Raele Altano explains the spotlight effect: the tendency to overestimate how much others notice or judge you in social situations. Realizing people are focused on themselves, not you, can ease anxiety and help you show up more authentically.
You are over here replaying conversations in your head overanalyzing things you said worried if you said the right or wrong thing and they are not even thinking about any of that. They're thinking about dinner that they have to make for their kids, the Christmas shopping they still have to do whether or not they're going to make it to their gym class tomorrow. No one is as focused on you and paying attention to what you're doing as closely as you think they are the same way you are not focused on them and are completely self absorbed and wrapped up in your own life. It's called the spotlight effect. It is real. I teach clients about this to give them some perspective and get them out of their own head. People are not obsessing about you the way you think they are and it's so liberating and allows you to be present and more authentic. You are the main character in your life and they are the main character in theirs so don't sweat it.
