Good friends & feelings (let's get personal)

As I sit here in bed with some rough hair showing evidence of how today went for me mentally and emotionally, I focus on one of the things we all may take for granted: good friends.
I talked to 3 of these friends today and realized how good they are to me and for me. I've been having a rough couple of weeks and it's all come to head, and I had to talk to them about it. What about? About learning to be proud of my own achievements and talent (no, not boasting or trying to brag, but just be happy that I'm really good at something I'm passionate about).
And herein lies the problem, I can never just say that I'm great at something without feeling like I'm bragging. I have never bragged or shown off my own work and I don't know how to react when someone compliments me (maybe an awkward and shy, "Thank you"). The point is, I don't like to make others feel bad so I make myself feel bad by almost hiding my work.
I have an AA in Graphic Design and it took me a long time to get there. I've taken drawing classes, art history classes, graphic design classes, typography classes, etc. So I SHOULD be good at what I'm doing. I can sit down on a computer all day and just make up designs or layouts for anything, especially when I'm given unlimited tools to do so. Why? BECAUSE I LOVE IT.
Okay, so let me tie this in with why you should appreciate your good friends. These friends are supportive, give you praise, and straight up tell you how it is (good and bad). Other friends can sometimes make you feel like you shouldn't shine or that you need to "tone it down" just a bit. I'm at a point in my life where I'm caught in between being a young adult and an...older adult? No, that's not right. Just an adult. At this age, I think I need to start being proud of my achievements and taking credit for things I've done and will do. Obviously this is all internal and the struggle is real with this one, but at least I admit it. 
From now on, there's no "toning it down". Thanks to my good friends, I will commence to turn it up.
Thanks for reading,