8 Steps To Confidence

Few things can transform your confidence as much as stepping onto a dance floor.

I know dancing isn’t a survival skill or even a lucrative one at first glance.

But hear me out.

Learning how to dance, or even just attending classes where you’re moving alongside 20 people, most of them better than you, infuses a massive amount of confidence in a person. It’s unlike any personal development class you could sign up for. I truly believe that joining dance or theatre classes during your formative years makes all the difference.

It certainly did for me. I used to be a very shy kid until I was 12. I hated being called on in class, and my overall personality was… forgettable.

Then I joined a dance academy and stuck with it for three years. Within months, I could feel the shift. Suddenly, answering a question in class didn’t feel nearly as terrifying as missing a beat in front of 20 people.

Perspective clicked into place: what’s the worst that could happen? I say something wrong, or my grammar slips, it’s nothing compared to being offbeat for an entire routine.

And that’s just one benefit. There are more obvious ones too like fitness, posture and flexibility. Dance gives you an ease with your body, a kind of aura. You walk into a room without worrying about how you look or what to do with your hands. That’s one less insecurity weighing you down.

And then there’s the joy. Once you get the hang of it, dancing is pure fun. For me, it’s the best stress relief—nothing calms my frayed nerves like an impromptu dance night.

So here’s my pitch: pick up dancing, theatre, or something along those lines. And if not you, encourage the younger ones around you. The confidence, perspective, and joy it builds last much longer than the applause at the end of a performance.

Today’s Craving – Cherry Lemonade