Self-identity when you love what you do

I have a problem. I love what I do so much, I can't help but describe myself as my profession. When first meeting someone, I typically end up introducing myself by saying "I'm Eugenia, I'm a researcher and/or bellydancer." And it doesn't just stop with me - one of the first things I like to find out about someone is what they do, and I even nicknamed my boyfriend "Chef" (guess what he does). Now, before you judge me for being shallow, I want to state that I believe vocational choices do reflect some aspect of personality or interests, and like any good former psychology student, I usually like to start off with a "profile" of this stranger I'm meeting because I generally dislike unpredictability, and assume that others do too.  I'd also like to think that it's a product of being a DC denizen (and in fact, rare DC native), in a place where everyone is married to their job. And, I really really really love what I do. That really can't be overstated.

However, that doesn't explain how much I'm willing to let what I do "speak" for my identity upon first meeting someone new.  A more likely explanation is my own insecurity, and that manifests in three ways: 1) I'm generally a very private person, and am the most inclined to reveal the least personal aspects of myself upon first meeting, 2) I'm not sure I'm actually GOOD at any of these things that I do, and I want to "prime" my audience by shooting first, and 3) sometimes I just want other people to think I'm cool for being a person with versatile skills. Whatever the reason that I do it, I've learned that I have to de-condition myself and understand that this is dangerous thinking; if I'm what I do, what if that goes away? What if my company goes bust and I get in an accident and become a quadriplegic? What if everything?

From here on out, I vow to view myself as "person who does a thing" rather than "thing itself". I think I should start introducing myself thusly: "I'm Eugenia, I love Doctor Who and candy and spazz out sometimes when I think something is going to fall off the table and shatter and I might be slightly allergic to cats. Oh, and also I do a thing." Because that's better, right?