For those of you who suffer from this incurable condition like I do, you know exactly who you are because it is a daily struggle that you are constantly reminded of by friends and strangers alike. If you somehow do not know that you have serious RBF, answering yes to any of these ten indicators may prove otherwise.
1. People are constantly asking you what's wrong
Nothing. Literally nothing is wrong. You were just thinking about what you were going to eat for dinner, and were actually getting pretty psyched about it. But now...now something is wrong, simply because you asked.
2. Your compliments are taken as sarcastic
After giving a genuine complement, you are constantly told to shut up, which only increases your RBF further. Okay, I actually liked your sweater, Susan, but whatever.
3. "Oh, you're actually nice"
Maybe if you weren't so afraid to talk to us, you would realize that we shed the occasional smile and are actually a decent person. Didn’t your mother teach you to not judge a book by its cover. And I'm the bitch?
4. People define you as unapproachable
People will make an effort to walk longer routes around you, simply to avoid interaction. If you notice that people zig-zag around you rather than walking in a straight line toward you, you may be redirecting them with your RBF.
5. You are told to smile more
First of all, I don't know a single person who walks down the street flashing their pearly whites at everyone they encounter. Why should we have to? It’s kind of creepy to be honest, and personally, I’d rather have RBF than be a creep.
6. You are always the first to say hello
Again, because no one approaches us. We always say, "hi," first because everyone around us figures that we don't want to talk to them. For those of you who are extraverted and have RBF, I can sympathize with how frustrating it is to have no one to talk to when your RBF is acting up in public.
7. It is almost painful to smile
Even when we think that we are giving all our effort to not look bitchy, it is not enough. Smirking is one thing, but smiling with teeth and all can be a brutal and uncomfortable process that we rarely chose to initiate.
8. You detract men with intimidation
You are constantly told that you were intimidating at first, and that's not always a good thing. We will never be that sweet, innocent, girl next door that every boy loves to love. The good thing is that you usually end up with someone who wasn’t too afraid to approach you, and that takes a decent amount of confidence.
9. People think that you are on your period 24/7
No, we do not have our period every single day of the month, even if it looks like we do. We are not PMS-ing, and we are not ‘in a mood.’ We are just trying to get through the day without being offered a tampon every five minutes.
10. No one messes with you
RBF does have its advantages. Even if you’re a softy, you come across as tough, and people usually don't like to mess with you. This often means that you end up getting your way, and people listen to you. Embrace the RBF, because whether you like it or not, it's here to stay.
