According to Wikipedia:
Embarrassment is an emotional state of intense discomfort with oneself, experienced upon having a socially unacceptable act or condition witnessed by or revealed to others. Usually some amount of loss of honor or dignity is involved, but how much and the type depends on the embarrassing situation. It is similar to shame, except that shame may be experienced for an act known only to oneself. Also, embarrassment usually carries the connotation of being caused by an act that is merely socially unacceptable, rather than morally wrong.
When I feel embarrassed, I want to curl up in the fetal position. My body is tense. I want to tilt my head downward, so I can’t see anyone. Perhaps this is the same sort of response my pet parrot had. He thought you couldn’t see him if he couldn’t see you. He used to hide his head in a box, and talk with his tail feathers fanned widely.
What should you do when you feel embarrassed? Well, it depends on what you want! Here are four techniques. Pick one based on your goal:
- How to Plan for Future Embarrassment
- How to Observe Your Embarrassment from a Place of Curiosity
- How to Calm Down Quickly When You’re Embarrassed
- How to Take Embarrassment as a Signal to Change
Want Help Empathizing with Your Embarrassment?
If you find yourself getting embarrassed frequently, you may want to spend some dedicated time figuring out what’s going on with your embarrassment so you can heal it. Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation to talk to a member of the Positive Vector team about how you can understand yourself better and outgrow you current pattern.