--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a…" description: "\"When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a social situation where I'm nervous about how I come off, or I'm trying to control the situation too much, I li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg" --- # When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a social situation… ![“When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a social situation where I'm nervous about how I come off, or I'm trying to control the situation too much, I literally just try and use the same muscles that I had to use on stage - just paying attention to the other person and trusting yourself to respond…” quote by Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg) > “When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a social situation where I'm nervous about how I come off, or I'm trying to control the situation too much, I literally just try and use the same muscles that I had to use on stage - just paying attention to the other person and trusting yourself to respond as emotionally honestly as possible.” [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker suggests using stagecraft techniques—focus on the other person and authentic emotional response—to manage social anxiety. **In simple terms:** Act like on stage to stay calm in real life. Key Takeaway Practice attentive, honest interaction. Themes social anxiety authenticity performance Mood calm empowered Type self‑help psychology When to use this quote - public speaking - first dates - networking events Key Concepts mindfulness emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How can you train this habit daily? - What cues remind you to stay present? A Different Perspective Techniques may feel forced initially. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Emotionally Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotionally-honestly-5829666/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Really Insecure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-insecure-1322358/) [Respond Emotionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respond-emotionally-3696852/) [Situation Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation-nervous-3919732/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Trusting yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trusting-yourself/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Use Muscles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-muscles-2937954/) ## Related quotes > [I get nervous watching teammates. I get nervous for them. Late in the game, pressure situation, I'm nervous for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jeter/i-get-nervous-watching-teammates-i-get-nervous-for-them-late-in-the/) [Derek Jeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jeter/) > [I remember my jaw would hurt because I wasn't used to speaking English all the time. Like how, even if you exercise, you'll play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumail-nanjiani/i-remember-my-jaw-would-hurt-because-i-wasn-t-used-to-speaking/) [Kumail Nanjiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumail-nanjiani/) > [I use very few muscles at the best of times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/i-use-very-few-muscles-at-the-best-of-times/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [Tell your readers to use it or lose it. If you don't use your muscles, they get weak. If you don't use your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/tell-your-readers-to-use-it-or-lose-it-if-you-don-t-use-your-muscles/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I just use my muscles as a conversation piece, like someone walking a cheetah down 42nd Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-just-use-my-muscles-as-a-conversation-piece-like-someone-walking-a/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [“A dread of white people now came to live permanently in my feelings and imagination. As the war drew to a close, racial conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wright/a-dread-of-white-people-now-came-to-live-permanently-in-my-feelings/) [Richard Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wright/) > [“Life changes. It’s usually in the blink of an eye. One minute everything’s fine, if not stagnant; then, it’s not. But your character’s not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-cole/life-changes-it-s-usually-in-the-blink-of-an-eye-one-minute/) [Bobby Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-cole/) > [The truth is that we can overhaul our surroundings, renovate our environment, talk a new game, join a new club, far more easily than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/the-truth-is-that-we-can-overhaul-our-surroundings-renovate-our/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [The times that I have done something that I didn't respond to emotionally right away, it's generally not worked out too well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-wood/the-times-that-i-have-done-something-that-i-didn-t-respond-to/) [Natalie Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-wood/) > [My mission is to communicate, to wake people up, to give them my energy and accept theirs. We're all in it together, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-mission-is-to-communicate-to-wake-people-up-to-give-them-my-energy/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I always get scared doing a job. To this day, I start every job thinking, I really can't do this. And what I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/i-always-get-scared-doing-a-job-to-this-day-i-start-every-job/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [I just think they're really insecure about themselves sometimes. I know all the girls, but we all work a lot and don't have time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-lima/i-just-think-they-re-really-insecure-about-themselves-sometimes-i/) [Adriana Lima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-lima/) > [I was always the tallest girl in my class, and it made me have really bad posture because I wanted to seem shorter than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-webb/i-was-always-the-tallest-girl-in-my-class-and-it-made-me-have-really/) [Katherine Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-webb/) > [The funny thing is I'm actually really insecure. I have a lot of girl issues - 'I'm not pretty enough,' 'I'm not skinny enough'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-pearce/the-funny-thing-is-i-m-actually-really-insecure-i-have-a-lot-of-girl/) [Lindsay Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-pearce/) > [I'm really insecure about everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-m-really-insecure-about-everything/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) ## More by Tavi Gevinson > [I don't think I was ever thinking critically about my aesthetic, I think it's enough when you're little just to understand that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-don-t-think-i-was-ever-thinking-critically-about-my-aesthetic-i/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [That young people don't have valid thoughts about the world because they haven't been alive long enough is sadly a very popular and, frankly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/that-young-people-don-t-have-valid-thoughts-about-the-world-because/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [It brings me no joy and not enough comfort to dwell too much on things I've said or written or made or worn in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/it-brings-me-no-joy-and-not-enough-comfort-to-dwell-too-much-on/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I am a feminist - I just think the label reflects my beliefs - but, you know, we say 'Rookie' is a website for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-am-a-feminist-i-just-think-the-label-reflects-my-beliefs-but-you/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I'm not obsessively a follower of fashion in the way I used to be. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/a-lot-of-people-glorify-and-romanticize-the-idea-of-being-an-early/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I love 'First Wives Club' and 'Death Becomes Her' and movies about women like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-love-first-wives-club-and-death-becomes-her-and-movies-about-women/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I think it's just important to be able to keep things to myself and to have these moments that can't be - where I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-think-it-s-just-important-to-be-able-to-keep-things-to-myself-and/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [Since the age of 14, I have littered - excuse me, adorned - the Internet with Taylor Swift analyses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/since-the-age-of-14-i-have-littered-excuse-me-adorned-the-internet/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I did community theater and kids programs at professional theaters and plays at school and voice lessons for seven years. I stopped because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-did-community-theater-and-kids-programs-at-professional-theaters/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [There are moments when I am really not happy with how I look, or I think it would be an easy way out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/there-are-moments-when-i-am-really-not-happy-with-how-i-look-or-i/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [So much about 'Rookie' has been very organically familial among our contributors, among our readers. Yeah, if I interview someone like Lorde, who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/so-much-about-rookie-has-been-very-organically-familial-among-our/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [I feel like now fashion is just part of how I think about everything. When I send out a mood board to our contributors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/i-feel-like-now-fashion-is-just-part-of-how-i-think-about-everything/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [What feels most productive to me isn't to think so much in terms of how I can be alternative, but how I can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/what-feels-most-productive-to-me-isn-t-to-think-so-much-in-terms-of/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) > [When I was younger, I always liked acting. You know, like, acting locally, or community theater at school. But it's not an especially insured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/when-i-was-younger-i-always-liked-acting-you-know-like-acting-locally/) [Tavi Gevinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) [Explore all 162 Tavi Gevinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a social situation where I'm nervous about how I come off, or I'm trying to control the situation too much, I literally just try and use the same muscles that I had to use on stage - just paying attention to the other person and trusting yourself to respond as emotionally honestly as possible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tavi Gevinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a-social-situation-where-i-m/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attention" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a-social-situation-where-i-m/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25a/tavi-gevinson-2537_attention_when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a_748739.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I feel really insecure, or I'm in a social situation where I'm nervous about how I come off, or I'm…” — Tavi Gevinson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tavi Gevinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavi-gevinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I feel really insecure, or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a-social-situation-where-i-m/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavi-gevinson/when-i-feel-really-insecure-or-i-m-in-a-social-situation-where-i-m/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```