You drop your tray in the lunchroom, splattering food everywhere. It gets all over two girls you don't even know. Three tables clap and cheer. This is just one of many embarrassed girls stories!

You're sure you're alone in your room. You turn on the music and do your best imitation of Gwen Stefani in front of the mirror. Then you see your older brother and two of his friends standing in the doorway, laughing.

You write an angry email about how Kara treated you in school and plan to send it to Rebecca. As soon as you click Send, you realize you sent the message to Kara, instead.

Just being part of the human race guarantees you will be embarrassed somewhere along the way. Whether you get caught cheating or lying...or say something unkind about someone that he or she overhears...or you fall, trip, spill, or break something in front of others...or your body malfunctions, giving off bad odors or noises, sooner or later you will have a toilet-paper-stuck-to-your shoe type incident and others will notice.

No matter what happens, everyone gets embarrassed sometimes and knows how it feels. You want to crawl into a hole. You blush or giggle or your mouth is completely dry. You might have trouble talking as your face burns, the butterflies begin, and your heart pounds.

How do we ever survive such moments to transform from embarrassed girls into confident women? It is possible to handle yourself with a bit of grace. The first step is putting things in perspective. Here are some pointers.

Be honest

Anyone who witnessed your failing knows how you're feeling, and we bet they are basically more sympathetic than critical. If you try to deny your humiliation, chances are not many will buy it.

If possible, make a joke

If you laugh at yourself and act like a good sport, you'll cut the tension immediately.

If you have hurt someone, apologize

You made a mistake—say you are sorry. It won't be your last. No one does everything right all the time.

Take a deep breath

It might seem as if this moment might last forever, but it will pass.

Think things through

In some cases, thinking ahead of time can help you avoid awkward situations later.

It will make a great story

Carol Burnett once said, "Comedy is tragedy plus time." This couldn't be truer about life's embarrassing moments. The more excruciating the incident, the funnier it will be in the years to come!