5 reasons to say sorry

I believe genuine apologies have immense power, so here are 5 reasons for apologizing more often that I’ve come up with. I hope they encourage you to say “I’m sorry” to someone it may be long overdue for.

1. It Puts An End To The Mind Stories

Our minds are powerful tools capable of imagining wonderful scenarios, helping us to solve challenges, and on occasion, giving us that tiny spark of potential genius. But our minds are also quite capable of concocting insane and exaggerated worst-case scenarios for pretty much any situation. When it comes to feeling the need to say “I’m sorry,” chances are your mind has already envisioned it going terribly. By actually saying it, you put an end to the unnecessary and exhausting what-ifs and open yourself up to the joys of real experiences.

2. It Re-Builds Respect

Given how much courage apologizing requires, it often tends to lay the foundation for a newfound respect. The action or instance you are apologizing for cannot be changed, but by openly acknowledging and taking responsibility for it, you give it the opportunity to be more properly processed. Even if the recipient chooses to respond negatively and holds onto their opinion of you, you still have the opportunity to re-build some of your own self-respect by acknowledging your role.

3. It Puts An End To The Fear

From financial crisis, to death, to lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), there is already more than enough to fear in this world. There is no need for us to add a fear of apologizing into the mix. By saying sorry, we shift apologizing from outside to inside our comfort zone, making us better communicators and more responsible individuals.

4. It Sets A Good Example

Due in large part to the rise of social media, the world is littered with people and situations that are consistently setting a bad (or at least questionable) example for the younger generations. Being someone who is willing to take responsibility for their actions certainly sets a much needed positive example for those around you. I can personally attest to this, as just sharing my own personal experience with some of my co-workers has already inspired several of them to reflect on their own lives.

5. It Encourages You To Be Yourself

Whether intentionally or not, we all (to varying degrees) seem to love fabricating at least a part of our lives. The biggest example of this is, once again, the world of social media, where we are consistently exposed to people’s highlight reels rather than true life experiences. Saying sorry comes from a place of vulnerable acknowledgement, an acknowledgement that automatically connects you to who you are and what you have done.