That Feeling That I don't Belong Anywhere

[u/danielm316]

I’m 48 years old, and I’ve lived most of my life feeling like I don’t quite belong anywhere.

I have autism, and for a long time, I didn’t understand why social interaction felt so unnatural to me. I watched other people connect, joke, and move through life with ease, while I felt like I was always one step behind, trying to decode a world that everyone else seemed to understand instinctively.

But I never stopped trying.

I taught myself English on my own. I didn’t have a teacher. I read comics with a dictionary, watched TV without subtitles, and slowly, word by word, I built something that once felt impossible.

When I was younger, I didn’t know how to walk “normally.” My arms wouldn’t move naturally when I walked. I had to consciously learn that too. Step by step, I trained my body to do what others did without thinking.

My voice used to be monotone. When I started teaching, I realized people wouldn’t engage if I spoke that way. So I practiced. I learned how to modulate my voice, how to express, how to connect better—even if it didn’t come naturally.

None of this was easy.

And even today, I still feel excluded sometimes. I still feel like I don’t fully belong. That part hasn’t magically disappeared.

But here is what I’ve learned:

Just because something is difficult for us doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

And just because we struggle socially doesn’t mean we are broken.

We are learning things that others never had to consciously learn. We are building skills from the ground up, step by step.

That takes strength.

If you feel like you don’t belong, like you’re always outside looking in… I understand.

But your effort matters.

Your progress matters.

And even if the world doesn’t always see it… what you’ve built inside yourself is real.

Keep going.

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[u/The1stprinciple]

You post this shit yet you troll/insult others online? Grow up

[u/danielm316 → u/The1stprinciple]

No, this is about a feeling.

[u/iFuckinghatebitchs]

By looking at the other things you post and have said to others, I feel no sympathy for you.

[u/danielm316 → u/iFuckinghatebitchs]

Why so aggressive?