I don’t want to settle
Salam, I’m in my early 20s and I know I am still considered young in a way but I am losing hope in marrying for love. I’m not fully westernized and have done my dhaqan celis time long ago. As time moves and I advance more in my career and life gets busier I’m starting to lose hope that I’ll find love. I’ve become more isolated( by choice kind of). I’ve been living alone for a few years, my parents have moved back home, they’ve sacrificed so much for us and home is where they’re happiest so independence and providing for myself is something I am very accustomed to. I want to have children and would absolutely love to be a mother and pray Allah grants me healthy children. I understand we’re living in a new world where women also approach men but I cannot for the life of me ever get myself to do that. I try to put myself out there, I’ve been told I am beautiful and a great conversationalist but I am tall and have also been told that I look intimidating or that I am already spoken for. My standards are logical for someone with self respect; honestly, respect, understanding and care. I am not a picky person but it is important for me to be with someone who has the same or better Islamic practice, morals and view of the world. I will admit my interests are a bit westernized but not hard to understand and for potentials that have been brought forth by friends or parents, I have had no luck in ones that actually want to understand me. I really want to be married by my late 20s and to start a family but don’t want to settle as I’ve seen many of the women in my family do so in the past. What should I do to put myself out there?