I was talking to a mate of mine recently about some of my frustrations. I told him how I sometimes felt like I just didn’t fit in. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t feel like I need to be part of a click or anything like that, but it dawned on me that I actually do not have a specific group of friends that I fit in with naturally.
Of course you cannot be good friends with everyone in your life – that’s why circles of friends are formed – but sometimes it feels like I am surrounded by so many people, yet so few of them are close friends.
I was chatting to my friend about this when he stopped me and said something that got my attention:
“People like us aren’t supposed to fit in,” he said.
It was interesting to think of it in that way. Maybe some people were just made to not fit in easily. That doesn’t mean you can’t or never will fit in anywhere – but some personality types clearly find it harder to find their place in a wider group. I’m not just talking about introverted people either – you can be an extrovert and still feel like you don’t fit in.
So, how do you cope when you’re usually the one that doesn’t fit in?
1. Accept who you are
You need to accept that you are different. I’m not saying you should just accept where you are personally – I believe we should always strive to work on our character – but you do need to acknowledge that it’s not always a bad thing when you don’t fit in easily. It just means that you will stand out more, and sometimes that’s a good thing.
2. Enjoy the journey
Your journey will likely take a little longer than most people when it comes to making new friends or building relationships. However, when you do make progress in terms of relationships, it will be so much more rewarding. Stick to your journey, and don’t be discouraged when you do not fit in right away.
I hope this helped you if you struggle to fit in. Sometimes it’s rewarding to be different and stand out!
Godspeed