I think all three thoughts here are valid. As far as formating goes the only one is found jarring is the left line on the paragraphs. That is a quotation formating tool so it felt odd to me to use it for plain text. Also why these paragraphs. Stick with one style throughout a story.

I suspect your biggest problem with getting into the big publications is the topic is a pretty common. Every article I've ever written on establishing routines has been rejected by the biggies with that reason given (if any). I think you need a big twist to sell that one.

Without a following self publishing is often the kiss of death as you well know.

Also, as a matter of principle I'm highly unlikely to click on a title that says secret without telling me in the title or subtitle what that secret is. So that might have hurt you.

If you want to resurrect it, I'd rewrite it as a new story and try to get it into a publication. Give it a great title, and a compelling hook and rewrite the sections enough to be a new story and run with it.