just for now."
Boring again. That's the point.

Third, you don't have to move everything in one night.
I didn't. I moved a small piece, watched it confirm, and gave myself time to get comfortable. Rushing is how people make permanent mistakes. Slow is allowed.

That's it. Not a full guide. Just the first three steps.
And to be honest about where I stand: my own homework isn't done. My seed phrase is still on paper, which is fragile against water or fire. I haven't made a steel backup yet. Most of what I have is still on exchanges.

So please don't see me as a finished example. See me as someone a few steps ahead, still walking.

If you're just starting, there is no deadline.
But start before you feel ready. Small is enough. 🟠

#Bitcoin #SelfCustody #Nostr #Beginners #Medicine