Sweaty palms. The clammy handshake of social anxiety. For years, the mere thought of shaking hands triggered a cascade of sweat. Job interviews, networking events, meeting new people – the handshake, meant to be a gesture of greeting and confidence, became a source of sheer panic. I’d try to discreetly wipe my hands, avoid handshakes altogether, and generally dread any situation involving palm-to-palm contact.
Then, I adopted the “Embrace the Damp” strategy. Instead of fighting the sweat, I accepted it. I stopped trying to hide it, stopped apologizing for it, and just…shook hands. Confident, direct, and yes, with slightly damp palms. And something unexpected happened. No one cared. Okay, maybe someone noticed, but no one recoiled in horror. Most people just shook hands, moved on, and didn’t give my slightly sweaty palms a second thought.
Embracing the damp wasn’t about suddenly loving sweaty palms (still not a fan!). It was about challenging my own self-consciousness, realizing that most people are far more forgiving than we imagine, and that a slightly damp handshake is not a social catastrophe. Sweaty palms stopped being a source of shame and became just…palms. And handshakes? They can be confident and genuine, even with a little moisture. Embrace the damp, shake hands with confidence, and move on.