Dump the Insecurity

We’ve all at some time or another been lost in the music. Our favorite track comes on, the melody swells and our moves have an energy that only a good song can command.

I was enjoying this exact feeling the other night (of course to a bachata track, my weakness) when I realized the DJ started to play another song…a song that brought on different kinds of feelings…like embarrassment, insecurity, even a twinge of anxiety.

I was dancing to my own voice.

I should have anticipated that there was a chance he would play my track – we recorded it together after all – but it still took me by surprise. People were going to hear it outside of our Facebook friends? At the club…gulp…in public?

So there I am, trying to dance my way through it and there’s my partner, just doing his thing, not even breaking rhythm. Didn’t he know how mortified I was? People assume I’m not shy because I’ve performed in many theatrical productions, including a handful of salsa routines. I’m a bit of a social butterfly too, but let me tell you, my childhood habit of burying my head in my arms came back, but this time, I hid my embarrassment in my partner’s neck and gave a little squeal.

 “What’s wrong?” he asked. He didn’t even know it was my track we were dancing to. I looked around the room, expecting people to walk off the dance floor in disappointment, but people were still dancing.

I was stressing over nothing.

By the end of the song, I almost forgot how vulnerable I was feeling. (My partner was so smooth, he has that effect on women ha-ha!)

That experience made me think of the times I stressed about people potentially criticizing my salsa performance or social dancing. I was able to eventually dismiss those insecurities because I realized it didn’t matter what others thought. I don’t dance for the approval of others; I dance to express my joy.

May you all find joy on the dance floor tonight.

I'm shy, but if you want to watch the video and listen... :)