I want to change my name in real life

I had an amazing day last week when I went to a day class for writers. I learned a lot and came away buzzing with all sorts of ideas for writing projects. I want to create a site that has my writing on it, instalments of a book I am writing and poetry, short pieces about childhood and mental illness advocacy.

But, I think I need to change my real name and do it all under a pseudonym for safety's sake and to protect the family (although they don't "deserve" protection, but I couldn;t do it to them or risk rebuttal saying I made it all up or something. I am nervous about that I have chosen a name but I am worried people will laugh at it. Or that it is just a flight of crazy-fancy and not 'real'.

I am so socially isolated, I do not have anyone to ask their opinion about it. I have not spoken to my partner about it, because I am worried she will laugh about the actual name I have chosen, And even if I did I wonder if they said - well its a bit "naff" whether I would stand up for myself or abandoned EVERYTHING, not just the name. I am a good one for throwing the baby out with the bath water!

Ah, dear, I dunno. I changed my name in a hypomania back in the 90's to something else and it worked for a while, I changed it at work and everything so everyone called me by that name, but then I slid back to my 'real name' the one my adoptive parents bestowed on me because it was too hard and I went crazy when I met my birthmother and she insisted on calling me by the name she had given me on my birth certificate, wow I had three names! So I just snapped shut and said I am now THIS NAME and no one is allowed to call me anything else.

This new name keeps my first name but changes my last name - writers use a non de plume or pseudonym all the time, but I am worried about it and don't know whether to go for it! Create the website under that name and fake it till I make it that I am a writer, commentator and advocate.

A wise psychiatrist once told me "if unsure do nothing". And I am sitting with that right now, but I also want to leap ahead with this project, but cannot use my real name either because I am in midst of an insurance claim. What kind of questions should I be asking myself as to whether this is a good idea, and the name I have chosen is a good one that I will be happy to live with for the rest of my writing life?

eeeep!