We all have random flashbacks to a time in our lives that make us cringe with embarrassment and question, “Why was I like that?” At a point in time, we all felt uncomfortable in our skin and desperately tried to decide what style and people are best for us.
Our awkward phases let us take the course of finding ourselves, even if the tradeoff is looking back and feeling internally embarrassed. Instead of hating our awkward selves in middle school, let’s thank our pre-puberty selves for enduring that torture in order to become who we are today.
Reflect on that Awkward Time for a Second
Think back to a period in your life that makes you cringe to think deeper into. For most, middle school and junior high are eras that are too embarrassing to think about. These periods were transformative as you began to gain more independence in your choices and interests. Choices can feel overwhelming, as it can feel like one does not want to regret one decision more than the other.
As a pre-teen, everyone wants to fit in somehow. It is easier to stray from genuine interests and follow the crowd into different trends that are “cool.” Sometimes trends gear us towards our destined paths and allow us to blossom into our true form. At other times, it was just a canon event to wear a Hollister shirt with skinny jeans and UGGs.
Awkward phases keep us humble, severely. Any period of embarrassment in our lives contributes to our growth in becoming well-rounded humans in the long run. It is healthy to sit in our discomfort at times, as it pushes us to learn more about ourselves and how we want to be perceived in a world of people who want to feel understood. The beauty of awkward phases is it is a universal feeling.
Everyone experiences their awkward eras which feels less lonely in hindsight. It is easy to get caught up in ourselves and believe our thoughts and feelings are not shared by our peers. Spoiler, no one has had an original thought which is comforting to know our embarrassment is shared rather than shamed.
We All Turn Into a Butterfly
Everyone goes through an awkward phase similar to metamorphosis. As we enter a stage in our lives that is ill-fitting in any shape or form, we conform to cocoons. Our shells shield us from what we define as “embarrassing” but indulge in what we think is socially acceptable and begin our transformation. When our cocoons create too much pressure, like societal standards, it is our time to break free.
We are the butterfly that comes out of the cocoon, whose vivid colors shine and are unrestricted from past opinions. Our confidence in our new form outshines what we faced in the past. It is all about trusting the process to produce the best outcome.
We Continue to Evolve
The best version of ourselves is yet to come. It is important to think we evolve (for the better) with time rather than plateauing. No one wants to peak in college, even though it feels like the best years of our lives without pressures from the “real world.” Awkward phases are dynamic and can happen in the future too.
Feelings of embarrassment come with growth into a better, hotter and smarter version of ourselves. Think about your role model being yourself in 10 years and how you aspire to be what you will become in the future. Every moment that makes you think “I’m gonna look back on this and cringe,” keep in mind an internal and external glow-up will be happening next.
At what age do you think you experienced your awkward phase? Let @VALLEYmag know on Instagram or Twitter!
