But did you die?
People are often surprised when I tell them I’m an introvert. I hate small talk, I overthink everything, and I’ve been known to rehearse conversations in my head ahead of time and overanalyze them for days after (anyone else?). I literally HID behind my mom’s legs (when I was little, not now!) when meeting new grown ups! But for reasons I still don’t fully understand… I’ve never really been afraid to perform.
Nervous? Sure.
But afraid? Not really.
From my very first bellydance recital to my last competition, being on stage has always felt strangely comfortable. Maybe it’s the adrenaline, maybe it’s the music/costume/choreo. Somehow, though, I’m calm and stage-ready the moment the music starts.
They say fear and excitement live in the same part of the brain. The only difference is what we call it. Maybe I have learned to cope by calling it “excitement” - at least when I’m reasonably sure I’m not about to die? (I have almost died a few times… but let’s leave that for another post).
The truth is, stepping outside your comfort zone doesn’t mean becoming someone else—it means becoming more of who you already are. Dancing has given me a way to express myself in a way that speaking doesn’t always offer in everyday life.
Sometimes, the spotlight isn’t where you lose yourself… it’s where you find yourself. Oooo, that might need to become an IG post!
xoxo Raena
Pssst…If you’re the quiet type, too, does the idea of performing makes you want to hide under a veil? Or does physical expression act like an “ice breaker” and give you a tool for connecting to others?
