Onward & Awkward!

A few years ago, I was talking with a person very dear to me. I shared with him I had an event coming up and was going to see a person I didn’t want to see. I told him it would be super awkward. He replied loudly with a triumphant fist in the air, “Onward and awkward!”.

It’s a funny phrase, and I’m pretty sure I laughed when he said it. Not just for the alliteration of it, but mostly because it’s true! There are so many situations in life that are awkward – IF you let them be. Once you figure out how to plan for them and move through the awkwardness, it is typically fine and not as bad as you thought it would be.

As a reporter, I learned how helpful an awkward pause can be. During an interview, a person might not be very forthcoming with information. So I would just stand there, mic in their face, looking at them expectedly. Nine times out of ten, the silence would be too much for them and they’d continue talking – often giving me the soundbite I really needed. 

For public speaking and presenting, one of our tips is to practice often and correctly (hint: this means on camera). If you find it challenging and uncomfortable to present to a group, recording yourself practicing (and yes, you need to watch it) helps turn that awkward feeling into positive energy. When you accept the feeling of awkwardness, you can use it to power yourself through. 

Moral of the story: harness the power of awkwardness. The next time you find yourself feeling uneasy, challenge yourself to overcome the uncomfortable situation by saying, “Onward and awkward!”