It happens to the best of us. You’ve just learned a person’s name five seconds ago (or, worse, met this person several times before) and now you’re drawing a blank. While there are things you can do to remember names next time, you can get around the current emergency in a few ways.

If you’re at a professional function and you don’t have it already, you can ask for the person’s email address, which might give you exactly what you need. You could ask for their name and pretend you just didn’t know their last name, although that one’s been used so many times that it’s basically an admission of guilt. You could also introduce the person to your friend (“This is my friend Tina,” and Tina can ask the nameless person’s name).

Or, of course, you can just fess up and say you’ve got a terrible memory, but it’s awesome if the other person has remembered yours. Paying them an appropriate and thoughtful compliment after your embarrassment can help mitigate the damage.

Whether you’re at a party among strangers or there’s a long lull in conversation among people you know, silence can feel deafening. Everyone wants to have more interesting conversations—or at least avoid awkward ones. The key, as you might guess, is to come prepared. Have a plan, shore up some good go-to stories, use the FORD technique to turn small talk into an actual conversation, and, sometimes, just enjoy the silence.

Also, here are the most awkward conversation mistakes we all make and how to avoid them.

A blind date takes all the stress of talking to strangers and ramps it up with additional pressure and romantic scrutiny. It’s a good kind of stress, though, at least if your date goes well. To that end, try to pick a great first-date activity, keep your expectations in check, and learn the science behind the perfect first date. (Also, try not to sweat it even if things do get uncomfortable. We’ve all recovered from embarrassing early dating mistakes.)

The most uncomfortable situations often involve our coworkers—those people we interact with on a daily basis and are perhaps only borderline friends with, making it all the more complicated. When problems arise, we have to treat them delicately.

If you have a problematic—or completely inept—coworker, try having a discrete, polite conversation with the person or kill ‘em with kindness. If you have to call out a coworker who is slacking off, consider whether or not she’s really a roadblock for your work before figuring out whether this uncomfortable situation is really your problem or worth your intervention. Often, it’s not.

Having “the talk” about sex with your kids might be the definition of uncomfortable. It might not be possible to have a matter-of-fact discussion about human physiology and relationships without eliciting a “Gross, mom” response. Birds and Bees and Kids is a site that can help broach the subject with your kids more comfortably. Likewise, when talking about drugs, racial issues, or death, the most important thing is to meet the child where they are first and answer honestly and factually, however uncomfortable the situation might feel. Kids are taking their cues from you.

Speaking of uncomfortable subjects, adults are notoriously uncomfortable talking with each other about all sorts of topics—money, religion, and politics in particular. Most of us avoid these subjects when visiting the in-laws, but sometimes it’s necessary or at least helpful to have these conversations.

Our focus here should be on curiosity and learning (for example, there’s a lot we can learn from other religions and perspectives). And if you want to contribute, the key is to stick to the facts and try to find common ground when discussing controversial subjects. Prevent money arguments with your partner or with anyone else by taking the emotion out of it and having a plan in place. Also, don’t feed the trolls. Feel sorry for them if you want, and move on.

You messed up—big time. The biggest discomfort is in that period when you realize your major error and owning up to it. Once you learn from it or turn those mistakes into steps in improving yourself, the situation isn’t as bad as you might think. It might just make you more human. Be honest and do your best to take your ego out of the equation. The sooner you do that, the better off people will be to forgive you—or, even better, find you more endearing for it.

You know what makes people really uncomfortable? The human body. Specifically, things that involve bodily fluids, odors, and touching. We’re very particular about shaking hands perfectly, not passing gas in public, avoiding others’ constant sneezing and germs, peeing correctly in a urinal, and getting rid of bad breath. First, of course, get the basic hygiene down, and then it’s all about respecting other people’s boundaries. If you’re not sure, err on the side of caution and follow other people’s leads until you’re confident enough to lead on your own. And once you feel confident, the awkwardness is gone.

When someone you know or love is in pain, it’s hard to find the right words that might actually be helpful, whether they’re dealing with the loss of a loved one, an illness like depression, or another health issue. The Ring Theory is a good guide for knowing how to comfort someone. And, again, take the other person’s lead when finding out how you can help or support them. Don’t be afraid to ask directly; understanding whether you should make yourself useful or step out of the way altogether is the fastest way to help someone who needs it and kill the awkwardness at the same time.

Maybe it’s the family member who always has to have her way, the friend who never lets anyone else get a word in edgewise, or the coworker who overshares personal details, but uncomfortable situations will probably always come up because that’s human nature. Here’s a brief guide to some of the more common types of uncomfortable people and how to deal with them. The truth is, though, sometimes it’s good to be uncomfortable now and then, like a Navy SEAL. When it happens, use it to grow.

This story was originally published in March 2015 and was updated on May 10, 2021 as a slideshow with new photos and information.