25 Super Simple Ways to Stop Blushing Before it Stops You - from Living Your Life!

“Blushing is the most peculiar and most human of all expressions.” - Charles Darwin

• Many chronic blushers suffer from Erythrophobia which is the fear of blushing.
• Blushing is connected to the fight or flight response.
• Blushing has also been attributed to social anxiety/phobia.
• A study found that people who blush more tend to be more generous.
• Charles Darwin was intrigued by the blushing response and put it down to shame.
• Blushers are considered more trustworthy than non-blushers according to a college study.

After writing my first article in this series on blushing, I noticed a surge of readers asking for ways to stop blushing. Aside from reassuring me that I'm not the only one on this planet who suffers from chronic blushing, it also presented me with the opportunity to do some deep research.

My first article explained what blushing is and why we do it. Therefore, in this article, my sole aim is to give you - my fellow blushers - a plethora of ways to stop blushing so you can become the badass we all know you can and want to be.

On a more serious note though, blushing really is crippling for those of us who have come to fear the act of blushing (Erythrophobia). It's no joking matter when you can't even talk to your teacher or boss without your face exploding into a crimson hot zone that attracts unwanted attention. I don't know about you but It makes me squirm when in the midst of a blush, I see the person (or people) standing before me begin to examine my face.

So let's take the reins together and stop blushing in its tracks once and for all!

"Blushing is the color of virtue." - Matthew Henry

1. Stop being ashamed of blushing

Quit being ashamed of your blushing. You haven't done anything wrong, nor does it make you weaker or inferior to people who don't blush. When you feel ashamed of blushing it happens more regularly because you focus on it more. Stop the shame, stop the focus.

2. Switch your attention

If you think you're about to blush, quickly focus your attention on something or someone else. Doing this will prevent the fight or flight response from taking over and give you a moment to compose yourself.

3. Give yourself a pep talk

At home, psyche yourself up by standing before the mirror and telling yourself how its going to be and why. Don't put yourself down. Just explain, raise your voice, feel powerful and tell yourself that you don't blush no matter what. When outside, give yourself pep talks in your mind.

4. Convince your subconscious mind that blushing is useless

Your subconscious mind is largely responsible for activating the blushing response. Show it how useless blushing is to you by behaving in a manner that suggests you have no need of blushing any longer. It's all in your body language and thoughts. When the blush comes, ignore it, look up, stand tall, breath normally and don't allow negative thoughts to arise. Your subconscious will take note and eventually, the blushing will stop.

5. Start believing in yourself

As blushing is closely connected to shame, it makes sense that when you stop being ashamed, the blushing will stop with it. If you are a blusher, the chances are, you are a person who is shamed easily. Don't be. We all make mistakes but only a very small percent are paralyzed by shame. The rest learn and move on. Fear not the judgement of others. The only judgement that matters is your own.

"So sweet the blush of bashfulness,
E'en pity scarce can wish it less!" - Byron, Bride of Abydos

6. Rewrite your blushing history

Remember all those times you blushed in the past? What times? Exactly! Go back into the past and rewrite your history. Take all those blushing moments and turn them into moments of calm and poise. Instead of blushing, you laugh and say something funny. Remember as much detail as possible, use all the senses and simply change that moment. Believe it or not, your brain doesn't know the difference between fact and fiction!

7. Meditate, exercise, eat and sleep well

Have you noticed that you blush much more when you are tired, rundown and stressed? Ensure you take some time out to meditate and exercise. Both these activities have been shown to reduce stress and promote feel good vibes. Eat good food and get lots of rest too because a healthy body is a stress-free body.

8. Simply stop being embarrassed

Yep, you read that right! Train yourself to not be embarrassed about anything. Push your boundaries. Hum on the bus so people can hear you. Sing or dance in public when you are by yourself. Do it often enough, while you are alone and eventually you WILL STOP being embarrassed by it. Take it slowly, start with a hum one day and build up to a verse the next. It works, believe me I've done it myself!

9. Show yourself how capable you really are

Self-esteem is also connected to blushing. If your self-worth is lacking, then of course you are more likely to fear and be anxious about social situations. Each day, practice. Practice whatever it is you feel you are good at and keep practicing until you become great at it. As you improve, so too will your self-esteem. Forget the T.V. etc, become an achiever and your confidence will soar.

10. Affirmations

Just as with the pep talk technique, this involves talking to yourself. No, you aren't insane! You are simply coaching yourself to be what you wish to be. Of course, don't go overboard and say things like "I am super confident!" That's too much and you won't believe it. Say things like: "I'm growing more confident with each passing day, I can feel it." Rinse and repeat every day. Your subconscious mind is listening!

"Better a blush in the face than a spot in the heart." - Proverb

11. Create blushing scenarios

At home, somewhere where you won't be disturbed, create scenarios in which you would normally blush. I like to use a voice recorder or a video to record myself too. If you wish to create a moment when you are giving a speech, go ahead and speak out loud, with power and authority. Record it and watch your greatness afterwards. Convince yourself that it's easy and blushing won't occur when the real thing happens.

