Stop Refusing to Apologize & Embrace Being Sorry

One of the hardest lessons to be learned in life is how to be truly, genuinely sorry for our behavior or words that cause another person pain, upset, or harm. Some companies — as we saw this past week with United Airlines’ difficulty in apologizing to their customers — have an even more difficult time with this than most people. You may think, “Well, what do I have to apologize for? They were clearly in the wrong.” Such stubbornness and a refusal to apologize will get you into far more trouble than it could possibly be worth. It’s a lesson worth learning sooner rather than later — that is, if you want to be happier and more successful in your life. Like many, I spent a good part of my adult life feeling like I had little to apologize for. Sure, I made mistakes, but I just as often would try and deny responsibility for them, rationalize them away, or minimize their importance and impact on others. Learning to more readily say “I’m sorry” was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I rank it right up there with learning how to break up with someone. Why We Cling to No Apologies The reason so many people are reluctant to apologize is because to do so is to acknowledge blame, fault, and perhaps most scary, vulnerability. This is why companies will say a hundred words that sort of sound like an apology, but don’t actually say anything (must less contain an apology). That’s why United Airline’s tone-d...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Brain and Behavior Family Friends General Habits Happiness Mental Health and Wellness Psychology Relationships Self-Help Apologies Apologizing being sorry how to say your sorry refusing to apologize saying you're sorry Source Type: blogs