Through the years, I've been a non-social individual, and I guess the fact that while growing up, I was raised in one of the most notorious neighborhoods in Lagos, and my parents, in order to not make me get influenced by the bad habits exhibited by those around us, made sure I'm always indoors. That brooded my introverted nature, but I don't let that define my social interaction, even though I find solace in solitude.
With the way I was raised, I grew up to not be a fan of outdoor activities, which inspired my introverted and non-social lifestyle, but regardless of that, I still have a means to have some social interactions and indulge in a few social activities when necessary. Given my kind of lifestyle, it means I've got a small circle of friends, meaning I tend not to have many physical interactions to deal with. My small network of friends is okay for me compared to a huge number because I prefer meaningful and genuine connections, and that's because I love my mental health and well-being. In my opinion, the fewer the friends, the less drama that comes along with it.
In response to the first focal point of today's prompt, I'll say yes, I'm not just comfortable with my kind of lifestyle, but instead very comfortable with it. Being a non-social individual is something I've been used to from a very tender age, and now I'm accustom to it, although during my tender age, I do feel left out when things are happening around me, and I can't participate and have to only gaze at those enjoying the social activities through the window.
But as I grew up, I got to understand the reason why my parents did what they did and could agree with the fact that had they not taken such a drastic decision at that point in time, then I would have become a total opposite and a shadow of my present self, so in a nutshell, I'm grateful to them for the way they've raised me and the impact it has had on me.
Being a non-social individual can be a good thing for you as well, because as someone who hardly attends social functions and doesn't see the need to be carried away by other people's social lifestyles, I've been able to save a lot of money that would have been spent on making my social life befitting others who lead such lifestyles.
And now to the other parts of the prompt question, which talk about if my way of life in one way or another affected my relationship with those around me, I'll say yes, such as happened on different occasions, and it's quite disheartening that my way of life made people misunderstand me and think of me as a proud person, either because during most times when I participate in a social gathering, I tend to keep to myself, which most immediately equates that to being proud rather than understanding that I'm just the person who finds solace in solitude or being by myself.
One of the ways this has affected my relationship is the fact that not living a social life has made me someone who can't hold a conversation for long, especially when it's a physical interaction, and this can make people think I'm living a double standard life because I'm more outspoken when I chat via social media than I do in person.
I remember having a friend I met online, and we were like the best of friends. The friend insisted on paying me a visit, and I was fine with it, although I tried to warn her. Well, to cut a long story short, she did come, and when she did, I wasn't flowing with each conversation brought up like I used to do when we chat. This made the lady angry to a point, and she concluded that I probably didn't like her in person, and that's why I completely changed towards her.
That affected the relationship, and by the time she left, the friendship couldn't be sustained, which led to it coming to a short end. Despite this, I'm still ok with my non-social lifestyle, although I know I need to brace up and interact more physically going forward so I won't be misjudged for who I'm not.
Well, that's about my life as a non-social individual. I hope you had a good read. Do have a wonderful day and stay blessed.
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Finding solace in solitude...
I understand this perfectly and I know how awkward it is.
We can't all be the same We are different and that's one of the beauty of humanity.
Exactly, we are all unique in our own way.
A lot of us were raised by very strict parents and it affected us in one way or the other, we are still grateful for how strict they were as it helped put us on track.
Yea their impact is now appreciated and a blessing to our lives.