Hendriksen also points out that when we recall a cringe moment, we rarely remember the full story.
“Cringe attacks play a short movie clip: a split second of sneezing snot on your boss. The look on your friend’s face after you told that joke you didn’t realize was offensive. The few seconds it took your crush to say oh, um, sorry, she already had a date to prom,” she says.
“Expand the movie to include before and after to give your cringeworthy moment some context,” Hendriksen suggests. “Think about the other times you interacted with that teacher, hung out with that friend, or delighted in pining after your crush rather than zeroing in on the lowest of the lowlights.”
#22 Me In 2016. I Was Melanie Martinez's Biggest Fan, I Wore Blue Lipstick And Crybaby Merch To School Every Single Day; Especially For Picture Day
#23 2005 Myspace Bathroom Mirror Selfie At Grandma's House With A Samsung Flip Phone. 19 Years Old
Ffinally, share it with someone who’ll have your back. A good friend will support you, not roast you (well, not too much). Even strangers online, like those in the “Blunder Years” subreddit or the comments section of Bored Panda, often respond with surprising kindness.
So embrace your awkward era. Post the photo. Laugh at it. And remember, it’s proof you’ve lived.
#27 When I Thought I Was The Coolest Tween In The World For Carrying This Mini Goat Around Everywhere
#29 This Was My Profile Picture In 2016 Because I Was Very Cool And It Was Important Everyone Knew That I Gave Zero Fucks
#31 I Was Obsessed With Honey Bunches Of Oats When I Was 12, So I Edited My Face Onto Each Almond On The Box Using The Family Wii
#32 (2012) I Was So Happy That My Mum Allowed Me To Do This Ugly A*s Haircut And Considered My Style Very Cool And Unique. And Yes, A Huge Mcr Fan, Of Course
#33 My Dad And I Pokémon Go Hunting In 2016. I Was 14 In This Picture And Looked Like A 50 Year Old Divorced Female Alcoholic
#36 Went Through A Cats Phase When I Was 11 And Auditioned For Agt In Full Cat Drag 😭
