Our society has an unshakeable desire to be “normal.” Whatever normal means.
In fact, I have forsaken my own truth at times, because the idea of being normal, problem-free, low-maintenance, unencumbered by illness or age seemed too attractive not to embrace.
But the fact is whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, physical or mental illness, financial issues or weight gain, being free of life and all of its abnormalities is near impossible.
Why are we trying to hide ourselves in an effort to be perfect and illness free?
I realized this after seeing friends I hadn’t seen in a decade. While at first burdened that my life had veered too far from normal (in both my personal and professional choices), I finally had to laugh at myself. I realized that all this pressure to be perfect, to seem like everyone else, is what I had struggled so hard to get away from. The life I have now was built from years of accepting and creating my own life. It is a compilation of all the sublime and challenging things I had experienced. Why was I willing to give it up just so that I could seem average? My life was anything, but that.
Hopefully, we will one day get to a point where being different, imperfect and unique, not just being normal, are fully embraced. Until then, I leave you with a handful of our top posts to help you discover and explore the gifts that make you uniquely you.
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Site last updated: 19 May 2013
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I had a really difficult childhood,then 23 years of a difficult relationship.Psychotherapy helped a lot,but I found it hard to make progress.After becoming mildly allergic to alcohol tea and coffee,I gave them all up,and now have made huge strides in my recovery.Nothing can replace professional help,but this made a great difference to my ability to respond to it.
Krystelle,
That’s great to hear you found something that works! I think there is no single right way to be healthy and happy. But it definitely seems like you’ve found something that helps.