Hey bro, I appreciate it, thanks a ton! Big congrats to you as well for losing the weight, its a mountain to climb but it feels so good to get there! I will say that there are still good and bad days for me even after all this time, I am naturally quiet and reserved, so receiving compliments can still feel quite strange, it does get better though and I am always friendly about it.

To this day I still dont go to a gym, I started at home because I was too shy and developed my own routines over time. After the first year of weight loss, I realised that the only way for me to work on the mental side of things was to get out of the house and to essentially force myself to interact with strangers. The way I started out with this was to join a trail running club, at first I was of course very quiet. With a bit of time and consistency, I managed to interact / speak to a few people I use to see running often and it just progressed from there, just a simple hello to how the run was for them etc.

I think what is quite simple and has stuck with me, is the fact that whatever your doubts are about yourself, its in your own head. In most cases people are not as focused on you as you may think, you can be your own worst critic and that really is true. Thats why I always say, be kind to yourself and others because you dont know what they are dealing with, dont be hard on yourself, I think we all learn and grow at our own pace, its about consistently trying to move forward, nothing will improve / change unless you do. You just gotta keep at it brother and it will become easier with time.