How do I stop saying sorry all the time?
Here are five quick ways to stop saying sorry all the time.
1) Turn your Sorry into Gratitude - Instead of saying, "I am sorry you that had to come to pick me up." Say, "I am very grateful you were available to come to get me; I really appreciate you." Just making this change alone gives off a more positive vibe. There is Power in Gratitude, be sure to use it as often as possible.
“Would ‘sorry’ have made any difference? Does it ever? It’s just a word. One word against a thousand actions.”– Sarah Ockler
2) Take a break before you apologize - This can be a challenging one and one that takes a little practice. Many of us say sorry without even noticing. I know this because often when I hear someone tell me sorry, I say "for what?" They look at me with a puzzled stare. I know they don't have a clue they even said it, but that's my point, I make them pause just long enough to think about it. So, before you say sorry, get in the habit of making yourself pause and ask yourself, "Did I do something that deserves a sorry?" What I have found that makes it a little easier to do is ask yourself, Did I do anything wrong here? If I didn't do anything wrong, do I want others to think I did something wrong? By you saying sorry you're admitting wrongdoing, so now others are going to ask themselves what you did wrong.
3)Ask Questions Differently - Practice phrasing your questions is a way that they are clearly a decisive, That way you don't feel like to have to say sorry to clarify your question. Don't be quick to apologize for a question you asked; it's not automatically your fault the other person didn't understand what you were asking.
4) Know What Triggers You - This takes a little for thought, sit down, and write 8-10 things that trigger you to say sorry. For example, asking for directions, when you need a favor from someone, when you get in the way of a person's path, etc. For each scenario, you come up with, write down a sentence you can use instead. A couple of times a week spend a few minutes reading them out loud. Once you feel like you have them down focus on using them in the real world. If ten is too much narrow them down to just a few each week until you start to break the habit.
