70 Awkward Wrong Number Texts That Became Internet Treasures

To be very clear, there’s probably not a single person in human history who has avoided social awkwardness. Embarrassment, failure, and silly mistakes are all part of the human experience. You can’t avoid them (and neither can anyone else!).

However, you can prepare yourself for how you’ll react to embarrassing yourself. You can decide to face these situations with honesty and courage. How you react to awkwardness says a lot about your character and values.

Generally speaking, it’s healthiest to admit that you’ve messed up. Paradoxically, people will like you more if you admit to having made a mistake. They’ll see you as more genuine, grounded, and approachable.

On the flip side, if you try to pretend that you haven’t embarrassed yourself, you might push people away because they might see you as fake.

And, like in most situations in life, having a good sense of humor and looking for that silver lining always helps. Laughing when you fail can help you realize that your mistakes aren’t fatal, and that you’re not actually threatened.

PsychCentral suggests that if you embarrass yourself, you can do a few things to overcome those feelings. For one, you should try to be as kind to yourself as you can. Self-compassion is a skill you can develop like any other.

Remind yourself that your mistakes do not define you and that one event doesn’t determine your worth.

In the meantime, consider how you’d speak to a friend who embarrassed themselves. If you wouldn’t judge them, why not extend that same courtesy to yourself?

Meanwhile, it’s healthier to confront what happened rather than avoid it. “When you are embarrassed, your fight-or-flight response kicks in. If you can admit when you made a mistake or correct yourself when it is a fixable situation, this can help you move on. Avoiding the situation that makes you fearful only increases the chance of embarrassment, shame, and anxiety reoccurring,” PsychCentral explains.

If you address your embarrassment as it happens, you can become more confident. It takes a lot of courage to admit that you’ve messed up.

If things are overwhelming for you, deep breathing can reduce your anxiety and stress, as it slows down the physical symptoms of fear, guilt, and shame.

In the meantime, embrace a growth mentality and think about the lessons that you can learn from your failure. Maybe the embarrassment you’ve experienced is something you can avoid later by being more organized, attentive, tactful, or prepared.

However, if you find that your daily life is plagued with feelings of embarrassment and shame, you may need to see a mental health professional. They’ll help you unpack what you’re feeling and reframe your experiences in a more positive, empowering way.

But you do have to realize that therapists can’t wave a magic wand and ‘fix’ your life. They give you fresh perspectives, but the emotional heavy lifting is left up to you.