I'm Not Normal, and That's Perfectly Normal

Why “Different” Shouldn’t Mean “Wrong”

Chores can be fun! Work can be interesting. Relationships can be fulfilling, meaningful, even beautiful. But these things don’t happen on autopilot. They require thought, intention, sacrifice, and a willingness to change. They take real effort, and often, a conscious decision to engage differently than we’re used to. Yet so often, when I try to bring up new ideas or suggest a better way of doing things—whether it’s how we share responsibility at home or how we communicate—I get told that I’m just being annoying. That I talk too much. That I should sit down, stop stirring the pot, and just accept the way things are.

But I don’t want to accept the status quo just because it’s comfortable or because “it’s always been that way.” I don’t like being told that I should compromise my instincts or enthusiasm simply to fit into a mold that someone else built. I don’t like the idea of social norms that demand we blend in rather than stand out. And I absolutely reject the belief that being “normal” is the goal. What even is “normal”? Who decides what that looks like?

In my experience, there is no such thing as a truly normal person. Every one of us is unique—wired differently, motivated by different things, drawn to different colors of life. And that’s a good thing. That’s something worth celebrating. I believe we should strive to recognize and praise the value in those differences, not stamp them out in the name of conformity.

As someone who lives with ADHD, I know firsthand what it’s like to have a mind that works differently. I see the world from different angles, often thinking faster, leaping from idea to idea, feeling emotions deeply, and noticing patterns others might overlook. That’s not a flaw. It’s a gift. But society too often treats it as a problem that needs to be fixed. “Different,” in many spaces, still means “broken.” And that mindset is both harmful and false.

When we push people to conform, to act or speak or think like everyone else, we flatten the richness of the human experience. We erase individuality and replace it with a watered-down version of who people are meant to be. Instead of trying to “fix” people to make them fit a particular mold, maybe we should consider adjusting our expectations—our own attitudes—to make more room for others as they are.

We talk a lot about inclusion and acceptance, but too often, that talk doesn’t extend to people who make us uncomfortable simply because they are different. Why is it that, even when someone is doing their best—trying hard, showing up, learning, giving what they can—it still isn’t “good enough” if they don’t do things the “normal” way?

I don’t want to be labeled as a problem. I don’t want anyone else to feel that way either. I want to be recognized as someone who brings value, even if the way I do it doesn’t look conventional. I want everyone to have the chance to thrive—not just survive or “fit in.” And I believe that starts with embracing the idea that people are not supposed to be the same. We were never meant to be carbon copies of one another.

We were created with distinct personalities, gifts, talents, and voices. And those things are not just valuable—they are irreplaceable. You are the only you that has ever existed or ever will exist. That alone makes your presence on this planet meaningful.

So why can’t we build a society that unites not around sameness, but around shared values—things like love, patience, truth, forgiveness, grace, mercy, self-control, hope, and yes, even self-sacrifice? Why can’t we choose to honor one another’s differences as sacred and necessary?

If we did, I believe the world would be not only more just—but far more beautiful.