Self-confidence after Embarrassments: A Framework for Personal Growth -By Yusuf Abdulbasit Hozaifah

Embarrassment is a feeling of self-consciousness, shame, or awkwardness. In other words, it is simply experiencing a state of distress that causes one to feel confused and shamed in front of others. I always would think embarrassment was something very horrifying until recently when I began to believe otherwise that it is an enormously crucial tool for someone’s personal growth.

Although, many thoughts about being embarrassed were a negative thing, but it is pertinent for everyone to take a mental note that it drives along with a good number of positive outcomes. Feeling embarrassed shows a signal in our facial expressions and emotions. But the anticipation or preparedness of being embarrassed helps to successfully face challenging situations most times. This brightens things that are of great value to us such as when one lately is unable to meet certain expectations, one will not be let down.

An embarrassment is a powerful emotion, and people often try to avoid it. By all means, it is good to accept the knowledge that it can have a positive effect on the way you live your life, which may be different from how you were living before the embarrassment. A good number of people’s lives changed only after they experienced embarrassment.

As we were taught to always learn from our mistakes, we should always learn from every embarrassment that comes our way in life, by that, you would be far more a productive member of the society than someone who never feels embarrassed or who feels too big to look back and learn from an embarrassment. Embarrassment can sometimes be a good thing, yours is just to make sure it is not hindering you from achieving your full potential.

A point at which you worry about yourself is the point at which you grow and need to grow. Sometimes, acknowledging embarrassment invites others to sympathize and this is when support, advice, and positive energy come your way. We spend lots of effort running away from our negative emotions. Sometimes, it is so difficult that we have to do anything to avoid them. But only if we choose to embrace them instead, we’d discover that these experiences have a great deal to teach us.

The pain they create is the only one being seen. The other side is empathy, insight, and self-knowledge that are created internally. And all are so essential to any individual that treasures growth. Furthermore, researchers have found out that people who are prone to feeling and expressing embarrassments are regarded by others as trustworthy, humble, and wise. They are also more likely to be forgiven for any mistakes than someone who shows no sign of embarrassment. It Is fair to say embarrassments make us feel bad, but we grow by them inwardly if they’re handled well.

Lastly, a feeling of such an experience acts as a real lesson, so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes. This also means that embarrassment can be an effective learning tool. It is important to be able to move on after being embarrassed, correct the existing mistakes and come back stronger to the same mistakes you made, then, you will feel more confident. I would rather regret something I did than do nothing. If we can accept that it is bound to happen at any point in time to every human’s life, then why shouldn’t we sit to think of what good things can be yielded from it? As they say that every disappointment is a blessing, so as every experience of being embarrassed is also a pathway to building inwardly, growth and development, and becoming more self-confident.