You have probably encountered situations where you felt like every eye in the room was fixated on you. It occurred to you that you had lost the ability to walk normally, and then, upon opening your mouth, the most absurd thing appeared.
It is believed that your body and brain had conspired to make you stand out from the crowd in order to make you look bad. This is the awkward phase that most people go through.
People who are looking for ways to avoid being awkward are not alone. Being a bit awkward is merely part of being human. It doesn’t define how one should interact with others.
The Science of Social Awkwardness
Before we dive into the deeper aspects of how to avoid being an awkward person, it’s important to first understand what makes us feel this way.
Social awkwardness is the subject of fascinating scientific research, which combines sociological, psychological, and neurological elements.
The main contributing factor to feelings of being awkward is social anxiety. This is caused by the fear that people will judge or scrutinize you in social situations.
A deeper sense of apprehension can make interacting with others feel daunting. This anxiety is related to our awareness of ourselves.
Being too conscious of our words and actions can make us feel awkward. The way our brains interpret and respond to social cues is a crucial factor in how we interact with others.
Research has shown that people who are more prone to experiencing social anxiety have higher levels of activity in certain parts of the brain. This can affect how they respond to social situations.
The cultural context and environment that we grew up in also have a huge impact on how we interact with others.
The varying norms that society imposes on us can make it hard to navigate social environments, especially in our rapidly expanding globalized world. The pressure to conform can heighten our feelings of discomfort.
Awkwardness Checklist
If you’re not sure if you are an awkward person or if you are constantly wondering how to avoid being one, then it’s important to recognize some common signs of this condition.
These signs can be used to identify someone who is either awkward or just a bit unsure of themselves.
1. Do You Find Small Talk Uncomfortably Challenging?
For some people, small talk can feel like a daunting task. If you’re constantly maintaining or initiating light exchanges that leave you feeling unsure of what’s happening, then you might be experiencing social awkwardness.
Besides being shy, being overwhelmed by the small talk and the basic interaction can make people feel awkward.
2. Are You Often Unsure About When to Enter or Exit a Conversation?
Timing is important in conversations. If you’re having a hard time figuring out how to exit a conversation without being rude or abrupt, then you might be experiencing some form of social awkwardness.
3. Do You Frequently Misinterpret Social Cues?
Misunderstandings can occur when one fails to interpret facial expressions, body language, or the tone of voice. If one gets puzzled by the other person’s reaction or lacks cues when talking seriously or joking, this could indicate social awkwardness.
4. Are You Overly Concerned About Others’ Opinions of You?
If you’re constantly thinking about how other people will perceive you during an interaction, then this could be a sign that you’re experiencing social awkwardness.
5. Do You Overanalyze Your Social Interactions Afterwards?
Some individuals spend several hours analyzing their actions and words following a social event, thinking about what they should have said or done differently. This condition can make one feel uncomfortable.
Getting stuck in a cycle of analyzing and questioning your past interactions could be a sign that you’re experiencing social awkwardness.
6. Are You Overwhelmed by Large Groups or Crowded Events?
If you’re feeling anxious or uncomfortable at large gatherings, then you might have social awkward tendencies. It’s not just about being alone, but an intense sense of discomfort caused by massive groups.
7. Do You Struggle with Maintaining Eye Contact?
One of the most important components of effective communication is eye contact. If you’ve got a hard time keeping eye contact consistently, this could be a signal that you’re feeling awkward.
8. Are You Frequently Misunderstood in Social Settings?
If you’re constantly being misinterpreted by others, then this could be a sign that you’re experiencing social awkwardness. It’s not an isolated issue, but a recurring pattern that involves poor communication.
9. Do You Rely Heavily on Scripts or Pre-Planned Responses?
Displaying a lack of confidence in one’s ability to communicate effectively is a common sign of social awkwardness. Often, people rely on rehearsed responses or scripts in an attempt to control the flow of conversation, which can lead to out-of-context or stilted responses.
10. Are You Uncomfortable with Physical Gestures Like Handshakes or Hugs?
If you’re not comfortable with certain physical gestures, such as a handshake or a hug, then this could be a sign that you’re experiencing social awkwardness.
If you’re always in a tight hug or are unsure of how to properly shake someone’s hand, then this could indicate that you’re having a hard time handling these types of interactions.
How to Stop Your Awkward Habits
While being awkward can be a charming trait in certain situations, it can make it harder to do anything in others, such as when you want to go out with that hot girl.
Fortunately, being awkward isn’t something that will always be with us. Most people outgrow their tendency to be awkward by the time they’re 15 or older, while others keep it until they’re in their mid-20s. Here are some steps that will help you transform your behavior.
1. Admit That You’re Socially Awkward
Don’t pretend that you’re not socially awkward. It’s not a natural thing to sweat excessively whenever you enter a room. It’s time to acknowledge this to yourself. But, you can still change it.
2. Be Sure of Yourself
A lot of people tend to be shy and uncertain when it comes to interacting with others. This can cause them to feel awkward. One of the most important steps that you can take to avoid being awkward is to be more sure of yourself.
3. Don’t Interject in Conversations Immediately
If you’re genuinely interested in contributing to the conversation, but you also want to avoid being awkward, don’t interrupt the person talking. You’ll likely get in trouble for saying anything and introducing yourself.
To avoid being awkward, walk slowly toward the group. If the other person continues talking, continue to wait for a moment before making a comment.
4. Show Up to Events Early
A person is considered to be more awkward if they show up to an event very loudly or after everyone has already been there. Attention will be focused on you as soon as you walk through the door, and there might be an awkward moment in the event that you tripped.
Show up at least 10 minutes early to avoid being on an awkward note.
