Introvert's Advocate: Coping with awkwardness
I’m an awkward person. It’s taken me years to accept it, but there’s no denying it: I’m awkward.
On a daily basis, at least three awkward and/or embarrassing things happen to me. I’ve said enthusiastic hello’s to people who didn’t remember me, fallen clumsily in front of people I wanted to impress, stuttered at the worst possible times, misheard someone and gave a seemingly strange response, etc.
As further testament to my perpetually awkward life, when I told the boy I’m currently seeing about my blog idea for this week he asked, teasingly, if I was allowed to write a column that is 900 pages long. (He claims he finds my awkwardness cute, which I have a hard time believing, but I no longer question it.)
I know that not every introvert copes with social awkwardness, but if you are like me hopefully I can use my awkward expertise to help you out. At the very least, you can compare yourself to me and feel a lot better about any uncomfortable situation you’ve been in because I’ve done worse.
For example, I always find a way to discuss the strangest and most irrelevant topics when I first meet someone. Recently, I talked to someone for an extended period of time about the variety of strip clubs in Arizona. (I’ve never set foot in a strip club, but the knowledge I spouted was astounding.)
The most important thing to realize when dealing with the mental fallout from an awkward experience is to give your self a break. Honestly, nine times out of ten the other party involved won’t remember the incident. So, don’t stay awake at night scrutinizing every last detail because things are better than they seem.
Embracing your personality also helps when faced with an impending awkward situation. I got this blog out of my awkward, introverted personality so it’s possible to make something out of it.
Because, my friends all know I’ll have a funny story to tell them about some mess I got myself into, and they’re also a great support system when I think I really screwed something up.
Laughing about the things you do and/or say with your friends later on is also a really great way to cleanse yourself of any negative feelings you had about the situation.
At the very least, I know there are people in my life who look past my stumbles and find every aspect of my personality essential to our friendship.
