We all have that one. That one celebrity crush (obsession) that we can’t get over. The one that we can spend forever reading about or watching on screen until the hours slip away and the nights turns into mornings. For the past 3 years, that person for me has been Tom Hiddleston (whom I sometimes call the Hiddles). Probably best known for his role as Loki in the Avengers, the Hiddles has amassed quite a large following (who refer to themselves as Hiddlestoners). I am also a proud Hiddlestoner, but not for the reasons most people expect. Sure he’s tall, British, has blue/green eyes, and a voice as smooth as butter. But unlike most celebrity crushes I have had in the past, it runs deeper than that. It’s his intelligence, his passion, his character, and his attitude towards life that really intrigues me. You see, it’s because of Tom Hiddleston that I learned how to be more self-confident and not care what others think. Now how exactly did he accomplish that? In perhaps one of the simplest of ways possible;

Tom Hiddleston taught me to not be afraid to dance.

This might seem quite trivial to you, and I honestly wouldn’t blame you. But for me, dancing has always been more than just a fun pastime. I use to be incredibly self-conscious about my dance moves. For those of you who know me, you are all too familiar with the fact that my dancing is somewhat… unconventional. I lack coordination, so my dancing typically involves flailing limbs much akin to a crazy baby emu or lola the pug running. To be quite honest I was embarrassed of my dancing. I mean it’s not exactly flattering when your crush tells you that your dancing reminds him of a squirrel hyped up on drugs. Nor is it much fun when your dance move “the sprinkler” gives someone a black eye during your sister’s engagement party. It was because of experiences like these that I had to learn how to restrict myself, which really sucked because I LOVE dancing. Dancing is one of the few things in life that gives me such pure unadulterated joy. It’s like a state of euphoria; a natural high. But because I was scared that people were judging my every move (literally) I would self-impose restrictions, which in the end made me feel miserable.

It wasn’t until I stumbled upon a certain Tom Hiddleston interview that my viewpoint altered dramatically. Half-way through this interview, he got up and started dancing without a single care in the world. He wasn’t even deterred when he dropped his microphone during his dance session. While his dance moves weren’t exactly Channing Tatum level (though I do find the Hiddle’s dancing adorable), you could see that he was quite uninhibited. Frankly, he seemed to be having the time of his life. And oddly enough, it was this exact instant that revolutionized my thinking.

The fact is this man, whom millions of people look up to, doesn’t give a damn what others think of him. Most celebrities try to limit themselves or cater themselves to a specific audience. Their main purpose seems to be to not cause offense to anyone, which in a world where everyone takes offense to everything, seems like quite a futile goal. But while Mr. Hiddleston seems pretty reserved in most regards, he sure as hell doesn’t hold himself back when he dances. And if he can dance like no one is watching when the whole world is his audience, why can’t I? Why should I be embarrassed of something that gives me such happiness, when a man whose job is to entertain the public doesn’t give a flying fiddlestick if other like his dancing? It was then, after binge-watching a number of his dance videos on YouTube that I began to shed my inhibitions. I realized that much like Tom Hiddleston, I don’t dance to please others; I do it because it makes me happy (and because it’s the only form of exercise I will ever partake in). He taught me to be proud of who I am, to do what I love, and to not be afraid of who is watching.

Now how many people can say that their favorite celebrity taught them that?