The Life of a Showgirl

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the life of a showgirl, the movie had an impact on me.

So much glitter. So much glamour.

Elaborate costumes. Stage makeup. Applause.

But behind the spotlight?

Intense rehearsals. Physical discipline. Long nights. Constant competition.

The thrill of a live audience on one side.

The pressure to “stay ready” on the other.

And lately, I’ve realised — I relate.

In my own way, I’ve lived a version of that stage.

I went through the training.

Collected the experience.

Built credibility.

Proved myself again and again.

And yet… sometimes it still didn’t feel like enough.

There’s a quiet pressure many high-performing women carry:

To stay polished.

To stay relevant.

To stay chosen.

To navigate identity beyond appearance, titles, or validation.

Showgirls became symbols of femininity and extravagance in pop culture — but what we rarely talk about is the resilience behind that image. The discipline. The emotional stamina. The reinvention.

And that’s where this reflection meets my work.

Because in HR and coaching, I see it every day —

Professionals who have done “everything right,”

Yet silently question their worth when faced with rejection, restructuring, or redirection.

We train. We rehearse. We perform.

But who are we when the curtain closes?

This season has challenged me to redefine enough.

To detach identity from applause.

To honour the backstage work — even when the spotlight shifts.

Maybe life isn’t about staying stage-ready.

Maybe it’s about staying self-ready.