12. Start thinking big

Double up on everything from now on. If your goal was to make $50,000 a year, raise it to $100,000. Do this in every area of your life. As you raise your expectations, your confidence will also rise and in turn, the frequency of your blushing will decrease. The more confident you are, the less you fear and blushing just loves fear!

13. Raise the tone and strength of your voice

Fill your voice with power and certainty. Believe in what you say. Say it with authority and project your voice so others can hear the confidence in it. This will fill you with self-belief and your fear of blushing will decrease. In time, blushing will become a thing of the past.

14. Stop expecting the blush

If you say or do something that would normally make you blush, don't suddenly stop and think, "oh man, I'm going to blush now." Stop the thought and carry on with what you were doing.

15. Face the fear by bathing in it daily

Don't hide away. When you do that, you are only strengthening the effect. As often as you can, approach situations that would normally make you blush. Don't allow yourself time to think. Just get in quickly and take the reins. Doing so shows your subconscious that there is no need to activate the "fight or flight" response responsible for making you blush..

"Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to." - Mark Twain

16. Leap at the opportunity to blush

You are asked to say a few words at a function or wedding perhaps. Normally, you'd freeze, make an excuse or several excuses, become embarrassed, turn red and feel awful afterwards. Instead of doing that, jump straight up, snatch the microphone and get on with it. Don't think, just do it. When you face your fear of blushing like this, you win. Quite often, the blush doesn't happen when you take control in this manner. No shame, no game!

17. Breathe

It's a simple technique I know but one we tend to overlook. Ensure you breathe at a steady pace as this will keep your heart rate down. The last thing you need is a thumping heart along with your blushing face.

18. Give yourself some credit

Whatever the situation you find yourself in, be it a presentation or a conversation with a teacher or manager, give yourself a pat on the back for having the strength to put yourself in that position in the first place. There's always a way out and you didn't take it. You stood up and faced the situation bravely despite your fear of blushing. Well done!

19. Stay away from energy drinks and coffee

Chronic blushers like us are often in possession of a hyperactive nervous system, thus we react far quicker to stimuli than others. If you are about to enter a situation that may make you blush, stay away from stimulants because they WILL lead to severe blushing.

20. Act the part

You're in the position where there's no turning back now. You can blush and be all awkward, sweaty palms, dry mouth and all, OR you can act the part of someone who is completely at ease with themselves and their surroundings. Again, this takes practice to perfect. Watch others and how they conduct themselves when presenting or talking and try to emulate them.

"Once he saw a youth blushing, and addressed him, Courage, my boy; that is the complexion of virtue." - Laertius Diogenes

21. Create daily challenges for yourself

Start small and work your way slowly towards the more difficult challenges. One day, go to a shopping mall, approach an attractive member of the opposite sex and ask them for the time or for directions. The next, start a conversation with the cashier at your local store even if there's a huge queue behind you. These are all blushing situations and pushing your boundaries like this will steadily reduce the chances of you blushing. You are simply teaching yourself that there's really nothing to fear.

22. Take a front seat every time

In meetings, presentations, seminars, the theater, always sit at the front right where the action is. When you hide away at the back, you are simply programming your subconscious to activate your fear when faced with such situations. Sit at the front and you not only feel empowered later, but your subconscious will take note and lower the risk factor, thereby reducing the chances of a blush.

23. Volunteer

It's tough, I know. When volunteers are needed for a social event, to say a few words, to do some karaoke put your hand up and close the door firmly on the exit. Once again, doing this often, gradually lowers your fear and in turn, your blushing will decrease.

24. Talk about it

Be honest. Tell people that you blush. Make it something that you can openly discuss and do it often. The more you share your most powerful fear, the less significant it becomes.

25. Start expressing yourself

Be expressive. Use body language, fill your voice with emotion, with feeling and enthusiasm when you speak. Stretch in public, yawn and stretch. Express yourself and open yourself up. You don't even have to make it seem obvious, just do it naturally. Again, this saps at the fear and shame within you and shows you that it's okay to be you, to show yourself and to be open to people. It's often the fear of being seen that massively exaggerates the blush when it comes. Practice being expressive and you'll see a decrease in the blushing episodes.

So we come to the end. I hope that you are able to utilize some or even all of these ways to stop blushing in your life. Granted, while some of these are difficult to pull off, I challenge you to challenge yourself. Blushing is simply fear wrapped in a bright red package for all to see. When you confront your fear, it shrinks slowly but surely.

I myself have used and still use many of these ways to stop blushing and I can - with absolute certainty - tell you they do work!

I leave you now to ponder these techniques. May your journey to red-free bliss be as interesting as mine has.

Bon voyage!

It's Good to be Sensitive! - 25 Wonderful Aspects of Highly Sensitive People

Why do I Blush? - How to Stop Blushing All the Time

Highly Sensitive People - The 5 Types of Highly Sensitive People

How to Overcome Social Phobia and Live a Normal Life