Posts by crimsontinker7

Since someone decided to scrap that Google search tool for the forums, I'm completely lost on where to track down specific threads. Does anyone actually have a lead on this?

Jonathan Wright6 said:Hi everyone, and Happy Easter. I just got back from a night out that wasn't much to write home about, and since I can't sleep, I'm just sitting here at my computer thinking.

I’ve been lurking on this forum for a while, so I finally decided to post something. I could really use some help or advice—anything, really. The truth is, my self-esteem is pretty low. I have a negative view of myself, I bottle up my emotions, and I struggle with feeling like I'm not enough or that I don't deserve love from others, especially from girls I might want to date. I hide my true personality from people. Even when I go out, I can't just relax; I'm constantly stuck in my own head, worrying about who's looking at me or what they'll think if I do something awkward.

I find it hard to trust anyone because I've convinced myself that everyone is out to get me. I feel like if I ever showed my real self—my actual feelings and thoughts—people would just use them to tear me down. I have people I hang out with and acquaintances, but I don't have any true friends I can actually talk to about this stuff, someone to help me lighten the load so I can finally move forward.

I've built such a massive wall between my inner world and reality. It feels like a fortress with mile-high walls, surrounded by an alligator-filled moat, complete with barricades, barbed wire, and guard dogs. But I am trying to change. I've been reading some psychology books and stuff. How do I find the strength to start? How do I learn to forgive people who hurt me and start trusting them—and myself—again? How do I build up my confidence and a better sense of self? And how do I work on being more communicative and improving my social skills?

I've become emotionally numb, and honestly, I just don't feel much of anything anymore. How do I break out of this state? It's not hopeless, though; I truly want to change because I can't keep living like this. Regarding social skills, I deal with a weird paradox: once I actually get to know people and they become my friends, I can talk to them just fine. But when it comes to meeting someone new or starting a conversation from scratch, I completely freeze up like Windows 😁 especially if there's a girl I'm interested in.

I've always lived in my own little bubble. I've always done everything on my own and never let anyone in, and now I'm just lonely. I realize I made a huge mistake, and I regret all the things I missed out on, but I still believe it's not too late to fix these issues. I try to reflect on my past and my problems, but it isn't easy.

Is there anyone out there who can offer some guidance, or am I going to have to figure this all out on my own, just like I've always done?

It's the exact same thing for me...

Hannah Barnes said:Oh, God.

That's exactly what I'm saying.

Ryan Ruiz said:Wisdom is really just the intersection where knowledge, intelligence, and spirituality all meet. To me, being truly wise means having the clarity to make the right call even when you're stuck in the most complicated situations, and possessing that innate ability to cut through the noise to reach a necessary conclusion quickly and simply.

That’s intelligence. Wisdom is actually knowing how to use it.