Long Time Listener, First Time Caller

[VecSpec]

Hope everyone's week has been going well. After having this tab up for literally ages, I felt like I should stop waiting around and actually make the rounds. XD

I'm still trying to figure a lot of this out. Stop me if you've heard that one before. XD

I'm 33, and I'm slowly starting to be a little more comfortable self-identifying as aro. For the last couple of years, I think the idea was there in spirit before I really started doing any research or reaching out, but it's taken me a while to be honest with myself. Without going too far into "stranger shares their life story on the Internet" territory, I shared a lot of the same experiences that I've seen in stories here, I'd dated in the past and been in romantic relationships, but something always felt...off. I enjoyed the time I shared and people I got to know, but I never could find that feeling of being "in love". Cue the questioning about if there was something wrong with me, the doubts and fears as you see entire friend groups fall in love, start families, and the never ending holiday tradition of asking if you're seeing someone or when to expect grandkids. It wore me out.

But as time's gone on, I've come to understand myself a little better as well as the things I value in my relationships with other people. And I started realizing that my friendships and family filled a lot of that void that I never found trying to force myself to date other people.

So yeah, I'm still trying to really get an idea of where I stand, and it's still gonna be hard to let my hair down, but I'm glad to finally say hey to everyone, and I'm looking forward to whatever's next!

[roboticanary]

Hi

Oh god that tradition. thankfully my parents have pretty much given up asking about that sort of thing with me but I remember that sort of thing being really frustrating.

anyhow, welcome. let your hair down as much as you are comfortable with, we don't bite here.

[Queasy_Attention]

Sorry to reply so late to this but lol welcome!! I had the same experience, going through relationships where some things felt right, but some things felt wrong. It really is surreal to not feel that big important something that everyone else feels and talks about all the time. I'm sorry you had to go through the "is there just something wrong with me" journey, that's never easy. But I'm glad you're here now!! Hope to catch you around the forums~