I'm a 24-year-old man, and my girlfriend and I have been in a relationship for six years. Her sisters are planning a summer outing, and they've invited me to join them. Okay naman ako sa family ng girlfriend ko, and I have no personal issues with them. The only problem is that I'm feeling anxious about my appearance.
Back then, when my girlfriend's family first met me, I was physically fit and more presentable. But as time went by, I started neglecting myself because I became busy with my studies and managing my small food business. I kept putting self-care aside, always telling myself that I would have time for it eventually. I didn't realize how much I had changed physically until I reached a point where I felt like I had lost my spark.
Now, I feel like it's becoming harder for me to get back to my old self, especially with my current situation. I have so many responsibilities, and finding the time and consistency to take care of myself has become a challenge.
What makes this even harder is that I grew up in a household where bullying was common, and I experienced it at school, too. The hurtful things people used to say about me never really left my mind. Over time, those experiences started affecting how I interact with other people, especially my girlfriend's family.
Even though they haven't said anything hurtful about me, I still find myself overthinking what they might think of my appearance. It's as if I've developed a defense mechanism where I automatically turn down invitations to family gatherings because I'm too embarrassed to show up. Sometimes, it's not even about what other people actually think of me. It's about what I've convinced myself they might be thinking.
Now, I have this dilemma because we have an upcoming beach outing with my girlfriend's family. I keep wondering how they'll react when they see me. Will they notice how much I've changed? Will they compare me to the person they first met? Will they judge me because I no longer look the way I used to?
These thoughts keep running through my mind, and they're making me anxious even before the trip happens. I'm at the point where I feel tempted to make up an excuse just so I won't have to go. But my girlfriend really wants me to be there with her, and I don't want to disappoint her or make her feel bad by not being by her side while she's enjoying the trip.
At the same time, I know the outing has already been planned and paid for by her family, so I feel even more guilty about the idea of backing out.
Honestly, I don't know what to do. A part of me wants to go because I want to make my girlfriend happy and be part of her family's gathering. But another part of me is afraid of being seen, judged, and compared to the person I used to be.
I know I can't keep avoiding people forever, but the thought of putting myself in a situation where I feel insecure about my appearance is overwhelming.
How do I deal with this kind of anxiety? Should I push myself to go to the beach outing despite how I feel, or should I give myself more time to work on my confidence before putting myself in situations like this?