I’m Sorry Is Not Good Enough

What do you think of when you hear the word “trust”? Maybe an unbreakable bond that is mutually shared between two people or perhaps a commitment to be honest and lay all the cards on the table without judgment.

Giving someone access to our emotional well being can be hard to stomach especially if we have been hurt in the past. When we share our feelings with people we are taking a risk that cannot be controlled once those feelings have been shared. At that point judgment can occur and cause us to shut down that emotional bridge or the opposite can happen and the receiving party can embrace the message with empathy.

Once trust has been broken with either party it can be difficult to mend that relationship to where it was before. If you as a parent tell your child to jump and you promise to catch him/her and end up dropping your child, your child will always remember you dropped them. In ever relationship everyone has a certain limit that once crossed is hard to go back. All it takes is one time to break a special tie with someone and then the point of recovery is gone.

Here are some simple steps to recover trust that has previously been broken:

Admit Your Shortcomings

Pretending to be perfect and hiding from the truth will push you from trusting others. We all have downfalls and need each other to over come them while pushing through our insecurities. Admitting where you missed it is the first step in recovery of trust in a relationship.

Apologize

Have a genuine message from the heart that expresses how much you wish you could correct your mistake and simply say you’re sorry to start.

Give Someone A Reason To Trust You Again

Don’t just leave the situation at I’m sorry. I’m sorry is not good enough. Actions speak louder than words. Prove to the other person that you have what it takes to earn their trust back. For every one bad mistake, it might take doing 20 right things in order to mend that wound.

Relationships are not always easy to manage. Each person is unique and has a different level of sensitivity. Some people forgive easily while others forever hold a grudge on their shoulder. I encourage you to look past people faults and examine where you might have missed it. We cannot change others, but only change ourselves. In order to mend a broken relationship you have to take a look in the mirror and begin to work on you.

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Stephen C. Willis is the founder of MeMakeMistake — fix any mistake and send all types of digital greetings (launching Summer 2016).
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