{"id":2559,"date":"2011-03-31T11:27:44","date_gmt":"2011-03-31T15:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/beyondblue\/?p=2559"},"modified":"2011-03-31T11:27:44","modified_gmt":"2011-03-31T15:27:44","slug":"10-real-ways-to-overcome-embarrassment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beyondblue\/2011\/03\/10-real-ways-to-overcome-embarrassment.html","title":{"rendered":"10 Real Ways to Overcome Embarrassment"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I recently wrote a post for Blisstree.com on overcoming embarrassments<\/a>. You can find it here. I’ve excerpted from it below.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a reason why we say we\u2019re dying of embarrassment. Because while we\u2019re in the midst of an embarrassing episode, dying really does seems like the better option. No human being I know is immune from them; however, I seem to have a knack at collecting a large variety. After a recent incident that made me want to hide in a corner of the world without Wi-Fi, my writing and spiritual mentor gave me great advice. \u201cIt\u2019s okay to be embarrassed,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s cleansing. This one has already passed, and passed nicely, like a kidney stone after the first day. You may relax.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course that didn\u2019t stop me from feeling embarrassed some more. So after collecting some nuggets from friends and professionals, I compiled these 10 ways to really deal with embarrassment in real life. I hope they help you feel better the next time your client, colleague, or date tells you that you\u2019re wearing toilet paper on the sole of your shoe.<\/p>\n

1. Keep the right tense.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All embarrassment takes place in the past. Theoretically, if you were able to stay in the moment perfectly, you wouldn\u2019t feel an ounce of embarrassment \u2013 because all those messages inside your brain belong to a different time and place. Now I realize being present to the moment is virtually impossible when you are experiencing that twisted knot inside your stomach that says things like, \u201cYou can\u2019t be trusted with anything, you idiot!\u201d and are feeling the physiological symptoms of embarrassment (somewhat like the flu), but if you can remember for even a minute here or there to pull your attention to the present, you will be relieved of needless angst.<\/p>\n

2. Stop apologizing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one is counter-intuitive for me. I honestly think that if I apologize I will return to feeling normal. Even if I have apologized like five minutes prior to that moment. I suppose I am an apology addict. \u201cJust one more apology and I\u2019ll feel okay.\u201d No. You won\u2019t. In fact, you will feel worse. Because, again, your attention is on the past, not on the present, where you don\u2019t need to apologize for anything. So stop it already.<\/p>\n

3. Be you. Neurotic you.<\/strong><\/p>\n

St. Francis de Sales had four words of advice for pursuing spiritual excellence: \u201cBe you very well.\u201d That even goes for neurotics, like me, who wear their psychiatric charts on their sleeves, and are so transparent that every thought they have is registered like a bulletin on their faces. I supposed when you are made that way \u2013 or, rather, if you choose to live that way \u2013 you will experience far more embarrassment than, say, a person who tucks away her emotions for only safe people to see. But if Francis is right, that\u2019s the price I have to pay for being me.<\/p>\n

4. Visit humiliations past.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one will help you keep things in perspective. You know when you thought you really were going to die \u2013 or at least you wanted to? In hindsight, not a huge deal, right? As an exercise, you should list your top five embarrassments. Mine are:<\/p>\n

  • Upon being prompted to tell \u201cthe thumb\u201d joke to the Vice President of Doubleday, I proceeded to tell the wrong, very off-color one, which, I feared at the time, would kill our book contract.<\/li>\n
  • At my first job out of college, I was the only one to dress up for Halloween. I went as the building security guard (borrowed the uniform and all), and only he thought it was funny.<\/li>\n
  • Published on the front page of the Annapolis paper (on my birthday) was the story about how my two-year-old pushed another other two-year-old (the one that I was watching) into the frigid waters of the Chesapeake Bay only to be rescued by a passerby.<\/li>\n
  • In line to purchase Notre Dame football tickets the first week of college, where a mob pushed their way forward, I was stung by a bee and, without my kit, had to call an ambulance.<\/li>\n
  • I was almost arrested for sexual harassment my senior year at Saint Mary\u2019s College because the creative but blunt note that I left for the director of the homeless shelter (as instructed by one of his good friends, mind you) was set on top of a set of lingerie some other woman had sent him. Thus he assumed I was the lingerie stalker.<\/li>\n

    To continue reading, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    I recently wrote a post for Blisstree.com on overcoming embarrassments. You can find it here. I’ve excerpted from it below. There\u2019s a reason why we say we\u2019re dying of embarrassment. Because while we\u2019re in the midst of an embarrassing episode, dying really does seems like the better option. No human being I know is immune…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspiration-and-prayer"],"yoast_head":"\n10 Real Ways to Overcome Embarrassment - Beyond Blue<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beyondblue\/2011\/03\/10-real-ways-to-overcome-embarrassment.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Real Ways to Overcome Embarrassment - Beyond Blue\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I recently wrote a post for Blisstree.com on overcoming embarrassments. 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