Reflections on Acting

Yesterday I got to thinking, again, about my background in theatre and the impact it has had on my life.
I suppose it all began when I was 3 years old and in ballet class to help turn my hips out. That's when I first found myself on a stage. I continued with dance up until highschool when I decided I was a poor dancer. I still loved it but my classmates were increasingly competitive as I got into higher levels, understandably so. I wasn't a competitive dancer.
I moved on to theatre and another stage, another form of performance.
I should interject here that my childhood dream was to be a singer-dancer-actor-model-writer living on a ranch. I tried them all - except the ranch part - and eventually decided against them as a career.
I focused on theatre starting in grade 9 and continued on to an undergrad degree in theatre (double major with religious studies, and oh how I wish I'd known I could have designed my own program combining the two, but I hadn't gone in intending to study RS. I wonder if I would have studied performance theory instead...)
Sometimes I've wondered if my years in theatre were "wasted" since I have not continued with it. Always my response is No. I learned many valuable things from my experiences.
With my first years on stage I learned self confidence and accrued an ability to perform in front of an audience - whether that be dancing, acting, priestessing, or presenting a paper. I don't get nervous on stage so long as I feel prepared. This is a very valuable skill as an academic. The trick is to be prepared and that alone is a formidable task, but at least I am not hampered by a fear of speaking in front of others.
From theatre I learned a lot about group dynamics, energy raising, and living in the moment as well as theories that are applicable outside of the study of theatre. I have since learned that there is now an academic school of thought called Performance Theory, but I have long applied what I learned in theatre, both from experience and theory, to my academic studies (and life).
I am an introvert by nature (social situations are extremely draining for me and I require significant time alone... something I rarely get anymore with Abigail - right now is one of those rare periods), but I have been well trained as an extrovert. Many people would assume I am an extrovert, but I'm faking it - I act "as if" I am to the point that I am an extrovert in the moment. Now there's some good theatre training!