Overcoming Theatre Fear Armed with Sparkly Purple Nails

Just a quick post to show the results of one of my recent nail varnish experiments.  I've only just started getting into using nail varnish and already I can't stop!  Earlier this month I bought three of the BarryM Jelly High-Shine nail varnishes to try out.  Out of the three shades I bought, the purple was the one I was most dubious about as it is quite a bright and bold colour and I didn't think it would match many of my outfits.  On its own the purple had quite a bright, summery look about it (I should have taken a photo before I put the top coat on).  I then applied a glittery top coat over the purple using the Rimmel Lasting Finish Disco Ball nail varnish.  This is one that I've had in my collection a long time but I absolutely love it.  It dries really quickly and can give a really nice sparkly effect when it's applied over the top of any shade really.  

I painted my nails like this when I went out to the theatre with some friends.  I wore a black jumpsuit and I think the purple nails worked really well against the dark outfit.  Prior to this, I hadn't been to the theatre for over 10 years!  Theatres and cinemas, for various reasons, have been a huge source of anxiety for me in the past.  However, a close friend of mine invited me along to see a local production of 'Fiddler on the Roof' as her daughter was playing one of the main characters in it.  I have been working on my anxiety a lot recently and had been thinking that I might try and gear myself up to see a show soon.  Nonetheless, due to my track record with theatres, I was pretty nervous.  I booked an end seat and decided to bring my mum along with me for support and this did ease my worries a little.  

I had the most amazing time!  The musical was really good and I got to see many of my friends from work who had also come along to watch.  As I've been signed off work for the past 5 months due to mental health difficulties, I hadn't seen some of them for quite a long time.  They all said that I seemed so much better in myself and it can be really encouraging when other people can see that the hard work you're putting into your recovery is paying off.  

The whole thing felt like a real achievement and I felt like having a bit of a 'me party' afterwards to celebrate!

If you suffer from anxiety, I know how debilitating it can feel at times.  I have lost count of the number of important social occasions I have missed out on.  Sometimes to overcome anxiety, you have to take a few risks.  Taking risks can be scary but it can be made easier by building yourself up slowly and sometimes having the support of others to fall back on.  Be kind and patient with yourself when your risk doesn't pay off, it makes it all the more worthwhile when you finally succeed.  When you do succeed, recognise your achievements and have a little 'me party' like I did, complete with crazy dancing if you so desire! 

The One Day Seeker