15 Signs Your Insanity Is Completely Normal

We all have our share of behavioral quirks or eccentricities. The good news is that most of them aren’t actually that unique – nor do they constitute some personal failure on our part. Here are 15 ways to prove it:

1. You Have a Fear of Failure

Let’s get one thing straight: nobody likes to fail. That sneaking suspicion that you won’t measure up is something we all face at one time or another. The trick lies in rising to the challenge anyway.

2. You Don’t Exactly Thrive in Social Situations

People seem to automatically assume that if somebody is introverted, then they lack social graces or even intelligence. If you’d rather listen than speak, it just means you value words more highly than the chatterboxes around you.

3. You Find the Loopholes in Your Own Resolutions

Via pleated-jeans.com

It’s January 2nd. It’s a new year and a fresh start, and you’re already looking for a way out of your resolutions. Insanity isn’t having second thoughts; it’s about expecting change without a strong commitment.

4. You Don’t Like the Way You Look

It’s practically a cliché by now to point out how society has caused us to have unreasonable expectations of ourselves, particularly when it comes to our looks. Just remember that we’re our own worst critics.

5. You Talk to Yourself

Popular culture would have us believe that talking to ourselves is a sign of instability, when in fact it’s nothing more than a perfectly sane way to organize our thoughts.

6. You Run Up the Stairs in the Dark

We all do this from time to time, whether we’ve just watched a scary movie or we’re just home alone for the weekend. Frankly, a healthy fear of the dark is probably a big part of the reason why humans are the dominant form of life on the planet.

7. You Like to Whistle or Sing in Public

Some people believe there’s a special circle of hell for public whistlers, but this type of person is almost certainly in the minority. The rest of us recognize that whistling in public is a sign that someone is content. It’s certainly preferable to the possible alternatives.

8. You Have a Hard Time Falling Asleep

A difficulty of falling asleep can be a symptom of a great many things, but insanity is not one of them. Maybe you have a tendency to lie in bed and think about how the day went, or to plan for the future. We’re all guilty of letting our mind wander come bedtime.

9. You Don’t Use Public Restrooms

I won’t say that this particular behavioral quirk can’t be taken too far, but it’s perfectly understandable. Public bathrooms are wretched hives, scum and villainy, and most of us won’t fault you for steering clear.

10. You Worry That You Have OCD

Some people wear their neuroses like a badge of honor, claiming to have an un-diagnosed case of OCD. There’s a good chance there’s nothing wrong with them. All of us have things that we want to be just right. Just like someone who is OCD about cleaning a new CJ Pony mustang or a Harley Davidson bike, it's only natural to want to polish things we work hard to earn.

11. You Imagine All the Ways Your Job Interviews Can Fail

Interviewing for a new job is plenty stressful; imagining the things that can go wrong is only natural. What you need to do is focus instead on how prepared you are, and how well-suited you are for the job.

12. You Save Everything

As with almost anything, this can be taken too far. If you’ve ever made an appearance on Hoarders, though, you probably have a problem. That said, there’s nothing wrong with hanging onto something because you may have a use for it in the future.

13. You’re Afraid of Commitment

Every uppity self-help guru likes to take people to task for their “fear of commitment”, when in fact it probably has nothing to do with fear. What you’re feeling is not only normal, but healthy. A lack of commitment, whether it has to do with getting married or having a baby, isn’t wrong or crazy; it’s actually a sign of self-awareness, and an indication that you know you’re not ready.

14. You Think You Have Unusual Tastes

So everybody at work has been talking about Breaking Bad for months, but you’re afraid to admit that you didn’t like it. There’s nothing wrong with you, and you needn’t apologize. If everybody had the same tastes, the world would be a terribly boring place to live.

15. You Love Being Alone

If you sell all of your earthly possessions and go live by yourself in a cave, there may be a problem. If, on the other hand, you merely have a tendency to turn down invitations to go out bar hopping on a Friday night, you’ve definitely got nothing to worry about. Enjoying time spent alone isn’t just normal, but essential.