Good morning, Venerable @Bensi !
On this question, I have a multi-layered response…haha.
When I was young (like in Primary school kind of young), I was quite proud to say I was a Buddhist. This was on the basis that my mother prayed to Guan Yin Pusa at home. I didn’t know what it really meant to be a Buddhist but it felt good to belong to one of the religions.
As I got older (years as a teenager and later a young adult), I realised that Buddhism wasn’t really considered a “cool” religion. That was okay for me as most of my peers didn’t really talk about religion anyway. At that age, I still felt a connection to Buddhism but I didn’t feel compelled to demonstrate my faith to others.
Jump ahead to after learning Lamrim, I must admit there was a surge in pride that I had the opportunity to encounter such a wonderful teaching. However, this was tempered but a feeling that other people (especially family members) will not understand why I was devoting so much energy in my practice. This led me to be more secretive about being a Buddhist and even trying to hide my increased devotion to the religion.
However, after going through around 4 years persisting in learning Lamrim, I think I have reached some steady state in being comfortable with being a Buddhist.
I hesitate to claim that I am proud about it because I am still a beginner in this long journey of learning.
What I can say is that if someone asks me whether I am a Buddhist, I will answer that I am one as a matter of fact.
Referencing another topic here Are you an overbearing (and prideful) Buddhist? ,
this discussion has triggered another question in me.
Is it right to feel proud as a Buddhist? Are there different kinds of pride - the correct kind and the wrong kind?
Example, pride in knowing we have the good Karma to encounter Buddhist Teachings versus pride in thinking one is superior to others because one is a Buddhist.