Feeling just a bit different to everyone else has been part of my life from a very young age. One of my earliest memories is walking to my nan's house, holding my mum's hand and worrying about what to say when I got there. Everyone around me seemed to be able to talk and talk, but I could never get my words out. I must have only been 3 years old, but the worry was very real.

I am now in my mid-thirties, and the same thoughts still run through my head almost every day. Sometimes people seem to think I'm a bit odd, weird or even rude. Odd and weird I may well be, but it is never my intention to be rude to anyone. Sometimes the conversation just doesn't flow. Sometimes I have no idea when it's the right time to talk. This is the life of an introvert who hasn't really found his mask.

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As I have grown older, I have started to realise I can be who the hell I want to be. I don't need to come out of my shell or 'comfort zone'. There should be room in this world for the quiet folk too. We live in a world where extroversion is not only highly valued, but also seen as the absolute norm. Through Aunty Social World, I want to change all that.

 

 A couple of years ago, I graduated from the Open University, earning a degree that opened wide my eyes to the injustices all around us. By using this knowledge, along with my passion for art, creativity and criticality, I want to help build a community for people with social anxiety, misunderstood introverts and those who just enjoy a quiet life.

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