Summary

The author reflects on personal growth, the challenges of self-identification, and the evolution of their life over the past year and decade, emphasizing adaptability and the search for purpose.

Abstract

As the New Year begins, the author contemplates the traditional practice of making resolutions and acknowledges the ongoing process of change, which they illustrate by updating their 'About Me' story. They recount their initial apprehension about joining Medium, their surprise at being invited to write for ILLUMINATION by Dr. Mehmet Yildiz, and the imposter syndrome they experienced. Despite reaching the age of 50, the author admits to a continued sense of uncertainty about their identity and life direction. They describe themselves as a non-expert with ADHD, who uses writing on Medium as a therapeutic outlet for their diverse thoughts. The author identifies as spiritual, striving for positivity and humor, despite personal challenges that include growing up in a cult and dealing with social awkwardness. They hope that sharing their journey will help others feel less alone in their struggles.

Opinions

The author does not subscribe to the idea of a 'New Year, New Me' transformation, recognizing that meaningful change is gradual.
They express a sense of being an outsider in the writing community, initially feeling like an interloper and later an imposter when asked to write a bio.
The author believes in the power of knowledge, love, patience, tolerance, and kindness to improve the world.
They value humor and sarcasm as coping mechanisms, though they acknowledge that not everyone appreciates this approach.
Despite past traumas and uncertainties, the author remains hopeful and open to rediscovering their life's path through writing and community engagement.
The author's life experiences have led them to seek connections in the Medium community, finding solace in the shared experiences of others.

About Me — The 2023 Edition

We are all standing on the very cusp of a brand new year. Most people are grappling with resolutions to make positive changes in their lives, be they big or small. I don’t think there’s anybody that isn’t reflecting on the year that we have just laid to rest, or perhaps how this decade has played out so far.

I’m not about the whole ‘New Year, New Me’ thing. Change doesn’t happen overnight. It certainly doesn’t magically happen with the turning of a calendar page.

However, this seems like an appropriate time to update my ‘About Me’ story. Life is ever-changing and so are we.

This first week of the New Year seems like as good a time as any to reflect on how my life has changed, how I have grown, and the challenges I have faced, not just over the past year, but throughout my 50 years.

When I first began my journey on this platform, this is what I shared about myself:

About Me…

The Simple Life Isn’t Always So Simple

medium.com

I was stepping outside of my comfort zone by joining a community of writers and I didn’t know what to expect. I felt like an interloper, jumping into a world where I might not even belong.

After just a few weeks one of my articles caught the eye of Dr Mehmet Yildiz and he extended an invitation to me to write for his publication ILLUMINATION. He requested that I introduce myself with a writer’s bio and suddenly I felt like an imposter…

A Writer’s Bio? But I’m Not Even a Writer!

Well… at least I don’t see myself that way!

medium.com

One might expect that at the age of 50, I would be able to quickly prattle off an ‘About Me’ article. I feel that by now I should have securely determined my life’s path and I should know who I am. Sitting down to talk about it should be a simple process but it’s definitely not.

I don’t have any fancy degrees hanging on my wall. I make no claim to be an expert on anything really. I am not going to lie, I don’t know anything about anything.

I suppose, after kicking around Medium for over a year I can now get away with passing myself off as a writer. I should have a book of poetry going public very soon, although I don’t tend to write a lot of poetry.

I have ADHD. My mind is a mess. If you scroll through my profile you’ll find I write on a wide variety of topics.

Medium has become my 'safe space' to spew some of my mind clutter which helps me to move through the real world behind a facade of something resembling sanity. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

With 50 years' worth of life experience, I honestly don’t have a clue who I am or where I’m going.

I consider myself deeply spiritual and I strive to do no harm. I try to inject as much positive energy as I can muster into the Universe, but that’s not always possible.

I believe that knowledge is power. Love, patience, tolerance, and kindness make the world a better place.

Sarcasm and humor can make life more tolerable, as long people ‘get it’, but a lot of people don’t. That doesn’t stop me from sometimes trying to be silly… we all need to laugh sometimes.

I live in the middle of nowhere, I grew up in a cult, and I’ve survived a lot of dysfunction which has all served to make me socially awkward. I’m certainly not in my element when having to deal with people face-to-face, but I still long for some kind of connection, which I seem to have found in this community.

I once thought I knew where I was going in this life, but I’ve been knocked off course so many times that I am no longer certain. I’m trying desperately to rectify that and part of rediscovering my path is writing and sharing my journey. I never know when what I share will be viewed as a gift by someone reading it, I just hope and pray that in sharing whatever I share folks will find that they are never truly alone in the struggles they face.

Hold on. Life’s one hell of a ride. The only thing I know for sure is that nothing ever stays the same. At some point, the tide will turn and it will get better!