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Eric S Lipchus's avatar

Love this. I have went to concerts alone before and to be honest they turned out to be some of the best shows I ever been to!!! Fear holds us back way to much, myself included.

The mind is a powerful tool or hurdle, you choose.

Great article. I can relate to just about all of it.

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Dylan Muggleton's avatar

Thanks Eric! I've found the same thing with any concerts I've been to alone. Plus it isn't often that artists perform concerts so if I allow fear to win, it's likely I wont have the chance to see them again anytime soon. That's a great way to think about the mind and how we use it. Thanks for your comment!

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Amrita Roy's avatar

Loved it. Like you described it wuite clearly with the concept of "spotlight effect" and "imagination vs. reality", I fully agree how uncomfortable it is, when we first start to do things that we enjoy doing in public without any company. It's so amazing that you took the courageous leap forward, it's one step closer to zenhood. What's the next thing on your list?

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Dylan Muggleton's avatar

Thank you so much for the support Amrita. I have another concert next week, and a solo trip to Switzerland in the summer. Now I've started I can't get enough!

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Amrita Roy's avatar

That's amazing!!!!

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The Scholar's avatar

" The effect describes how we always believe we’re being watched more than we actually are." The spotlight effect not only describes me when I go out but also when I stay in and am left all alone. It applies to what has happened recently, and what has happened 7 years ago. Is this normal?, not sure, but it sure does apply to me :)

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Dylan Muggleton's avatar

It certainly is a powerful effect and it takes a lot of awareness and work to even begin to understand its existence and accept it, never mind be able to address it and limits its effects!

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