An introduction to a socially awkward introvert who actually has a lot to say.
Well, this should be fun. In a face to face setting, this would be my worst nightmare. “Let’s go around the room and tell everyone a little about ourselves…”—I think I’d rather the earth open up and swallow me whole, thanks.
Thankfully, we are not face to face, we are on the internet. And on the internet, I get to pretend to be everything my real-world self isn’t. Confident, outgoing, chatty, inhibition-free… It works here because the whole self-confidence thing means zero. You could’ve already bowed…
A short tale of forbidden love.
It started for the same reason as most. I was lonely and a little lost. Seeking connection, comfort, purpose… I never intended it to go this far.
It was nothing more than a flirtation at first. Harmless, really. Just enough to fill the cup. A light touch, a longing glance… Not something that keeps you up at night. Certainly not something you think about all the time. Something you begin to crave… bordering on obsession.
Though if it was… Was it as bad as all that? Was it as forbidden and unattainable as I once thought?
After all, why shouldn’t…
There’s nothing like a personality type indicator to confirm that you really are a little…. different.
When I got my first job in a large company, to say I had trouble fitting in would be an understatement. Before that, I had only ever worked for small businesses-10 employees max, so even as a socially awkward introvert with an anxiety disorder, I still managed to make friends. In bigger organisations? The bullpen is a lot like the schoolyard. There are cliques. …
How to reset your default settings for positive mental health.
As someone who spends an unreasonable amount of time trying to be a decent human being, I get a little disheartened when my fellow adults use the “This is who I am, take it or leave it” trope as an excuse to justify poor behaviour.
The idea that behaving like a jerk is out of our control because of our personality barely flies in the schoolyard, let alone into our adult years. …
“I feel that I’m the lucky one, because I’m not so blue.”
You never hesitate to tell me,
The ways we aren’t the same,
You want me to fit the mould,
Like it won’t cause any pain.
You look at me with pity,
If only I could be like you,
But why would I want that?
You’re such a boring shade of blue.
I find I’m not cut out,
For your reality.
And still, you must insist,
What you have is worth my envy.
But I like my time alone,
In the confines of my mind,
You really must believe,
I’m not getting…
Because it may be those who hold the sharpest minds
In this rainbow room,
I feel so very grey,
So out of place and lonely,
I’m not sure why I stay.
My mouth is very quiet,
My thoughts so very loud,
If only you’d look closer,
You might even be proud.
Outside might appear grey,
There’s beauty that’s within,
A symphony of color,
I wish you’d let me in.
Be patient, stop and listen,
A surprise you might just find,
Underneath this shy exterior,
Lies wisdom undefined.
The quietest in the room,
Is often the most cunning,
If all my thoughts came spewing out,
You’d find that you’d be running.
…
By Jessie Waddell.
“You can keep staring at it, Evangeline. It’s never going back to the way it was before.”
“Nathaniel, my dear friend, that kind of eternal optimism is why I’ve kept you around all these years….” I turned to face my friend with a smirk, and one eyebrow cocked so he could sense I was only half-teasing with my sarcasm.
“I can’t help it.” I sighed. “It used to be so beautiful. How they could destroy it so easily will never stop puzzling me.”
“They’ve always been a self-destructive breed. It was only a matter of time.”
“You…
Avoid being sucked down the google rabbit hole by making these your go-to resources.
When we become parents, we all want to be the best we can be for our kids. In the early days, this often manifests as self-doubt, worry and anxiety that can leave us second-guessing every choice that we make.
Inevitably, at some point, we will pick up our phones, and we will google our new baby’s behaviour to find out whether it is “normal”. Unfortunately, the top answers that google presents are based on western societal standards rather than biologically normal infant behaviour. …
Commitment. Issues. But also — a one-size-fits-all approach to learning clearly isn’t relevant anymore.
I didn’t go to university (uni) straight after I finished high school. I didn’t even apply. I was one of those “gifted” kids loaded with “potential” who inevitably disappointed all of my teachers because, at 17, I didn’t have a clear idea of what career I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. Shock, right?
I’m also plagued by a rigid sense of logic which I apply ruthlessly to everything in life. And what exactly is logical about asking a teenager to commit themselves to 3–6 years of expensive higher education to pursue their “dream career” when they…
Swipe Right for True Love.
I make no secret of the fact that I’m a bit of a cynic when it comes to the “true love fairytale”. Sure, it’s out there. But I think it’s the exception rather than the rule. That doesn’t mean I’m not a sucker for a good love story that gives you the warm and fuzzies, though. I mean, I’m still human. Given a choice for my reading time, I will almost always opt for a romance novel over any other genre.
I’ve been fed this narrative for as long as I can remember. From my…
