A new study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology examined results from six experiments involving 3,204 participants to explore how people might recover from an embarrassing moment.

The key finding was simple.

For an embarrassment that causes no harm to others, laughing it off was best. When those who laugh at their own embarrassment are seen as more competent and authentic.

I suspect that over time, the frequency with which one might be embarrassed by this strategy will decrease, too.

I often find my personal embarrassments as fodder for humor, and I play them up with glee.

A year ago, I tripped while taking a stage at a corporate event and face-planted. As I hit the ground, I thought, "This is fantastic. They're already laughing, and they'll never forget this entrance."

It became a source of amusement for the next two hours.

Years ago, while consulting at Smuckers, I spent more than an hour onstage with my fly down. When the organizer let me know about it during the break and assured me that no one noticed, I took advantage of the mistake. After the break, I took the stage and said, "So I was up here for an hour with my fly down, and no one said anything to me?"

"No," a woman in the front row said. "But I had to stare at it for an hour!"

She got a huge laugh, and that moment became something we returned to again and again over the next two days of work together.

The same thing happened a year later while speaking to a college student at the University of Connecticut. This time, I was wearing pants for the first time in two months. I'd been wearing sweatpants after surgery and had apparently forgotten how to wear pants.

I made it a source of entertainment once again.

Whenever I do something embarrassing, I see it as a source of comedy, and more importantly, everyone else does, too. When I make a joke at my expense, it gives people permission to laugh along, and a moment that might be uncomfortable or cringy to the people around me and me instead becomes a source of joy and amusement.

We often make the mistake of thinking hat embarrassmwent is:

1. Disasterous
2. Without merit
3. Remembered

None of it is true.

Embarrassments happen all the time. They aren't disastrous. They are commonplace.

Embarrassments are not without merit. Laughing off your own embarrassments is a demonstration of confidence, generosity, and a sense of humor.

Embarrassments aren't remembered. Almost every embarrassment you've ever suffered has already been forgotten and was likely forgotten hours or even minutes after it happened.

So when you can, if you can, let it go.
Laugh it off.
Maybe even be grateful for the opportunity it affords.