One Red Hot Country Mama!

I was recently in a very embarrassing situation which totally threw me off. I couldn’t help replaying and replaying the incident in my mind – it was the worst! Embarrassment is one of the most difficult emotions to overcome – when I get embarrassed it sticks all over me like some disgusting ooze… and the only thing that cures it is time. Sometimes lots of time.

I remember one of my very well-spoken and confident friends from University saying that sometimes a wave of embarrassment would pass over him after while driving, and he would hold onto the steering wheel so tight until his knuckles turned while and it passed. I couldn’t believe even HE could be embarrassed – since he was so cavalier about things… but it seems like everyone has an area of their lives where embarrassment strikes.

To help cure me of my situation, I turned to the Internet… and found that admitting that you are embarrassed is one of the best ways to diffuse the situation for everyone. In: Caught With Your Pants Down? The Psychology of Embarrassment it says:

And, if there’s any doubt that 99.9% of embarrassment is in your own mind, consider the example of British actor Richard Harris who sang the role of King Arthur in Camelot twice a day for seven months. One evening, Harris forgot the words to a song. He stopped in mid-stride, halted the orchestra and went to the edge of the stage where he said in his lilting British accent: "Four hundred and twenty eight performances, and I have forgotten the lyrics! Would you believe it?"

Because people feel sympathetic towards others caught in the throes of embarrassment, Harris received a standing ovation. Somebody then cued him on the words, the orchestra started again and he finished the musical in high style and grace.

"Research shows that people who are embarrassed, and simply admit to it and then stalwartly carry on, are tremendously well liked," Dr. Gross says. It seems to make them more human. "When you admit to embarrassment, you show the incident is not shameful. Nor does it show any defect in your character. "It only shows the embarrassing incident was nothing more than a brief lapse," he says.

Wow – so I guess I will stop being so embarrassed about being embarrassed.