I honestly hate myself for still feeling this way at 23. Whenever I’m out, I always feel like the ugliest girl in the room, and it literally makes me feel completely worthless. It sucks watching how nicely everyone treats beautiful women. Nobody ever says anything mean to them. Guys are always looking out for them, and other girls always have their back. They get this pass in life that I’ve never had. No one has ever helped or protected me except my parents.I’ve learned to just rely on myself, because my parents won’t be around forever and nobody else gives a damn about me. Maybe this is how it should be.
you are 23, and you should have known this for quite some time now. it is not some kind of well hidden secret that sexy women have an easier life.
just lose some weight, do the hobby you like, and you will eventually find your crowd who will help you out and will treat you as their own BUT not based on your looks.
and just so you know, the female body peaks around 32-35. you are just ending your kid phase.
Ohhh my wife is 32 so 3 years to peak and then all down hill i guess.
I’m also 32 I’m pretty sure I hit my peak at 28 and my poor wife has nothing but to watch my down hill slide for the next 30 years
I mean this is easy - start intentionally going to places where “looking good” isn’t the organizing principle.
Find a hobby - hiking, gardening, books, pets. Hang out with people who value and are interested in things you value and are interested in. If you have something interesting to say and someone is interested- suddenly you have a much more interesting connection than “he thinks I’m hot”.
It seems great to have people treat you well because you are pretty - but in reality it means they don’t give two shits about who you are or what you think and will be dishonest with you to try to get in your pants.
Most pretty women really suffer when they get older and lose that “free pass” because the only social skill they ever learned was “look good”. If you learn to really listen and care about others, to be a good friend, to make people laugh - learn how to be an appealing person in a way that has nothing to do with looks. It will give you a much much more satisfying life for much much longer.
When I see a trophy wife I often think what a sad lonely place it must be.
Never feeling enough and the anxiety of having to look good. Never having a true voice. A bird in a cage.
My partner has noticed she feels this the strongest during her luteal phase, which helps her stay conscious that its chemical and she’ll feel better soon. More awareness of women’s health ✊️.
Here’s a question even if you are ‘ugly’ are you of less value?
No, you are not.
There are people who do not fit the definition of pretty. They might be hairy, or disfigured etc, but you can also see unique. Do they deserve happiness and a place in society, Absolutely.
You have start seeing past pretty. You are who you are and the quicker you learn to love yourself (warts n all) the easier life will be. Looks fade, Self confidence, happiness and inner assurance are attractive traits, for men and women.
“Pretty privilege”, it’s real. If you’re not pretty, be fun ! at least that stays relevant throughout the years.
Best wishes,
No one has ever helped or protected me except my parents. […] nobody else gives a damn about me.
I don’t know how strong a network of good platonic friendships you have, but that goes a long way to give you this once your parents are no longer around.
I think a lot of people would find you prettier than you’d expect. For me personally, what’s considered very attractive to most people looks fake and boring and less smart if I’m being honest. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking like this.
If your someone that hangs out on social media, bare in mind that it can alter your perception of beauty to unrealistic expectations.
The truth is that ugliness is only a problem with first impressions. Once people get to know you, your “ugli[ness]” will disappear and your facial features will just become a representation of who you are, on the inside. Forgive me, I don’t know if you have a medical condition but I know people with Treacher Collins that are capable of having friends and finding love, and I promise you can too. We can say it’s unfair that beautiful people get all the attention but ugly people tend to have the best people as friends.
I wish you the best.
still feeling this way at 23
Implying 23 is an advanced age or when someone achieves great wisdom is incorrect. There’s a long way to go and a lot to learn.
how nicely everyone treats beautiful women
It is called sexual capital. It is a genuine advantage, but only one of many in an unfair world. Some are born with financial advantage, or social advantage, or aesthetic advantage, etc.
You have no choice but to make the best of what you’ve got. Anyone can capitalise on what they have. I’d argue the majority of attracting people’s positive attention and admiration has to do with being clean, neat, groomed, well dressed, sociable, keeping physically fit and looking after your skin (all things you can change). Some even may find it liberating that they don’t get unwanted attention and can be judged on their other merits besides just their looks.
It is difficult to undo social programming, but you can be attractive in very many ways if you can let go of the narrow way society portrays attractiveness in the media.
Well I think first you have some things that are not totally accurate. Everyone has mean things said to them at some point. Not all guys are looking out for them in particular. Some guys will be a bit more protective of women. Some won’t. Some will front to impress what they consider to be a pretty girl. I don’t see why girls would have their back more. Ones I know would not have some strange pretty girls back instead of their friend who may be less pretty or such. Someone prettier will likely make better first impressions and such but they can still get in trouble or be not liked by people because of some other aspect of who they are. you actually sound a bit like my wife. its actually very hurtful to say no one cares about you when you have someone who literally has you and your well being in mind with every decision and action.
I used daily affirmations to reprogram my brain and love myself limitlessly.
after I transitioned I struggled with these same feelings. A friend sent me this meme:

I loved this and I took it to my therapist and I said ‘I want this but obviously I can’t use this’ and my therapist asked me why I couldn’t use it. She taught me how to do verbal affirmations, out loud so your auditory system processes them directly into your brain. I spent months telling myself out loud every night how kind and loving to myself I was. That I loved myself limitlessly. That I took such good care of myself because I loved myself so much. That I was beautiful exactly how I am.
It was faking it at first but over time it worked because you never met a girl who loves herself as much as I do. I was able to wipe away decades of toxic self and external programming with a few months of this practice.
I believe that we have to be our own champions in this world. Beauty is very subjective individually but if you can see yourself as beautiful that’s all that truly matters because it affects how you hold yourself and present to the world and people can’t help but respect that in a way. I know there are lots of women who may be objectively prettier than I am but it doesn’t matter I’m gorgeous and I love myself limitlessly and I spend my time with people who treat me with respect, compassion and love.
There are many paths but this one worked for me. Therapy is really important. Good luck sister!
Can you remember how long it took to stop feeling like faking it?
I’ve tried this stuff but never really stuck with it, I’d be keen to hear any elaboration you may have to offer
Affirmations feel like a Jedi mind trick… Every time I practice them I think to myself “this is stupid, no way this will work” but dammit they work so well!
They attract shit men and will be divorced at least twice by 40, then they are no longer as pretty.
If you want a confidence boost, wearing an outfit you really like helps. I wear a 3/4 full length cloak and strut down the street, and my brain goes, “yeah. I am that cool. I’m the coolest one here 😎” which really puts pep in my step. Or if I pull together a good goth fit, same thing.
Buy or make some clothes you love, or accessories you love. Develop fun hobbies, and that will help you make friends!
Help and protection usually come from investing in relationships with other people. Very few people get that experience by default. Find your people and be a friend.
And if you’re looking for a partner, step 1 is still making friends.
Do you really want that kind of superficial attention? It may look nice on the outside to have people fawn over you but you know internally they are only being nice because they want something from you. Do you want genuine relationships or transactional ones? You don’t really want to rely on people who only treat you nice because of your appearance. If someone is rude or mean to you due to your appearance, you should be thankful they showed their ugliness rather than being manipulated by shitty people with that mindset.
You are pretty.









