“The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.” – Douglas Engelbart
At some point in our life, we’ll all experience what it’s like to be embarrassed. It’s a feeling we all want to avoid but can make us stronger if dealt with in the right way. Embarrassment is something any person wishing to achieve success should not fear.
If you’re learning how to deal with your own embarrassment, here are 5 tips to overcoming embarrassment.
1. Embrace it
Everyone should learn how to laugh at themselves. It’s a good way to make light of bad situations and will give you something to smile about. It will also help make you more comfortable with the idea of failure which is important for anyone wishing to succeed. Failure should not scare you if you have a goal worth reaching and embarrassment is ultimately a side effect that comes with it.
2. Don’t make a big deal about it
While it is indeed difficult to hide feelings of embarrassment when the symptoms like blushing and sweating are so obvious, it’s important you don’t make a big deal of a tiny issue. When you feel embarrassed, it’s a good idea to just brush it under the rug. Just keep your head held high and continue being yourself. It will make both you and the people around you feel better about yourself.
3. Don’t play the scenario over and over in your head
No good can come from overthinking any issue. Which is why it’s never good to replay an embarrassing situation over and over in your head. You’ll end up thinking the situation was much worse than it actually was. When something happens, laugh about it and move on. Besides, it’s likely no one else remembers that one time you messed up either.
4. Think about other people who get embarrassed
The great thing about embarrassment is that it’s something everyone can relate to. While you generally shouldn’t compare yourself to others, it might be helpful to remember that, if you’re feeling embarrassed about something, it’s likely someone has messed up more than you. Remember that time Steve Harvey announced the wrong Miss Universe to a live audience spanning thousands of people? Yikes! That was definitely worse than your little mess up in front of your friends.
5. Don’t let it ruin your self-esteem
Don’t let failures affect the way you see yourself. Messing up in any situation is absolutely normal and should not lower your self-confidence. Don’t drown yourself in the shame you feel. Instead, take note of your mistakes and avoid it the next time.
