We have all been knocked down in life, but some setbacks sting more than others especially when they hit our self-esteem. Here are some examples that destroyed people's self-esteem.

GameHackBot asks: What was a punch to your self esteem?

I got a job I'd wanted for years. And then I failed at it.

When I got laid off a bunch of years ago. Applying for jobs and never hearing back, interviewing and never hearing back...was a dark time for me.

"I thought you were annoying when I first met you." Now I'm scared everyone thinks I'm annoying.

My friend said because I have a space inbetween my teeth, I should avoid smiling

Realizing that 99% of the time, I'm the one who has to set up plans with my friends, and how those friends frequently hang out without me without at least inviting me...

Finding out I was the "other woman" for an entire two+ year relationship

Back when I was in my early 20s, I worked with this wonderful lady. We were pulling 15 to 16 hour days, 6 days a week. We grew close. I developed a crush on her. She knew it. Our boss knew it. Our coworkers knew it. Hell, customers who spent more than 10 minutes in our presence knew it. But she was married, so I didn't ask her out or anything.

Well, one day she lets me know her and her husband had split up. I was thrilled, but didn't say anything, because she said she wasn't ready to date yet.

A month later there's someone at my door. It's my crush. She asks if I want to go out with her that night. Elated, I tell her hell yea. Grab a quick shower, and we head out.

We spend a wonderful night together. We shoot pool, listen to the live band, dance together, have dinner.

Around midnight I buy her a rose and stuffed bear and give it to her.

She looks at the bear & rose, at me, back at the rose, then looks me dead in the eye and says; and I'll never forget these words for the rest of my life.

"You know this isn't a date, right? I just wanted you along so I'd have a designated driver."

I nervously laughed. Said yea, I just thought the bear and rose would cheer her up. She went back to talking to a couple of the people we were shooting pool with.

I went and found the most secluded booth in the darkest corner I could. I crawled into the seat and sat there for the next 3 hours nursing a soda until the bar closed.

The ride back was silent. Neither of us said a word. I dropped her off, and went home.

After that night we only talked one more time, when she wanted to know if I knew of a good local babysitter.

Once got stood up by four people at once, each of whom I considered to be my only friends at the time. That sucked.

I had been chatting to this girl online and we arranged to go on a date and when I got there she wasn't there. After waiting for a while I gave her a call and when she picked up she laughed and told me I must be crazy if I thought me and her was gonna happen. Then a similar thing happened again and I stopped online dating.

Christmas a few years back. We were staying with family and were going to drive out and meet up with extended family, so I decided it would be nice put in a real effort to look my best - clothes, grooming, hair.

So as everyone is gathered in the hallway about to go get in the cars, I notice my 6 year old niece is looking me up and down, with a look of growing concern on her face. Finally she comes up to me, and whispers "are you really sure you're going to go and meet Grandma looking like that?!"

At that age you know they're not trying to be cruel, they're just speaking their mind. Theoretically I probably looked ok and I know in my mind that I shouldn't be taking style tips from a 6 year old anyway, but for some reason her worried frown made my heart sink.

The impatient girlchild at my local gym on the first day who wanted to use the treadmill I had just started on.

"Look, I'm in a rush and it's good you're working out but you will always be ugly so why bother?"

I ignored her, used it for about an hour with her constantly comming back over to see if I were done then hopped off it and went to cry in my car.

I will never understand why people try to put down on others at least trying to better themselves.

I grew up the younger brother of one sister. She was smart, pretty, successful, and I really wasn't. One time back in high school, my parents had a bunch of friends over for dinner. I stayed secluded in the basement for a while, but hunger got to me, and so I decided to go upstairs for some food. As I was going up the stairs, I overheard my parents telling everybody that my sister "got both the brains and the looks in the family." All their friends laughed and agreed.

It really validated what I already knew, but it hurt nonetheless.

I dated this girl in HS and her mom straight up told me I wasn't hot enough for her daughter. I asked why her husband left her. I wasn't allowed back :(

Just happened to me lately... Getting rejected by every company you applied to. Just feels like the hardest slap in the face like the world telling you you're not good enough

Finding out that despite my kids and husband being born in this little town, that I'm still and will always be an outsider. I've volunteered, done community events, everything this place has offered I've taken part in. It's not enough. Makes everything I've done feel pretty worthless.

Every time we see family that we don't see often they come up to me and my sister. She gets "oh my gosh you're so grown up and beautiful!" And I get "wow! You're so.... tall!"

I'm 20 and she's 13. I know she got the good traits but I haven't been called beautiful in years. I don't even care if it's lie.

My friend looking at a picture of me from when i was 40 lbs lighter and saying "woah!!! That's you????" :/

I heard from people he told that I was a fish in bed.

All my ex-girlfriends cheated on me with richer, more attractive dudes.

Every. Single. One.

The realization that my now ex-wife had to get drunk to be willing to have sex with me.