Sometimes we just have to be a bit proud of who we are, with all the quirkiness. I wouldn't want everyone to be normal and boring. I know it's hard sometimes to carry yourself with that security but it's not impossible. Other people do it all the time... especially those I find annoying and other people find charming.... So you have the right to take up some space.

About the self monitoring I know from my own behavior. Now I don't have social anxiety but I don't run smoothly with social norms. I'm just learning it's a nice thing to ask people things back. When they throw me the ball and ask things about me I just babble because I'm happy they chose a topic I'm not unfamiliar with. So I'm practicing on asking people things, as awkward as it might feel. I feel am I prying? Am I on the right level? I have absolutely no idea and I can't tell if I annoy someone because if you're seen as rude it's not like they are going to tell you. They will just smile or frown or whatever they do... if you're doing it right as well as doing it wrong. But at least I hope I don't come across as self centered.

The social game is not an easy one. It's easy to overthink, and not cut yourself some slack, like you have to be a perfectionist about it. But at the same time, lets face it, we don't all have the same social smoothness. If I just let go and do it my way, I will come across as weird, so I only do it with my friend really. I really always have a problem with what is socially acceptable. I can do the identical thing and it's not fine, and someone else can do it and it's fine. I totally lack that fine tuning.

But the most important thing is that you have the right to be there, to talk, to exist. Same as everyone else. And no, everyone is not going to like you, there is not a single person who is liked by everyone. It might be hard to hear but no matter how perfect you try to be, someone will always think you're bad some way or the other. That is OK. It can't be the end of the world.

And if you are quirky there are always people who will prefer you that way.