#AWKWARD

Go forth and conquer those embarrassing moments, Internet buds.

As a human that has definitely earned more than my fair share of awkward moments, cringe attacks are a daily experience. From the smallest thing I may have said to my embarrassing physical response to something, I should be awarded a PhD in Awkwardness. 

So – what exactly is a cringe attack?

It's that moment when you are peacefully going about your own business, whether that be thinking to yourself or out with friends, and an awkward memory starring yourself rises from the depths of the "Socially Traumatic Experiences" shelf in your mind. Although this is a mental experience, the embarrassment and shame reaches such a level that your response is immediately physical. You can't do anything but facepalm, scream "WHY!?" internally and bury yourself under the covers. It is ruthless.

Contrary to what you may be imagining, a cringe attack does not usually occur at the time of the embarrassing act. No, it creeps in hours – days, even – after you've missed a high-five or thought someone was talking to you when they weren't (*shudder*). It's as unpredictable and as likely to be suppressed as a sneeze. In other words, it is completely inevitable. 

With all this in mind, it seems unlikely that a cringe attack can ever be stopped. True, once it starts, there is nothing much you can do, but I like to think that while you can't control what you've done in the past, you can control how often the memory of it bothers you. Considering this, I thought I should write about how to deal with cringe attacks for those of you who, like me, experience them daily. There are no overnight treatments, but I think keeping these in mind can help.

1) YOU ARE HUMAN!
If there's one thing Miley Cyrus can teach you, it's that nobody's perfect. Everyone screws up once in a while - the point is, you are bound to feel embarrassed by yourself at one point or another. In fact, shame is a natural emotion just like happiness or anger. 

The funny thing is though, that what you believe to be the most cringeworthy thing could seem like nothing to another person. They probably didn't even notice, or care, or judge you. That's the most comforting thought I think; that we amplify the situation in our minds and replay awkward moments so much that we don't realise it was not even half as bad in real life.

2) Like it or not, it helped you become who you are today.
I hate this point so much because of the truth it holds. I don't want to believe that my out-of-place laughter that one time had anything to do with shaping me as I am today, but sadly, it has. Even though these moments annoy and perhaps confuse us, it's important to remember that without them, you wouldn't be how you are today. In some cases, they can even teach us lessons – don't pretend to hear that guy when you didn't, for instance. 

3) Think more about other things.
Instead of starting your train of thought at the worst parts of your day, try and start thinking about all the things that went right. Did you see an amazing exhibition? Did you drown in the eyes of the cute person on the train? What made you laugh? 
I think that focusing your mind on positive events in your life makes a world of difference. Because ultimately, the less you concentrate on the bad parts of your day, the less you'll find yourself caring about them. ✦