There's no way to totally avoid humiliating moments. You can't control everything that happens, so sooner or later you're going to be in a situation when you feel embarrassed. The key to surviving the moment is to control your reaction and try not to freak out.

• Remember that you'll probably be laughing about it in a few days, so try to see the funny side of it right away.

• If it's something so humiliating that you know you'll never laugh about it, understand that the pain is bound to fade over time.

• Ask your friends to give you a break and not make fun of you. If you've done the same for them, they're more likely to let it pass.

Always keep in mind that you're not alone. Everybody has cringe moments, and while you're sure that everybody is going to remember this moment forever, the truth is that they'll probably forget it. Most of us remember the moments where we were humiliated, but very few of us remember other people's embarrassing moments.

So while you may never forget the time you split your shorts in gym class or dropped your lunch tray in front of everybody, chances are everybody else will forget. Most people have short memories, and while that may not be a good thing when you're trying to remember facts for a history quiz, it sure is handy when you're trying to survive life's most embarrassing moments!

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