You ’ ve Hurt Your Partner: Here ’ s How to Apologize Sincerely

Everyone makes mistakes. Here’s how to fix them. You messed up and made a huge mistake. You really blew it, and now your partner is giving you heck about it, seething with disappointment, hurt, and pain. Now you need to apologize so it doesn’t continually affect your relationship — but sometimes, knowing how to apologize in a way that your partner knows you mean it is the tough part. Guilt washes over you as your conscience reminds you that you didn’t keep your word or your end of a commitment. Or quite adversely — a more flippant, “What’s the big deal anyway? Get over it!” attitude. If you sometimes feel like it’s easier to put your head in the sand and go passive, defend yourself, or dismiss or deny your partner’s perspective when you screw up, you are not alone. What more does your partner want from you anyway? You said you were sorry and that should be enough and now we can move on, right? Nope. Your partner wants you to really understand how your blunder affected them. If you understand, and can even offer some empathetic words, it opens up the possibility for them to feel soothed, calmer, and more connected to you. It can also help your partner let go of the pain that your blunder caused them. Recognizing where your partner is coming from means asking them questions in a non-defensive manner so that you can better understand the situation. Only then can a true apology be born. But of course, if it were that easy, resentments wouldn’t ex...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Communication General Marriage and Divorce Publishers Relationships YourTango apologize how to say your sorry Source Type: blogs