I am often asked by my clients, “Am I normal? Is this normal?”

Here’s what’s important:

Context is everything. Your context will determine what is normal or not for you.

Often when someone asks this question: “Am I normal?”, it’s usually connected to feeling uncertainty (and sometimes confusion) and is often linked with the need to know:

Am I safe?
Am I accepted?
Am I loved?

Here are a few suggestions of what can be helpful:

Instead of using the word “normal”, try using typical or non-typical. Ask yourself: is this typical or not typical for me?

Learning about yourself. As you gain knowledge and awareness around what is connected to the question it will help you figure out how you need to tend to what is coming up.

Gathering information. This can involve healthy comparison. It can also involve asking the part of you that’s wondering if you’re normal what it is worried or concerned about.

Seeking support from your community: both personal and professional. Our closest friends, mentors, and family can highlight what we aren’t aware of yet and help us with that.
Additionally, it’s important to connect to your experts such as accessing your doctor for medical advice or your counsellor for mental health support.

Have you ever asked yourself or someone else, “Am I normal”?

What came up for you and what helped you through it?

Here Together,

Lauren