I am Here for a Reason. I Belong.

Sometimes, I look back at my life and wonder whether the universe has conspired against me. After all, I am a man, I am African, and I am an introvert.

Growing up, I could not wait to escape my parent's house. I wanted to leave everything behind and move out. I fantasised about living in a big city where I would meet new people every day and build my career.

Then one day, I realised that I had no idea how to take care of myself. I had never cooked food before. I did not know how to clean my room. I had absolutely no clue about budgeting money. I knew nothing about personal hygiene.

This is not fair. Why should I be punished for being born African and an introvert? I deserved to live like everyone else. I deserve to be successful. I am smart. I am talented. I am ambitious. I am driven. I am determined. I am willing to sacrifice anything to achieve my goals. All I needed were basic skills.

But somehow, these things eluded me. I did not learn how to cook until I was 20. I went to bed hungry for months. I lived in squalor for years. I was so ashamed of my messy house. I hated myself.

I tried to change, but it was impossible. My mind simply refused to cooperate. I failed to study. I dropped out of college several times. Nobody encouraged me. None of my teachers understood me. I had nobody to talk to. Nobody to confide in. Nobody was listening.

I reached rock bottom. I was suicidal. I wanted to die.

One day, I took matters into my own hands. I started reading self-help books. I joined forums. I educated myself. Gradually, I began to understand my strengths and weaknesses. I learnt to manage my emotions. I developed a thick skin. I changed my habits. I improved my lifestyle. I became more responsible. I started eating healthy meals. I stopped drinking alcohol. I cut down on sugar. I learnt to meditate. I quit smoking.

Slowly, I adapted to my environment. I adjusted to the norms of modern society. I made friends.

Yet, deep inside, I knew something was missing.

How come I never received that much-needed push during my school years? Couldn’t somebody have helped me develop the right habits? Shouldn’t the government have provided me with financial assistance to assist me in pursuing higher education? What happened to my dream of becoming a CEO?

These questions haunted me for years. Then one day, I came across a book about introverts. I read it cover to cover and discovered that I was not alone. There were millions of others like me who had struggled to fit in. Yet, they had found a way to thrive despite their differences. This gave me hope.

And so, I decided to create a blog to share my experiences with the world. I wrote about my struggles. I shared my thoughts on current affairs. I advised people on how to cope with the challenges of being African and introverted. I answered their questions. I inspired readers to overcome their obstacles. And slowly, I started getting results. People started following me on social media. Some even sent me messages telling me that I had changed their lives.

My journey has only just begun, but I am proud of my achievements so far. I am glad that I have finally found my purpose in life.

I am here for a reason. I belong.