First, thank you for starting this thread.
Good discussion herein.

Second, thanks for asking the key question, i.e. How do you describe your "normal"?

It is refreshing to read "For me, "normal" is what we choose it to be. We get to define our "normal." Yes. This.

Absolutely we get to define our normal.

That said, I acknowledge that that needs to jibe with social parameters/norms respecting all others' rights to safety, peaceable abiding, quiet, mutual respect, etc.

As jimi and skeezyks both brought up the natural internalizing of those social and cultural norms with which we grew up as children is there within us.

It seems to me a base upon which we build and grow "our own normal".
In some cases, perhaps we 'remodel' a bit for 'expansion' of what is "our normal", acquiring additional values along our path of maturation - retaining some, letting go some.
This is the job of integration of our fully lived life experience.
(It's also a lot of the work we do in angst and in therapy!)

Enough said, likely too much.

It has always been my point - whether with family, friend, therapist - that I simply want to be my normal me. The normal I know and love and can fully function and flourish with in life again.

Not this eclipsed me. This is not "normal" for me.
This total void of my being to such extent that nothing is normal.
I am simply not myself, I am no one, I am nothing, capable of nothing of which I was formerly highly capable, including simple peace, joy, love. I want that back! That's "my normal".

In my experience, I believe it is for each of us to define, as was glok's original premise here, thanks.
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It is late, I may not get to edit this as much as I would like. If I may, I hope to reply to the previous individual posts on this thread as well. As I said, a fine, interesting thread.

Pax.