I then realized that rhythm is what brings everything together.
No matter how many chords you know, or how fast you can change through them, if you don't play with rhythm it won't sound like music.
This is why those two little words "open chords" are so harmful.
Because they send the message to your brain that the "chord" hand is the important one. They make you focus on the wrong hand!
This is why you are struggling, and why I struggled for so many years too.
If you want to play music, you need to focus your attention on your rhythm hand.
Even if you just know 1 or 2 chords, with rhythm they will always sound great. They will sound like music.
Focusing on rhythm will make you sound like if the guitar was native to you.
Do you want to play chords or do you want to play music?