ANTISOCIAL: A Neverending Dinner Party for People Who Don't Like Dinner Parties

Welcome to ANTISOCIAL, the place for people who are afraid of society but still want to live "the good life." I'm your host, Danielle C. Belton, a "hard-core" extrovert who becomes an introvert from time to time thanks to my struggles with anxiety and Bipolar disorder.

When I was a child, I loved people and desired to have lots of friends. Unfortunately, I was terrible at making friends with other children due to the tragedy of me being born already 37 years old.

A tiny "old person" — with a kid's innocence and emotions — I preferred the company of adults. I never wanted to sit at the kids' table when my parents had the rare dinner party. I always wanted to be in the mix as the adults talked about history, politics, current events, and family dynamics. Surprisingly, my parents encouraged this, allowing me a literal seat at the table as I soaked in "grown folks" conversation, even participating to their bemusement and (occasional) delight. After all, how often were you going to meet an 11-year-old who had opinions on Michael Dukakis' run (and subsequent loss) for president? I was like a novelty act called "Pundit Jr." ... or "Kid Oprah."

Due to this, I was not a hit with other kids. I was "weird" and a "nerd," with all my interests varying from dinosaurs to the Iran-Contra hearings and my desire to be accepted by the teacher more than my peers. Never mind that I was hyper-sensitive and didn't "get" other children, preferring to read or be alone rather than play kickball or scream my head off on a playground.

Years later, after I went off to college, everything changed. At Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Mass Communications program, I made a lot of friends, joined a sorority (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.!), and became editor-in-chief of my college paper, The Alestle, for two years in a row. I even threw my first dinner party in my second-year apartment on campus. I made Italian food for several of my classmates and friends.

Fast-forward to 27 years later, and I've lived nine lives as a journalist and have had more than 16 addresses. From St. Louis, Mo. to Illinois to Texas to California to Washington, D.C. to New York, I moved around in pursuit of my dreams, and along the way, I made incredible friends. People like Jada, Toya, Yesha, Christina, Michelle, Tiffany, Nicole, Marilee, Junny, Michael, Corey, Rebecca, Kate, Kimberly, Wendy, Hopi, Moses, Susan, Victor, Amy, and many more than I can ever name. And I had a million jobs — from late-night TV writer to digital media strategist, but 999,998 of those jobs were in journalism. And journalism is a great field to be in if you like to collect friends like Ash collected Pokemon.

But despite my love of people, I would have my trials. Throughout this whole time, I worked to overcome a near-crippling social anxiety that developed around the same time as my Bipolar disorder (type II) emerged in my mid-20s. After the cloud of depression lifted in 2009 with a move to Washington, D.C., it came back after the death of my friend Toya Watts. She was 48. I took the loss hard because it felt so unfair to lose someone who had been young, healthy, and vibrant. It made me quiet, introverted, and reluctant to go out or be around people. Soon, my agoraphobia reemerged, and it became almost impossible to leave the house.

Then, in 2016, I was named editor-in-chief of the Black-interest news site, The Root, and relocated to New York City. Wanting to make new friends while also promoting my work, I decided I needed to stop hiding in my apartment, throw together some outfits, and get out there. But I didn't know where or how to start. However, as a result of my high-profile role at The Root, I started getting invited to black-tie events. One of the first I attended was the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's annual gala in 2017, where a fateful meeting would take place. Seated at the press table, I met veteran society columnist, editor, photographer, and journalist Audrey J. Bernard, who informed me that I should be at "everything and everywhere." She was kind enough to take me under her wing and guide me through life in Manhattan.

With Audrey as my sensei, I hard-launched into going to events and throwing my own parties in an effort to get back to "the old me" — the one who loved networking and being around people. It also didn't hurt that I had to throw a huge gala every year at The Root, where I was often a speaker or the co-host. After forcing myself out of my comfort zone, I built up a tolerance for being around strangers once again, the anxiety dissipated, and my new life as a woman on the scene was born!

Today, I'm fortunate to have many good friends and a great network as I work as a journalist, public speaker, artist, and occasional (fake) socialite. I like to go to parties and host them at my apartment in Brooklyn. I enjoy being a fun home chef, making delicious meals and desserts. I love art. I love photography. I love music (I used to play the piano as a child, have written songs, and once was the lead singer in a jazz band in California). I love culture. I love to travel. I love literature, and I'm always writing a book. I love to decorate, and I'm seriously into fashion and beauty with the closet to reflect it.

I'm also all about mental health and wellness, so much so that I sit on the Leadership Circle for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in New York City. I also celebrate and cherish Black American history and culture every day, and in everything I do. Lastly, I'm all about friends, family, and conversation. I'm obsessed with my parents, two sisters, and sole nephew.

What I hope you will get from my latest venture is that the good life is obtainable if you find balance and peace within yourself. Because living well starts inside of you, not with what you wear or what you do, but in how you truly feel within your own skin. Once you've laid that self-love foundation — the sky's the limit.

So, welcome to my never-ending dinner party. Welcome to all the introverts and extroverts. Welcome to all wallflowers and weirdos. Welcome to the intellectuals and savants. Welcome the socially awkward and those with such desirous cool. Welcome to the fashionistas and foodies. Welcome to the artists, musicians, writers, geeks, nerds, and aspiring creatives. Welcome world travelers and homebodies alike. Welcome to the dreamers and those living the dream.

Have a seat at my table. All are welcome.

Let's be friends.

Yours truly,

Danielle