Stress Center Peer Support

My name is Jessica and I am 22. One of my part-time jobs is Professional bellydancing in a restaurant. I only do it like once a week. Sometimes twice a month. And I worry and worry until Im actually up there. I spend days/weeks worrying about how bad ill do, what if the staff doesnt like me, what if the audience doesnt like my dancing or if they think I am dirty? or what if I get stuck? I get stuck alot. Ill go out there and totally forget what bellydancing is. But at home I dance so gracefully. I'll hear that I have a gig in 3 weeks and I will sit an dwell on it an worry until its over with. Then when its done. I sit an worry about the next time I gotta dance. Everyone tells me (stop working as a bellydancer if it scares you so much) I am sick of running away and quitting things just because I am scared. I could have been a pastry chef, I could have been an airbrusher ect. I love to dance. I train. I always think positive now and the program realy helped me alot with the negative thinking. I think I made SOME progress. I went from worrying 24/7, crying, shaking, getting physically sick to, worrying here and there for a little bit at a time, just about how my performance will be. Ive been practicing this program for 1 week now. I started session 2 today. It realy works. I just cant wait to see where I will be...at session 15. Like I said I still get nervous,i still worry, but I push myself. I do it anyway. I just wanted to post my progress. I am still going through a hard time. I have noticed a difference though. I am spending more time with my husband, I want to get things done around the house more ect. I am hoping..I will get to the point where I will happily go to this job, and know I am doing my best, and just have fun!. I cant wait for my worrying stage of this job to just be EXCITEMENT!

Sounds to me like you are definitely on the right track! And how exciting to be a belly dancer!

I'll be honest with you.. I would be shocked if anyone in your audience (including the staff) has enough knowledge about technique to even realize if you mess up. Seriously, the audience is tickled to see a pretty young woman in a sexy outfit do ANYTHING. Hon, you could probably go out there and peck the floor and squawk like a chicken and they would still applaud. So, keep that in mind.. .take some of the pressure off yourself. Also, remember that this isn't something brand new... this isn't unchartered territory, this is something you've done several times now. No surprises, right? So, get out there and enjoy yourself!

Btw, you are only on session two and look how far you've come! Way to go!

thank you so much =) you made me laugh when u said that thing about dancing like a chicken haha i got the image in my head. Ill picture that next time I get nervous haha.thank you so much again. you are very kind. and you are right =)