How to Say You’re Sorry
- Think about the situation, why it happened, and what you did wrong. When you’re apologizing to another human being, it’s not about you—it’s about them, and how you’ve hurt them.
- Approach the person when they’re alone, and ask if it’s a good time to talk. If they say no, ask politely when you can check back in, and respect their answer even if they don’t want to see you for a while. It might be hard for you wait, but part of apologizing is respecting boundaries.
- If you do meet up, look the person in the eye and say, “I’m sorry.” You can be more specific and add, “It was wrong of me to do _______,” but do not get defensive and say “I only did _____ because you did ______.” An apology is not the appetizer to the meal of blaming the other person.
- Shake hands or hug, and then walk away, giving the other person space. Look how classy you are!