Why Can’t I Be “Normal?”

If I had a dollar for every time this crossed my mind… Make it double for every time someone has said it to me!

If people with learning disabilities could shout on a rooftop, they would probably scream and cry tears of frustration thinking it's all their fault that they are “not normal.” This is often how people with learning disabilities and/or ADHD feel - tired and frustrated. No one else around them seems to struggle the way they do. But why do we only think the grass is always greener on the other side and never blue? The truth is no one is “normal,” everyone has something they struggle with whether they admit to it or not. What you see in a glimpse on social media or in passing at work is not the whole story.

I think we need to stop asking “Why can’t I be normal?” and start thinking about what makes us special and unique. If you were to make a list of the latter, I think it would be longer than you might think. We have been we’ve been conditioned to think, learn, organize, and maintain our lives in ways that don’t suit us. What you are feeling is not frustration from comparing your life to someone else. The frustration comes from trying to fit into a “normalized” lifestyle that isn’t authentic to you—that’s why it’s so difficult and unattainable.

Because we’ve been so conditioned through school, the workplace, and the media, many people don’t know what is actually authentic to them. So, I challenge you to get to know yourself better! Journaling is a great place to start. Track how you’re feeling, how productive you think you have been, etc. Often throughout the day, and eventually, you will notice a pattern.

Notice what feels natural to you, and brainstorm adjustments that can be made to feel your best. And you know what? You won’t feel “normal” by the end. You will feel exceptional because you are!