
Everyone says I'm beautiful
TW just in case: body image issues
Sometimes I wonder if everyone is seeing a completely different person than I am.
Throughout my adult life people have constantly told me I'm beautiful. Like complete strangers will stop me in the street just to tell me I'm pretty or just stare and smile.
As a child, my experience was the complete opposite. I was bullied growing up as a mixed race kid in a racist country, even adults treated me awful, so I spent years believing I was ugly. I don't know if that's something my brain never let go of or wtf is going on now. I literally look the same, just different styling.
At work, when we go to an event, my coworkers/boss always joke to see how long it will take until someone tells me I'm beautiful. I smile and play along because I don't want to seem rude, but I feel like I'm literally going insane. I genuinely don't see what everyone else seems to see.
When I look in the mirror, I see someone who's ugly, funny looking, and just off. Some days I cancel plans or avoid leaving the house because I feel so hideous that I can't stand the idea of people looking at me.
I know beauty isn't everything, and I know it's such a trivial thing to be consumed by. But it affects how I see myself more than I'd like to admit.
It feels like they're describing someone else entirely.
Food is a scrumptious chocolate mug cake with dulce de leche filling