Stop Apologizing So Much!
Some of us say “I’m sorry” even when we’re not wrong — and it only hurts us in the end…
I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’m two and a half minutes late. I’m sorry I didn’t bring you a snack. I’m sorry I didn’t cancel my appointment in order to take care of something you needed. I’m sorry I didn’t respond the way you wanted me to respond, when you wanted me to respond. I’m sorry for that random comment I made three weeks ago that I’ve been obsessing about, worried that I might have inadvertently hurt your feelings. I’m sorry I didn’t put on makeup today. I’m sorry I’m struggling these days and am not in a better mood.
Do you suffer from this affliction? Sorry Syndrome? The one that makes you feel like you never hit an acceptable standard of behavior, and as such, you must constantly apologize for your shortcomings?
The list of apologies above are just a handful of examples of things I have apologized for in my life — more than once, I might add. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Is it a genuine offense to be two and a half minutes late? Are we obligated to bring a snack for someone when we make plans to meet up? Should we be expected to cancel all our previous plans in order to accommodate the needs of a friend or family member? Must we make ourselves available for immediate…
