Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Embarrassment is the harness that holds us back from living, making connections and experiencing moments to their fullest. It’s normal — maybe even necessary at times — to be embarrassed. But the point of living is not to worry about how we appear. It’s to consider how we should spend the little time that we have.

Even when we think everyone is watching our every move, the majority of the time, nobody really is. We live our lives in our own little bubbles, each with our own worries, thoughts and emotions.

Actor Austin Butler once said in an interview, “Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion. Go out there and make a fool of yourself.” He invites listeners not to live in fear of the unknown, risks or failure. These things hold us back, and they foster a life of regret and missed opportunities. 

I have kept myself up at night replaying conversations and moments in my life when I felt riddled with embarrassment. Times when I dropped my phone at the most inconvenient moment, or when I said, “You too!” to the barista when they said, “Enjoy!”

When I get uncomfortable and lie awake replaying these moments that are now tainted with intense embarrassment, I stop and rethink if these ideas are even worth the second thought. Yes, they were embarrassing in the moment, but I shouldn’t waste my time feeling stuck in that discomfort.  

Some of the most authentic and intriguing people I have ever met expressed a lust for life that is most admirable. They don’t fear what they look like or worry that they might say the wrong thing. Being authentically themselves is what makes them successful.

I find that we live in a world based on ideas of structure, punctuality and perfection, which can set unreachable expectations. When we don’t meet these expectations, our field of view becomes narrow and single tracked. I myself am a victim of this.

But there is a balance between strictness and authenticity. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in what we believe is expected from us. In turn, we end up losing sight of what we could be accomplishing if we just paused to release our shackles of social expectations and lived fully. 

The best things in life come from putting yourself out there. Sure, you might make mistakes and feel that dreaded embarrassment, but you might also land that dream position, nail your audition or have a great first date. Put your foot in the door of opportunity, forget what people think of you and drown out the image of yourself in your head — the only thing holding you back from permanent success is a temporary feeling.