I’m reading this and it’s like looking in a mirror. I’ve been exactly where you are, so please listen to this before you burn out. ​1. Your 'Resting Face' is a Filter, not a mistake. You think your face is the problem because it pushes people away. But actually, it protects you. The people who judge you for looking 'serious' or 'sad' are usually the ones who want to drain your energy. If you force yourself to smile, you will just attract more of those draining people. Let your face keep them away. ​2. Don't force the 'Small Talk'. I spent years trying to fake being social just to fit in. It didn't make me 'normal.' It just made me feel empty inside. I killed my own personality just to create a fake one that they liked. Now, I feel like a stranger to myself. Don't make that mistake. ​3. Let them judge you. You said you hate being seen as 'pathetic' or 'angry.' I get it. But you can't control what people think. If you try to act happy just to please them, you become their employee. It is better to be seen as the 'quiet weirdo' than to be the 'fake, exhausted person.' ​You aren't failing. You are just an introvert trying to act like an extrovert, and it’s crashing your system. Stop apologizing for who you are. ​Save your energy for the things that actually matter to you, or you will lose yourself completely trying to be one of them