I apologize a lot & for stupid things that require no apology -- "I'm sorry you lost something that I was not responsible for keeping track of." "I'm sorry that the train conductor is drunk & I keep falling into you." "I'm sorry for partying."
We are all guilty of apologizing way too much for silly things that the real reason for the phrase has kind of lost its meaning. Heather Collins Molina wrote a really interesting article about our overly apologetic society & offers a few helpful tips to ween ourselves of the sorries:
1. Stop staying "I'm sorry." Eliminate it from your life completely until you can use it responsibly. (Of course, truly severe cases of a much-needed "I'm sorry" are excluded from this).
2. Replace "I'm sorry" with "excuse me" or "pardon me" or whichever appropriate formality works best.
3. Say "I'm sorry" only when you feel it is really, really necessary.
4. say "I'm sorry" once. Look them in the eye, say it & mean it. But say it only once.
5. Enjoy the new lightness & freedom of your new sorry-free life.
6. Have a funeral & party for "I'm sorry." (Totally optional, but hilarious & fun!)
I'm not so sure that I'm down for #6, but I do want to be more mindful of how often & when I use the phrase "I'm sorry."
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