I was as awkward as it gets. I thought I was ugly because I was told that all day every day by around me. Not my family z my family is awesome, but class mates, coworkers, etc. I was always heavily bullied.

I figured it out twice: first time when I started practicing full contact karate. Within two weeks everyone in school knew and the daily bullying just dead stopped in its tracks. I figured then that bullying has a lot to do with perception. If people perceive you as weak, some will pick on you. If you display strength, at least that part will stop.

However, the damage was done, I was socially awkward as hell, no idea how to talk to girls.

I figured it out for a second time when I married the most beautiful woman in existence.

I know, I know, I’m biased, but my wife is holy shit pretty and at our slightly advanced age, still has a bettery body than the average 18 year old. At first glance, anyone would guess she’s 30. Add to that an amazing personality and a serious great and dark sense of humor, we laugh all day everyday about everything.

I would never ever in my life have thought I could get a woman like her and she actually WANTS to be around me. We are together pretty much 24/7 and even 6 years in we’re still all day hand in hand, even when we’re eating. We are nauseatingly close, and we love every second of our lives.

Still got a lot of other shit going on, a lot of stresses in our lives, but us together? We’re golden.

I figured out that everything is perception. Be self confident because you trust yourself. Know yourself and stop being afraid of things that can’t hurt you .