21 is a weird age. From the outside I seemed fine, but the inner turmoil was like going through puberty again. And the same happened at 29 or so! I thought, “Am I going to go through this shit every seven years for life?!”

Sounds like your problem is self confidence, and while I’m healthily confident, I’m certainly not qualified to say much. When I’ve gotten down in the past I’ve taken a step back and worked on my appearance. That’s all on you and doesn’t depend on others. The nicer you look, the better people treat you and that blooms confidence.

Looking good isn’t as hard as people make out. No, you don’t have to be rich. Can you get your teeth whiter, lose weight, catch a bit of sun, dress better, exercise, do something with your hair? I’ve noticed in life that the vast majority of us could easily be more attractive with a little work, and it’s a truly rare person I’d consider “maxed out”, no room to improve.

Any of that make sense?