They say being an outsider is not a good thing because you’re not interacting with society. They also say no human interaction can lead to loneliness and sorrow. I would say this is not truly accurate. Being an outsider has its disadvantages but being an outsider has more benefits than most might think.
Since I was a kid, I have managed Autism Spectrum Disorder. I grew up doing things differently as a kid. I talked to myself and struggled to learn in school. Most of all, I spent most of my time alone, not wanting to interact with anyone. As a young adult, I am proud to say that I have outgrown a large portion of my Autism. Although growing up and going to school, I still struggled to fit in with kids my age. Despite that, I continued to focus on myself and the essential things in my life. So yes, I am an outsider and as one, I can say from many years of experience that being an outsider is a good thing.
Being an outsider means independence. Independence means having all the time in the world to focus on yourself and on the things you love the most. I like to focus on activities I highly enjoy, such as writing, walking, playing the guitar and listening to different music during my free time. When I’m not participating in my favorite activities, I watch movies and read—doing these other hobbies help me be creative with my guitar and writing. Otherwise, I hang out with friends and family with whom I can be myself around and share my interests. Spending time with loved ones also gives me room for imagination in my music and writing.
Growing up, I was never one to break the rules and disobey them. By obeying the rules, I earned back respect from many people to which I gave respect. Most of all, I was an observer. Witnessing groups of kids my age and seeing how they interacted with one another has been something I’ve been doing since I was small. I would always pay attention to how they behaved and talked towards one another and adults—doing so taught me how to conduct and speak to specific groups of people properly.
Looking back, I am grateful to have not been a part of most of these kids’ groups and performed the same actions as they did. I would not have grown to become wiser and as mature as I am today if I had. I also would not have been able to form relationships with my teachers and coaches and learn valuable lessons from them as I do now.
Luckily, a few famous people, like authors J.K. Rowling and Harper Lee, are outsiders. These two brilliant women focused on themselves and their writing, leading them onto successful paths by telling powerful world messages through their impactful stories.
Looking back at my moments of self-doubt and insecurities, I have grown to accept myself to be an outsider. I am entirely thankful to have overcome the struggles I have faced and observed various types of people. If these events hadn’t occurred, I would not have shaped into the person I am today. So if you’re an outsider, don’t worry! It’s a good thing! You have a great path ahead of you!
