Camila Cabello Reveals Her Lifelong Struggle With Anxiety and Being ‘Terrified of the Unknown’

Getting candid. Camila Cabello revealed her lifelong struggle with anxiety and how it’s affected her rise to fame. Although the “Havana” singer seems to have tons of sassy confidence, she admitted that she struggles with having certainty about where her career is taking her.

“I remember growing up hearing stories of the singers I loved. All the stories sounded the same: Kids who would grow up performing for their families and putting on talent shows for their parents when they were little who grew up to be dazzling,” the 22-year-old began a lengthy post on Instagram on July 21. While these other celebrities were inspiring to the starlet, those stories didn’t mirror any truth to her own life. “I was the opposite, I never ever sang in front of my parents or friends and would get flustered when they would ask me to. I sang in my room when my parents left for Walmart and cried when one day I saw them filming me through the crack of the door.”

As someone who now performs in front of thousands of fans, it may come as a surprise to learn that Camila hated being the center of attention. “I got teary-eyed when people sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me because people looking at me actually made me overwhelmed,” the songstress confessed. She also noted that people are often in “disbelief” when she divulges that she “was generally incredibly nervous and socially anxious” as a kid.

What inspired the “Señorita” singer to share this personal information? Those old feelings were recently stirred up during an interview. “The interviewer said something along the lines of ‘So … how’d you end up here?’ The answer is, I feel like my whole life there’s been two Camilas in me,” the brunette beauty explained. “There’s little Camila that is terrified of the unknown, is aware of all the ways everything can go wrong — actually can picture them vividly — and thinks it’s safer to stay home than to play ball.”

Obviously, the “Consequences” artist hasn’t gotten out of her shell, thanks to the “other Camila.” The former Fifth Harmony singer continued, “She knows what she wants out of life, is aware of how little time I have to let little Camila run the show while time passes by. [She] grabs young me by the hand and forces her out the door saying, ‘Let’s go. You’ll survive, and I’m not gonna miss out on this.’ That is literally how I can sum up how I’ve gotten to this point in my life. I’m talking about as a person, not [a] success.”

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She admitted to “feeling discouraged” by those stories of “people were just ‘born’ to do things,” but persevered to become the star that she is. Camila continued her message in a second post where she acknowledged, “The truth is you decide who you’re going to be.” The pop star further added, “Little me hasn’t left. I just don’t let her boss me around as much … The essence of me is the same, but I’ve changed so much as a person.”

She finished her heartfelt message by writing, “You’re worth the fight. It’s the most worthwhile one there is.”

Keep doing you, girl!