I was watching a new game show on OWN called, Are You Normal, America? last week where the contestants try to determine whether certain situations are considered normal across America. The sociologist in me always perks up when I get to see how groups of people answer these interesting questions. Such as:

Is it normal to want to be President? or
Is it normal to let your pets sleep in your bed?

 

I started thinking about whether the way I live my life would be considered normal – whatever that may mean. After giving it some thought, I realized that I’m abnormal in many different ways.

How about you? Are you normal?

And if you’re not, would you want to be? Do you ever long to feel “normal” – whatever that means for you? Many of us (including me) went through the awkward junior-high phase where fitting in was all that mattered. We didn’t want to stand out or appear to be different in any way at all. We wanted to blend in and be a part of the crowd. And then as we got older, we started to see how fitting in was hurting our souls. We began to realize that we were square pegs who had spent our entire life trying to fit into a round hole. And we were no longer willing to sacrifice who we were for the sake of being accepted.

But…making this decision to stand strong in who we are isn’t always easy. The pull of the majority is strong and can’t be denied. While in many ways, I choose to live an abnormal life, I still feel that things would be “easier” if I could just learn to fit in. Wouldn’t life flow if I could just be okay with living a life that most people would be happy to live? Possibly. But I have tried it, and I was miserable. And I’ve come to realize that feeling happy is much more important than feeling normal.

So, here I am standing tall and sharing my so-called abnormalities with each of you:

  • I don’t have a 9-5 job. I have been self employed for the past eight years – which means I have given up having the security of a steady paycheck, insurance, savings, etc. But it also means that I am my own boss; I get to decide what I want to do and when I want to do it; and I am in control of my own destiny. And I love that.
  • I work A LOT. I have what I call an “inspired drive.” Nothing makes me happier than sharing my words and connecting with others who “get it.” That keeps me going and keeps me reaching out and connecting even more. Which means that I spend more hours than I care to admit working. I love what I do, and I feel so blessed that I get to live this way – inspiring, giving, sharing, and meeting all of you.
  • I stay home most days. And I love it. I am such a sensitive person that when I go into the world, I end up feeling drained from taking on everyone’s energy that I have to come home and sleep. I love the cocoon that I have made for myself here at home. And I love the barrier that being online creates between my energy and the energy of everyone around me. I am so grateful that I’ve created a life that allows me to do this. I remember when I used to go to work everyday, I was never completely comfortable or happy. Thankfully, now I am. (I do enjoy my evening walks with my husband and our sweet dog though…which leads me to the next point.)
  • I love my husband. I know that this may seem like a normal thing to say, but I still think it needs to be said. I love him in an abnormal kind of way. So often, when I talk to married couples, they look at their marriage as a sort of agreement or contract. They are “putting in the time” or “working hard to make things work.” In this lifetime, I hit the jackpot and found someone who is everything to me. And we have arranged our lives so that we could be together all of the time. ALL of the time. We have rarely been apart for more than a few hours for the past 10 years. I know that wouldn’t work for everyone, and it’s what makes us abnormal. And I love it (and him).
  • I have chosen not to have kids. This one tends to push some buttons for people when I tell them this. From the time I was young, I knew deep down that I wasn’t ever going to be a mom. I never had the urge – quite the opposite, really. I loved animals, and all of my maternal instincts went to taking care of them. I am thrilled for anyone who wants to have children, but I love that I don’t have that responsibility. I love that I have complete freedom to live my life exactly how I want to live it. And I love that this decision makes me happy – normal or not.
  • I have chosen to be vegetarian. This is another button pusher for some. I have never tried to convert anyone – we’re all on our own journey and we are all choosing our own paths. For me, it’s a decision that started 17 years ago when I slowly began to take meat out of my diet. I became vegan for many years and then decided to add eggs back in last year. And it works for me. No, it’s not normal. Definitely not. But I couldn’t imagine my life being any other way. I used to cry every time I ate meat, and I’m so happy that I can eat in peace now.
  • I’m highly sensitive. I cry easily. I feel everything. If you’re hurting, I’ll be able to feel your pain physically. And I love this part of me. While it can be draining at times, I get to feel fully all of the time. And that’s a wonderful way to feel. But it’s definitely not normal.
  • I spend my days immersing myself in the personal growth world. This may feel normal for many of you who grew up in areas that encouraged this, but I definitely did not. I grew up in the midwest where I worked at a local bookstore throughout high school. I was always drawn to the self-help section, and I loved the days when I got to shelve the new books there because it gave me a chance to be with my favorite books while still having a valid excuse for being there. I didn’t want to be the one who was misunderstood or considered to have mental problems, which is how it was viewed back then.

So there you have it. Some of the ways that I’m definitely not normal – some of the ways that I go against the grain of our society. And you know what? It’s okay. We all have parts of us that will never be normal – will never fit in. And the more we can learn to embrace these parts of ourselves, the happier we will be in our own skin.

We are all finding our own way in this world. We are all creating new paths and forging ahead into the unknown together. We are all completely abnormal in one way or another. And that’s completely normal.

How in your life are you abnormal? Are you able to embrace these parts of yourself? If not, do you think you might be willing to try? Please comment below – we’d all love to read your thoughts!

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P.S. – Today is the last day to join the Goddess Circle at the discounted price! It doubles at midnight PST 7/3! I’m giving away our ENTIRE Soulful Journals Ebook Series (a $65 value) to anyone who joins through me! Click here for all of the details!

 

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