Humor is the best way to neutralize shame. If you can laugh at your old self, you’ve officially taken the power back from the memory. The Takeaway
Use that awkward memory as a yardstick. Measure the distance between who you were then and who you are now. That gap is your growth. 9 : Looking Back... Is Embarrassing
If you feel embarrassed by your past, It means you’ve evolved. The only thing worse than being embarrassed by your past self is being exactly the same person you were a decade ago. Embrace the cringe. It’s the sound of you getting better. Humor is the best way to neutralize shame
If you can look back at who you were a few years ago without cringing, you might not be growing. We’ve all been there: a "memory" pops up on your phone, or you find an old journal entry, and your first instinct is to bury your head in your hands. Measure the distance between who you were then
Everything—from relationships to careers—has a learning curve. You had to be the "embarrassing beginner" to become the "composed expert" [2, 3].