Ciara Miller Says She's Having 'So Much Fun' on 'DWTS': 'I'm Learning So Much About Myself'

Ciara Miller is happy she took the leap and joined the latest season of Dancing With the Stars, especially with her partner, Brandon Armstrong, by her side.

"I've come to the conclusion that my anxiety isn't going to go away. It's all about how I decide to work through it to drown out the noise. Brandon is the best partner ever because he can totally see when my attention is shifting in the other direction. He is really great at bringing me back to center and getting me to focus on the task at hand," the reality star, 30, exclusively tells OK! while talking about her new partnership with Jinx, the premium pet wellness brand. "And we always say, this pressure is a privilege. It’s like the most serious, unserious thing."

"He is the best partner for me to have, especially when it comes to helping me handle my stage fright. We just try to go out there and also have fun. It's obviously so new. We're still learning each week and learning the process and getting used to the show of it all. But I feel like I'm having so much fun, and I'm learning so much about myself in the process," she continues.

Miller admits it's been a nice break to do something out of her comfort zone.

"I'm definitely glad that I'm doing it and that I decided to do it, and I feel like I am all in on this experience. I feel like at this point, why not? It's been the cherry on top of this year. I always say that I'm excited for the journey that this is about to take me on, no matter where it leads to or where it goes. This is definitely a positive in my year," she says.

Though Miller was already close with fellow contestant Maura Higgins, she's loved getting to know the other DWTS cast members this year.

"Guillermo [Rodriguez] is someone that I'm obsessed with. He can do absolutely no wrong in my book. I love him so much. He is the star. He is the light of my life. I've really enjoyed getting to know Tatyana Ali. She is, like, the sweetest, nicest person ever, and it's also just fun seeing everyone's progression week to week as well," she shares.

The one thing the Bravo star doesn't like: seeing people get cut from the show.

"I hate the eliminations every single night. When the light turns red, I'm like, 'This is the worst part.' And you're just waiting to be called on a kickball team in school. The feeling is not great. It's part of the show, part of the process, but I don't love the elimination; I have to be honest," she admits.

Additionally, she's "definitely feeling" pain from dancing for hours on end during rehearsals.

"It really is crazy. I don't know if I'm seeing, like, the muscle return on it, but hopefully it'll pay off," she quips, adding she's "waiting" for her six-pack abs to come in.

"It's like the physical side is one thing, and then the mental game is a whole other side. I think I definitely anticipated the physical game was going to be tough, but the mental game, I think for me, is even tougher. Who knew I had stage fright? You know? So that was fun. And that is fun to work through every week," she says.

"I think it's just not my territory. It's not Summer House. It's not Love Island. This is a whole new territory, and I'm doing something that I'm not necessarily the best at. So I'm learning a new skill each week, and then I'm doing it on display for everyone to see. It's nerve-wracking. The inner perfectionist in me is like, 'This is insane. What are you doing?' But it is also so much fun at the same time," she continues.

Still, she's eager to keep going — and see what happens next.

"I'm able to conquer the feeling of being scared but going out there and doing it anyway is an adrenaline rush like no other. So I'm excited to continue to just progress and be more comfortable as I'm going out there. But it is kind of crazy, like, the feeling from week one to week two, and I'm sure to, like, week three. So slow and steady. I'm not getting too ahead of myself, but just honestly trying to enjoy the process as we go, too," she says.

In the meantime, Miller is also soaking her time on the West Coast with her cat, Jasper, which is why it was a no-brainer for her to partner with Jinx, the premium pet wellness brand.

"I feel like I've been a cat person since I came out of the womb. I feel like I've always had cats. I feel like I put people on to cats. They are the ultimate pet over dogs, but, like, who cares. I felt like when they wanted to partner together, I was like, 'Absolutely.' The concept was so great, and I feel like Jasper was definitely — it was time for him to pull his weight around the house. So it was like, of course, it's time for him to go to work," she quips. "It was so fun getting to be on set with him and shoot his first campaign together and, like, have him be a part of it as well. I feel like I am the ultimate cat mom. I feel like I am a cat. There's no better, more natural partnership than partnering with Jinx on this."

Naturally, Jasper "loves" the brand.

"The first time they sent me a package, they sent a bunch of toys and everything, and he doesn't like to hear the noise of boxes, but I unboxed this, and he immediately came into the room, and he was lying with a bag of food. It was so weird. I'm like, 'Can you smell it from outside of the bag?' He would lie next to it, and then finally I was like, 'Okay, here, take it. And then he had the canned food, which he loved, and he even still plays with the toys that they sent. So I'm like, I don't know what they're putting in their packages, but he was definitely a fan from day one," she states.

As the host competes on DWTS, Jasper has been making himself comfortable in their new place.

"He loves it. I feel like he loves having a home. He loves being able to spread out. He loves having a backyard, even though I'm very touch-and-go in the backyard. I have to be out there with him because I like to describe orange cats as, like, they're like 10-year-old boys. They are just maniacs. They have a brain of their own. They don't listen too well. They like to just figure it out on their own. You have to give them that space, but he loves having a backyard and the pool. He loves being able to move around freely. So I feel like he's like, 'We can stay in L.A.'"