The notion of "normal" is a slippery little devil, defying easy definition. Nonetheless, despite suffering uncomfortable feelings, showing idiosyncratic habits, harboring unique beliefs, holding unusual perspectives, or having out-of-the-ordinary experiences, most of us could be officially diagnosed as quite normal even when we are having intense reactions to the stress of being different.
This article offers a sensible definition, lists where we get our "standards" of normal, suggests the origins of the need to feel normal, suggests one alternative way of dancing with normal but difficult feelings, and provides short self help exercises throughout.
