No One Is Watching: The Spotlight Effect
“Sometimes we feel like we are on stage.
How many of you have gotten a bad haircut, had a blemish, fell down the stairs, or ended up spilling something on your shirt and felt like the whole world was watching?
The Spotlight Effect
There is a term in Psychology known as The Spotlight Effect. This term is a description of how individuals feel that they are constantly on center stage and that everyone is noticing everything going on with them.
We start to feel anxiety, worry, and sometimes paranoia because we feel like we are in the spotlight and all eyes are on us.
In reality, most people are not watching. Most people will not notice the haircut that you do not like, most people will not notice the stain on your shirt. Most people are so involved with what is going on with them and their surroundings that things like this are not as obvious as they seem to us.
We know everything about ourselves, we know our flaws and all. Maybe someone is self-conscious about a scar that they have. They see it every day, they know it like the back of their hand, so they feel that because they are aware of it, so is everyone else. This is not always the case!
The Saying Goes
Life really is so much easier when you go about it with a smile on your face and not worrying about what others think. As you can see with The Spotlight Effect, not everyone is truly watching like we think they are!”
Read the full article on Medium
✨Takeaway: When you feel as though everyone is looking, paying attention, and catching every error or shortcoming you make, it can be extremely overwhelming. However, the spotlight effect explains that it is very likely people are not watching! Most people are so preoccupied with themselves and their surroundings that things like this are not as visible as they appear to us.
✨Reflection: Have you ever experienced the spotlight effect?
#Spotlight #SpotlightEffect #Anxiety #Anxious
@innateJoy9602 ooh yes yes xD this feels personal lol. Spotlight effect is anxiety inducing, it is nice how a more rational side of the brain can understand that not everyone's looking, or judging us (for literally everything we do), but the other part is hard to convince. xD We can always continue to try though, to ground ourselves in the present and keep affirming to ourselves that it's not as bad as it ever seems (and that people got better stuff to do lol😭). ❤
Thanks for sharing, Joy, I resonate with your reflection 100%. 💛
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
It can definitely be hard to convince that other side of the brain!
Grounding ourselves is a great way to approach this!
Thank you for your lovely reflection sun! I always love seeing you around!💛💫
@innateJoy9602 Likewise, Joy! Keep being awesome-sauce!💛💛💛
@innateJoy9602 im one of them it didnt happen much with me but it happened anyway and i felt the highest level of shyness specially when i was wearing something and i didnt see that its dirty and when i felt on the street while i was walking
@innateJoy9602
I am utterly convinced that nobody cares...
The good side is that there is no spotlight anything for me.
The bad is that nobody cares...
Except for a few spaces like 7 Cups, where people will totally accept you with your human imperfections.
I can't imagine what that feels like anymore. I used to be a child actor, was lead in every play and band even through college. But I'm also 4ft2 and a perpetual 12 year old. I know for a fact I'm invisible.
I've learned the hard way from asking tens of thousands that no female is desperate enough to just TRY and be my friend. No female is desperate enough to treat me as human.
The stage is for people worth love.
