By Savannah Ford | LTVN Reporter
I’m not afraid to talk to people. I’ll start conversations with strangers, raise my hand in class and even sing a little too loudly in my car with the windows down. But here’s the thing, even for someone like me, who loves being around people, embarrassment still shows up.
It sneaks in when I say the wrong thing, mispronounce a word or completely butcher the lyrics to a song I thought I knew. For a split second, my face burns, and I wonder if everyone else noticed.
The truth is, they usually don’t, and if they do, they forget faster than I do. That’s when I realized something: embarrassment isn’t nearly as scary as we make it out to be. In fact, when you start leaning into it on purpose, it can make life a whole lot easier.
Most of us spend so much time trying to avoid awkward moments that we stop ourselves from doing things we actually want to do. We convince ourselves that one misstep will ruin our reputation, that one wrong answer in class will stick forever or that one slip of the tongue will prove we’re not as “together” as we may seem. But in reality, the opposite is true. Embarrassing moments are fleeting, and when we practice walking into them, we gain a kind of freedom that perfection will never give us.
Think about it, how many times have you replayed an awkward situation in your head, only to realize everyone else had already moved on?
We’re all caught up in our own insecurities. Psychologists call this the spotlight effect, the idea that we overestimate how much attention people pay to us. Once you realize that, you start to see embarrassment for what it really is, not a disaster, but a quick flash of humanity that makes you more relatable.
I’ve found that the more I intentionally let myself be embarrassed, the less afraid I am of failing. I once tried karaoke on a European cruise, fully aware I’m not American Idol material. Naturally, I sang “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift. My pitch was off, my timing was worse and I definitely saw a few people laughing. But when the song ended, the whole room clapped. Later that night, someone told me, “You have amazing stage presence,” and for the rest of the 10-day cruise, I was known as the Taylor Swift karaoke girl. Whether people were impressed or just amused, that nickname meant more to me than hitting every note ever could have.
Practicing embarrassment trains you to stop running from awkwardness and instead realize you can survive it. Once you survive it, it loses its power over you. Suddenly raising your hand in class, sharing an idea in a meeting or walking into a room where you don’t know anyone isn’t so intimidating. You’ve already survived worse.
And here’s the best part, people actually like you more when you’re willing to look a little ridiculous. Nobody bonds over perfection. We bond over failure stories, the times we tripped walking into chapel, said something dumb in front of a crush or watched a presentation completely unravel. Vulnerability is magnetic. It’s what makes people want to sit with you at lunch, text you after class or call you a friend.
At Baylor, where so many of us feel pressure to look polished in our academics, social lives and even our faith, embracing embarrassment can feel countercultural. But it’s also refreshing.
When someone admits they don’t have it all together, it gives the rest of us permission to exhale and do the same, a reminder that struggle is nothing to be ashamed of.
You don’t have to start with a huge risk. You can practice awkwardness in small ways, ask a question even if you’re unsure, wear something a little bold instead of blending in, volunteer to try something you know you’re not good at or post a TikTok without editing it a hundred times. Every small, imperfect act builds resilience. Every little cringe moment makes the next one easier.
Eventually, embarrassment stops feeling like a threat and starts feeling like a challenge you’re willing to take on. You stop worrying so much about what people think because you’ve learned firsthand that the world doesn’t end when you mess up. In fact, it often opens doors. You make new connections, you get noticed for being authentic and you give yourself permission to take bigger leaps in your academics, career or relationships.
Embarrassment isn’t something to run from. It’s actually a superpower, a teacher, a nudge and sometimes even a gift. When we dive into those moments that make us blush, we realize confidence doesn’t come from being perfect; it comes from being real. We mess up, we laugh at ourselves, we bounce back and we grow.
So go ahead, sing badly, trip in public, give the wrong answer, tell a joke that flops. Put yourself in situations where you risk looking foolish. The more you do, the less control embarrassment has over you, and the more room you’ll have to live the kind of bold, joyful, imperfect life you were made for.
