When Things Get Awkward


Don't we all just hate feeling embarrassed? By the very definition of the emotion, embarrassment due to awkward situations is an uncomfortable and ugly place to be.

Taking the hand of the wrong daddy in the department store as a child, accidentally walking in on someone in the bathroom, or completing an important day only to realize you wore one large earring for the entirety are only samplings of the awkward moments of my life. Over the years I have become quite the pro at handling uncomfortable moments simply due to my inexplicable knack for having them.

Almost weekly I am approached by someone at church who strikes up a conversation about something they somehow think I am privy to. Immediately I feel awkward and out of my element. But I encounter numerous other equally uncomfortable moments on a regular basis, too.

Many of my awkward moments, quite innocently, are due to our ever-changing church. Because we live in a military town our church pretty much plays fruit basket turnover every year, sometimes multiple times during the year. It's hard enough to remember names when I have years to finally attach faces to names. But here I get weeks sometimes. And I try, believe me, I try. But people tend to feel like they know me and my name well before I am able to associate their name with their face. So the name/face thing creates plenty of awkward moments, more than I can count!

But I have to take the blame for many others. I can be forgetful, negligent, and just dumb at times. Then again, I'm sure some of my awkward moments really do find their blame with the other party. But I don't want to perpetuate awkwardness by casting blame. And of course, some times no one is really at fault; things just go haywire and we're all left looking at each other dumbfounded. 

So what's a gal to do when things get a little awkward?

If you find yourself in an awkward moment occasionally, whether you've forgotten a name, missed an appointment, said the wrong thing at the wrong time, or confused two people, I'd like to offer a few tips I've found for handling such tricky times. They don't all apply to every situation. Obviously some awkward moments are more serious than others. So pick and choose as they apply to your uncomfortable dilemmas.

Tips for eliminating awkwardness getting back on level ground:
What types of awkward moments have you gotten into recently? How do you keep those mole hills of embarrassment from turning into mountains of offense? We'd all love to know...because we all fumble now and then!

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