5. Keep Your Phone on You at All Times
Awkward individuals can benefit from having a cell phone. Not only will it allow them to escape their predicament, but it can also be used to initiate new conversations.
6. Figure Out What Environments Make You Socially Awkward
Before you go out, try to identify the triggers that can make you feel anxious about being in a certain environment. This will help you identify the areas of your mental and physical state that need to be improved.
7. No One Actually Remembers
Even though you may believe that this is a lame idea, you have to understand that people do not care about what you say. For instance, they do not remember the time you complimented Britney Spears’ music.
Unless you’re Barack Obama, most people rely on information that they hear in one ear and out another.
8. Don’t Aim for Success
Instead of trying to be successful, consider it a learning experience that will help you avoid being socially awkward. This won’t be a quick fix. It will take a long time to develop and become socially aware.
9. Get Out of the Negative Loop
Being socially awkward is a mental condition. You develop this mindset thinking that you can easily make a mistake and get blamed for it.
You have to get out of the negative loop in order to avoid being awkward. Sometimes, faking it until you make it is the best thing that you can do.
10. Write it Down
You need to let go of the bottled-up emotions that you’re feeling. This can be done by writing down your thoughts in a journal.
One of the most effective ways to reflect on your day is by writing down how you felt before and after going out. This will help you keep track of what went well and what went wrong.
11. Practice
I know that you have vivid memories of your exasperated parents who insisted that you learn how to play the flute. They were right.
You have to practice. That means going out and asking your friends to take you to events and parties.
12. Remind Yourself of Social Norms
If you’re worried that you might not be meeting the social norms, try reminding yourself of these. For instance, what is the right way to behave at a party?
Some basic rules can help you reduce your anxiety. For instance, you should never pee on the rug. If you feel that you have violated these rules, just say sorry.
13. Leave Your House
If you refuse to leave your house, you can’t practice social skills. This means that in order to become more socially active, you have to make a commitment to yourself that you will attend at least one function per week.
14. It’s Not a Big Deal if You Mess Up
Being socially awkward is mainly caused by the fear that you’ll make a mistake. You won’t lose your job, house, or best friend. People will continue talking even if you make an error.
15. Don’t Tell Jokes to New People
It may seem effortless to introduce a good joke, but you’ll likely only intensify the discomfort.
You don’t want to introduce a joke to a new group of people because you don’t know their personalities. This could lead to either offending them or standing there laughing.
16. Stop Babbling and Ask Questions Instead
One of the most common mistakes made by people who are socially awkward is over-talking. Instead of talking about the topic that’s being discussed, try to ask the other person questions about it.
17. Be Friendly!
Being friendly will help people forget about your social awkwardness. In addition to that, being mean can also cause some awkward moments with other people.
18. Forget About Your Awkwardness
You are not going to feel or act awkward unless you already believe that you are. So, try to forget about how awkward you are and just be yourself.
19. Think About Positive Aspects of Yourself
Keeping yourself focused on the negative aspects of your personality can make matters worse. Instead of dwelling on these, try to focus on the positive aspects of yourself. For instance, you are kind, smart, and funny.
20. Let the Awkward Silences be Silent
You shouldn’t be the person who breaks the silence when talking about how awkward it is, especially if it is. Instead, try to avoid talking about the topic at hand. Doing so will help make the transition easier.
21. Stick With a Non-awkward Friend All the Time
If you have a friend who is always confident and doesn’t seem to have an awkward moment, then try to be with them as much as possible. They will make you feel less awkward and will also help remove any awkward moments that you might have.
22. Don’t Worry About What Other People Think So Much
You should stop worrying about what other people think of your appearance and how awkward you are. As long as you’re satisfied with who you are, nobody else matters.
Being self-conscious can add to your nervousness and make you feel more awkward. Instead of dwelling on what other people think of you, try to have fun being yourself.
23. Keep Personal Information About Someone to Yourself
Too much personal information can also cause people to feel awkward. For instance, if you remember a person’s birthday but haven’t talked to them in a decade, then just keep it to yourself.
If you’re aware that a person is secretly dating somebody else, then avoid bringing it up in social interactions. It will make you look like a complete weirdo and will likely cause an awkward moment.
24. Embrace Funny Awkward Moments
There are not every awkward moments that you will want to permanently end up in a corner. Some of these will be funny and can even make others laugh, so try to embrace them.
By being able to find the charm in your own imperfections, you can let loose and enjoy yourself more, which will help decrease the number of awkward moments that you will have.
25. Allow Yourself Room For Error
I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past couple of years. I’m still doing things that make me feel embarrassed.
You should try to praise yourself whenever you make a friend or tell a joke. Focusing on these moments will help you avoid getting embarrassed.
26. You Don’t Have to Do it All at Once
You should avoid putting too much pressure on yourself to perform at a certain level. Instead, work on small steps at a time.
Short-term goals should be set for yourself whenever you go out. You don’t need to learn how to socialize in one night. Instead, focus on building on your goals slowly.
27. Laugh at Yourself
You’ll never be able to stop being awkward unless you consistently laugh at yourself. Although you’re going to make some mistakes, like giving a strange response or failing a joke, you have to learn from these moments.
28. Practice Makes Perfect
It will take some practice to put an end to your awkward tendencies, as this part of your personality will need some work to be changed.
Being Awkward is Kind of Charming!
Although being awkward may seem like a bad thing, it’s actually kind of fun. This guide helps you become less inhibited and more confident in yourself so that you can enjoy yourself more.
Although it can take some practice to improve your social skills, perseverance will allow you to eventually become more confident in yourself. Follow these steps and learn how to avoid being an awkward person in order to get on the right track.