How To Stop Reliving An Embarrassing Moment…

Cringeworthy moments. We’ve all had them. A name forgotten, an appointment missed speaking words before thinking about what we are saying and various other ways we’ve been embarrassed at our actions.

Recalling past moments of my life can bring me down if I dwell on my mistakes. Recently, I attended a literary luncheon at an upscale restaurant in downtown Charleston. Arriving at the destination, I walked up the three outdoor steps and proceeded to try to open the door to enter the building. The door wouldn’t budge. Stepping back down the steps, I found another door close by. Trying that one didn’t yield results either.

Pausing and wondering what to do next, I noticed people walking to the same door. Surely, they would have trouble opening the door and we would decide what to do next.

Here’s my embarrassing moment… I had pulled on the door to open it. There was a big sign posted on the window of the door stating, “Please push, don’t pull.” Silly me. I had been pulling the door handle.

I felt so silly standing there while a man walked right up the steps and opened the door with no problem.

This is a small example of an embarrassing moment in my life. There have been many more.

There are some ways I use to stop reliving an embarrassing moment.

1. Remember everyone makes mistakes.
2. Pause and consider if this embarrassing moment will harm me or others.
3. PRAY… I pray and ask God to help me not to dwell on embarrassing moments.
4. Look for lessons to be learned from my embarrassing moments.
5. I refuse to live in those moments that cause me stress and/or embarrassment.

I have learned to laugh at myself and realize those moments do not define my life.

If I dwell on embarrassing moments, I am not living in the present, but living in the past.

Do you have any special ways to stop reliving embarrassing moments? Share with us. We can learn from each other.

Melissa Henderson is a writer of inspirational messages through fiction, non-fiction, devotions, guest blogs, articles and more. Her first children’s book “Licky the Lizard: was released in 2018.

You can follow Melissa on: Facebook, Twitter, and her website.