Harshee's Lit Lounge

Today, I found myself on stage, performing in front of my entire society. It wasn’t planned. In fact, it was a decision I made only a night before—and finalized just 30 minutes before the event. I chose to give a solo Kathak performance. Crazy, right? Especially since I haven’t danced in years, let alone in front of people I barely know.

But of course, being me, I put this huge pressure on myself to do it perfectly. My sister and I had already practiced a duet, but no—I had to push myself for that solo. Cue crying sessions, makeup touch-ups, and me convincing myself I was “ready.” Not confident, just… ready enough.

My parents even told me, “Don’t do it if you’re not comfortable,” but I brushed it off. Then, when it was finally my turn, the music started and my mind went completely blank. I did a few steps, then—gone. Everything I had practiced just vanished. That broke me a little.

And even during the duet with my sister, I forgot some steps again. It wasn’t a disaster, but enough to leave me disappointed in myself. Being an emotional fool, I was on the verge of another sob session, tears already welling up in my eyes. But then—my beautiful Mumma, my knight in shining armour—reminded me that everybody messes up, and it’s okay.

That’s when it hit me: the important thing was to have fun. And I realized—I didn’t enjoy myself at all. That was the worst part. More than forgetting steps, I had let overthinking steal the joy of dancing from me.

As I sit here writing this, I’ve made a small vow to myself: to stop overthinking and actually enjoy the moment. Sounds simple, right? But the older we get, the more self-conscious we become. Think about it—at school concerts or even society events, who ends up stealing the show? It’s always the juniors. The little ones who don’t care about missed steps or what the audience thinks. They just perform—and that’s what makes them unforgettable.

So, to all the 18-year-olds reading this, the ones just about to step into the so-called “adult world,” here’s a little pro tip: stop overthinking, stop chasing perfection in every tiny detail. Sure, perfection has its place, but joy—being present, truly living in the moment—is far more rewarding.

And remember how our parents often say they’d give anything to be kids again? Maybe that’s the reminder we all need: to let our inner child feel the spirit of joy once more. As I end this here, I’m making a quiet promise to myself too—to actually live what I’m writing. Because let’s face it, it’s always easier said than done 😀.