How willing are you to apologize? How well do you accept apologies? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”
“Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got.”
Who in your life deserves a sincere apology and a shift in your behavior?
Image from Unsplash by mark tulip
Apologizing is an act of generosity. It acknowledges a wrongdoing and seeks to make amends. We cannot change the past, but a sincere apology and a request for forgiveness can create the foundation for a better future.
Make note of the word “can.”
Words alone without a definitive and observable change in behavior aren’t usually enough to mend life’s fences for long.
To whom might you owe a sincere apology? What do you plan to say and what new promises regarding your future behavior will make things right?
Image from Unsplash by Sarah Killian
It Takes Two to Tango.
Take a moment to look at the health and work-ability of your closest and most important relationships.
Examine how things are going with your spouse, partner, children, siblings, and friends. How about your connections with colleagues, customers, and others at work?
Virtually all of my coaching clients place communications and improving relationships at or near the very top of their most important and urgent priorities. Among the tips and techniques offered in countless books, workshops, and seminars is the good old-fashioned sincere apology.
Where and with whom have you stepped on a toe or two recently?
What role and what level of responsibility do you have in what is and isn’t working?
Where would fessing up to a mess you made or helped create make the biggest difference?
When will you take the necessary action to clean things up?
Please reply to this post and let me know how things go.
We all recognize that life can be difficult at times. Take a few moments and look into your past, to a time when someone wronged you, personally or professionally. Examine all the details of this event to see if it still has any grip on you, especially if you never received a proper apology.
For many people, reliving such events in their minds can be particularly upsetting and painful, even if the occurrence happened years or decades ago.
How could you make your life easier and travel lighter by developing the talent to accept apologies you never received?