karaoke

this isn't about singing

let's be clear: this exercise has absolutely nothing to do with music. it has everything to do with your relationship with embarrassment.

most people structure their entire lives around avoiding public humiliation. they don't raise their hand in meetings. they don't dance at parties. they don't speak up when they disagree. all because somewhere deep down, looking foolish in front of others feels like death.

karaoke — done properly — is the antidote.

the challenge

don't pick your go-to shower song. don't pick something you've been secretly practicing. do the opposite:

• pick a song you've never heard — country when you only listen to hip-hop, opera when you're into punk, k-pop when you don't speak korean
• don't practice — walk up cold
• commit fully — no ironic detachment, no "I'm doing this as a joke" energy. actually try

you will butcher it. you will miss notes. you will forget words (that you never knew). you will look ridiculous.

that's the point.

why this works

public embarrassment is a fear response. your brain treats social rejection like a physical threat — same cortisol spike, same fight-or-flight activation. but like any fear, exposure diminishes its power.

when you stand in front of a room of strangers and absolutely bomb a karaoke performance, and then... nothing happens? nobody dies? people might even cheer? your brain recalibrates. it learns that the thing it was so terrified of is actually survivable. even fun.

the bigger lesson

every time you avoid looking stupid, you reinforce the belief that looking stupid is dangerous. every time you lean into it, you chip away at that belief.

karaoke is training wheels for a much bigger skill: the ability to take action without needing approval. to try things you might fail at. to put yourself out there when the outcome is uncertain.

so grab that mic. pick something terrible. and sing your heart out.

if this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.