📢The delicate art of being awkward

I once asked out my second cousin.

Now, I didn’t know she was my second cousin at the time. Still, it's one of the most embarrassing things I’ve done. In the past, I would have lost sleep over something like this, cringing at myself. 

But because of how I handled it, it wasn’t awkward. 

Doing just one thing can defuse awkward situations and turn them into bonding moments. 

This works for all kinds of awkward situations: 

• Saying goodbye and then walking in the same direction.

• Walking next to a stranger at the same pace.

• The mutual friend leaves the group leaving you with people you don't know.

• Forgetting someone's name.

• Going for a hug as they go for a handshake (or the reverse).

Here is the secret:

Things are only awkward when you act like they’re awkward.

People respond to how you respond to the situation. If you act like it's a big deal, it becomes a big deal. If you shrug it off, laugh about it, and move on, so will others. When you show people what you’ve done doesn’t embarrass you, it stops being awkward.

The best way to show people something doesn’t embarrass you is to call it out.

When the girl told me she was my second cousin my immediate response was:

“No way! That's so funny! I can’t believe it, that's so embarrassing” 

We ended up laughing about it because I defused the tension. 

You can do this for any awkward moment.

If you're in an awkward situation, call it out: “Yikes, it's that awkward moment you say goodbye and walk in the same direction.”

This usually gets a laugh and makes you closer because they don’t have to worry about feeling awkward around you.

People don’t judge you based on your awkward moments.

They judge you based on how you respond to those moments. Do you clam up and shrink with embarrassment? Or do you own it, call it out, laugh about it and move on? 

The second shows self-confidence. 

If you want to learn other ways to become more confident and more charismatic, join the Charisma Gym.

It’s like a gym for your social skills with live interactive 3 classes every week showing you how to master charisma and become someone people love talking to.

its free for the first 100 members, so join HERE before all seats are taken.

That’s a wrap!

— Justus Bosch

P.S. I don’t know if it gets more awkward than this…