embarrassment feels catastrophic — life-ending even — because we’re constantly managing our image. We feel vulnerable and exposed.

Embarrassment is completely counterintuitive. You’re so afraid of being perceived that you try to curate yourself so highly that you’re fundamentally manipulating the perception people have of you. You pretend to be someone you’re not, and 9 times out of 10, that person is a less awesome version of you.

Embarassment is an under-explored emotion, go make a fool of yourself.

Unsurprisingly, this fear lost me so much, and equally as unsurprising: nothing was gained.

What makes you embarrassed? Follow it. Learn about it. Befriend your embarrassment. It may reveal what you want in life.

Perhaps you’re embarrassed when you appear too keen — very common (especially in the UK, where I’m from). But what is being too keen? Keenness is awesome! It’s excitement, it’s optimism, it’s energy — it’s knowing what you want and being in the active pursuit of it. Why would you care if people thought you were too much of this awesome emotion?

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Embarassment exposure therapy

When you experience embarrassment, view it as muscle building. You get stronger every time you use it. It’s uncomfortable, but you build resilience. Your life gets bigger when your willingness to look stupid expands.

Embarrassment is the antidote to the curated self

embarrassment is often the moment where authenticity breaks through. Our authentic selves are messy and childlike and afraid and eager and all the emotions that seem a little bit too much for the modern world.