Apologize and Begin Again
One of the lessons that marriage counseling teaches and guides clients through is finding the strength to say “I’m sorry” and mean it. It really isn’t easy to say you’re sorry, especially when you truly mean it. The entire point of apologizing to someone is to admit that you were wrong, that you hurt them, and that you are asking them to forgive you. Everything about saying you are sorry is vulnerable and difficult, and generally the more you mean it, the harder it is to say.
Saying You’re Sorry
When you apologize, you are accepting responsibility for actions that probably shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Saying you’re sorry does include a deep understanding of how your actions affected someone else. Saying you’re sorry does not include justifying your actions in the first place or advocating the blame of someone else.
Why Do We Say We’re Sorry
Sometimes people apologize because they just want to get out of the situation they have found themselves in. They don’t want to deal with the repercussions of their actions and instead just want to pretend it didn’t happen.
Some people apologize because they realize they hurt another and are genuinely sorry. They wish to heal the relationship and begin again.
If you find yourself in the position of regretting something that you have done because it hurt someone you love, take the responsibility for what you have done and apologize. You may be surprised at how quickly a relationship can heal when you admit your mistakes, acknowledge how they affected others, and ask for forgiveness.
