What do you say to sorry

This response often captures that you can see that the apology may have been difficult for the other person, and you want to show appreciation for their vulnerability and ownership of their role in the hurt.

This is often helpful in times when you are skeptical of the apology or not ready to let your guard down enough to engage in a deeper discussion. Hurt is a natural part of relationships, and while we hope to minimize the occurrence of this pain, it does happen. How we respond in these moments of pain and hurt are critical, and responding to apologies offers us an amazing opportunity to be intentional, reducing the amount of hurt and resentment that we hang onto in relationships, leading to healthier and more long-lasting relationships.

So what do you think; will you give it a go? Will you challenge yourself to respond to apologies in a more intentional and meaningful way? I really love this concept!

I just had a situation at work where a coworker was VERY rude to me in front of a number of other teachers. My view of her is completely different and I feel it would have been more honest to respond in a different way. I will definitely be keeping these gems in my mind for next time!

Thanks Dr. Thanks so much for your comment! Kudos for being mindful of how this experience impacted you; that is the first step to doing something differently in the future! Keep it up! I immediately recalled this article and felt the situations warranted other responses. Thanks for a very important and relevant message.

I too had an email apology after a rude comment by a coworker. At least he sent it to all present people at the meeting but I did not feel like saying it is OK. I also did not want to dwell on what I might have done wrong or how this hurt me, … Your suggestions are good. I will choose the I appreciate the apology which is what I feel. Thank you for your article, it is very helpful in my situation. Today one colleague spoke to me in a very disrespectful way in front of a lot of people, which left us speechless.

I left the office shortly after; and about one hour later she apologised by email. I am grateful for it. Thank you very much. I found this page by doing a google search for that response to an apology to get light on what they actually meant. I, too, have been on the receiving end of that response, and what has made the difference is the TONE. I recently apologized by email to a colleague for taking slightly longer than I would have liked to respond to her email hours versus minutes — a fairly minor failure to perform that I nonetheless felt compelled to cop to just in case she was feeling poorly treated.

Am I justified in being annoyed at this nonresponse? My intent was to demonstrate thoughtfulness and build our working relationship. I frankly interpret her silence as ingratitude and a rejection of my overture. It often leads us to all sorts of interpreting, guessing why, etc. And while her silence might have been a rejection of your apology, it could have also been due to several other things.

It's important to remind yourself that even if someone accepts your apology, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're ready to forgive you. True forgiveness may take some time, so stay calm and be patient. Genuine apologies aren't always easy, but that can be an important part of mending or maintaining important relationships. With empathy, an open heart, and a dose of courage, you can take the steps you need to make a sincere and honest apology.

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Schumann K. The psychology of offering an apology: Understanding the barriers to apologizing and how to overcome them. Curr Dir Psychol Sci. Schumann K, Dweck CS. Who accepts responsibility for their transgressions? Pers Soc Psychol Bull. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Recognize Reasons. Know When. Take Responsibility. Express Regret. Make Amends. Reaffirm Boundaries. Own Up. Manage Expectations. Let Go of Results. Choose Your Method. Why owning up to our mistakes is important Not being able to own up to our mistakes and to apologise sincerely to someone when we need to can harm every area of our life, including in the workplace, the classroom and our relationships.

What can I do now? Head to the ReachOut Forums for more advice and tips. Explore other topics It's not always easy to find the right place to start. What's on your mind? Tags Communication skills Mental wellbeing Article How-to. Instead, take responsibility for your mistake by owning it and saying, "It was wrong of me to I definitely admit to and acknowledge mistakes. Apologizing for something that you do not feel remorseful or apologetic for is the wrong thing to do.

There is a level to the word "sorry" that for some things simply doesn't ring true. In those times I think of the word "contrition," which is the state of feeling penitent. This, to me, implies that you intend to make up for the error in a humble, caring and thoughtful way.

More than words, an act of repentance —even without the religious overtone—can go much further than the hollowness of a phrase. O'Connor , Career Pro Inc. This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here. More From Forbes. Nov 12, , pm EST. Nov 12, , am EST. Edit Story.