So Embarrassing! See, What Had Happened Was…

It is a proven fact that people do things they find embarrassing. A lesser-known fact is that many things we do are actually very common. Take out your mental list of embarrassing moments and habits and compare it to the list below. There is a reason behind some of the silly things you do.

• Getting Caught Talking to Yourself. Nothing makes you look crazier than having a crucial debate with yourself aloud when a friend or boss walks into the room. It is bad enough when you stop yourself from doing it in the privacy of your home, but getting caught is embarrassing. Do not hang your head in shame yet, though. Studies prove that students who talk to themselves often do better in school and that thinking aloud helps keep people alert and on task. Moreover, it is a bit less embarrassing to whisper reminders to yourself than to walk into the next room and stand there puzzled because you forgot why!
• Dropping Your Cell Phone. The simple act of dropping your cell phone is not always embarrassing. We all catch a case of the dropsies sometimes. However, it is a bit more difficult trying to explain how your phone ended up in the toilet. We start preparing stories that begin with, “See, what had happened was…” It is no longer necessary to explain yourself. It turns out that it is very common today to take your phone into the bathroom. Whereas once people took newspapers, books or radios to the potty, we now take our electronics to read, play games, or listen to music. Therefore, while it is a bit irritating to deal with the aftermath of a soaked phone, having it near the toilet is no longer embarrassing.

Uuh did someone once drop their cell phone in this bus’s toilet? pic.twitter.com/vrp2zVV6Vi

— Jodi Banana Hammock (@NobleKnope) December 21, 2015

• Getting Song Lyrics Wrong. He said, “Kiss this guy… right?” No, Jimi Hendrix said “sky.” Don’t blush, because people mix up lyrics all the time. Do an internet search for any song. You will find entire pages devoted to incorrectly interpreted song lyrics. The reason for this is that most of us, without realizing it, learn to follow what people say by watching their lips. However, we obviously cannot follow the lips of a singer through radio speakers. It is a simple misunderstanding, not an embarrassing mistake that no one but you is prone to making.
• Repeating Stories. We listen patiently when our grandparents retell stories from their childhood. However, we want to evaporate when our friends tell us that they have heard our new story five times. It’s embarrassing, and it makes us feel as if we no longer have interesting things to share. People think they are not important enough for us to remember conversations we have with them. However, this too is very common. The fact is that many people have trouble remembering which stories we have told to whom. Therefore, it does not mean we are rude or boring people, and it is not a candidate for your most embarrassing moment.
• Pushing a Pull Door. Yep, the clerk behind the counter really did see it. You pushed on the door and ran right into it, embarrassing yourself in public. However, before your flushed cheeks inform people who did not notice, remember that you are not alone. It turns out that business owners often do not want to blemish their building by putting up pull signs. It is not their problem that we feel foolish for embarrassing ourselves in public. If there is a sign, our eyes simply misread it. So remind yourself the next time you rattle a door that the person giggling at your embarrassing misfortune has done the same thing.

Admit it, you’ve pushed a door that says pull. pic.twitter.com/oS9fQE9ccD

— Admit It (@theadmits) January 1, 2016

• Lying About Seeing a Movie. Remember the part with the kangaroo? Yeah, that was something that did not happen! It’s embarrassing when people call us out on this one. We think that normal people do not lie about something so silly. However, while it is a bit embarrassing, it is also quite common. Having impressive information and opinions on deep films or difficult books makes us sound smart. There is nothing embarrassing about wanting to seem knowledgeable!

People do embarrassing things. These are just some of the most common. The important thing is that we are not alone in embarrassing ourselves!

[Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images]