No one said apologising was easy. Swallowing your pride, saying you were wrong and getting the word Sorry out of the mouth can be very difficult. Saying sorry implies humility and acceptance of the fact that there is room for improvement… often it is about making yourself small to be the bigger person. Saying sorry can be good for the soul; for so many reasons:
It is the mature thing to do
If we refuse to say sorry, we are really no better than that sulky, truculent child with the pouting lower lip who folds their arms across their chest and refuses to accept responsibility for their actions. Apologising takes maturity; precisely why it is so difficult to do!
It is good for the relationship
By saying sorry you acknowledge that the other person and your relationship with them is important enough for you to try and make amends. It can help cement cracks in a relationship and prevent problems from festering and growing.
Saying sorry is about not repeating your mistakes
Implicit in saying sorry is a promise that you will try not to repeat your mistakes; that if you’ve made a mistake or hurt someone today, you will actively work towards not repeating those hurtful or erroneous actions.
It’s good for the ego
Eating a bit of humble pie is a good thing for our prideful egos. It gives us a more realistic idea of our faults and lets us admit that we are all fallible. It make us mindful of personal qualities that could do with some improvements; the first step towards growing as a person.
Saying sorry is about honesty
Saying sorry is about sincerity and about looking within, recognising and admitting when we are wrong. Acknowledging this fact to the opposite person helps build trust; the opposite person has more faith that they are right to repose faith in you.
It makes you acknowledge the elephant in the room
Sometimes, saying sorry is about taking the bull by the horns and speaking out about an uncomfortable making topic; one that everyone may have been avoiding. It can clear the air and soon the relief will be palpable that the unmentionable has finally being tackled.
It is a great example to set
If you say sorry, it is easier for the opposite person to say sorry too. And for kids, it sets a great example when an adult acknowledges that they were wrong and that it is OK to admit to having made mistakes.
Sorry is also about forgiving
Accepting a person’s apology graciously is as important as saying sorry. If you’re churlish and grudging about accepting the apology this is a refusal to meet the other person halfway.
