There is this little thing I do, too often. I recognize it as a flaw, but I do it so frequently, that it has become habit.
Today, a friend of mine reminded me, with a brilliant post, that it is a habit I need to break:
I say “I’m sorry” at least 27 times a day. Now, according to Stephanie’s post, I’m not alone – women do it a lot. With my hand raised firmly in the air, I acknowledge that I am one of those women.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner.”
“I’m sorry I missed your call.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t get to your house by 7pm.”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to join you/volunteer, etc.”
“I’m sorry, Buddy, but that is just the way it is…”
“I’m sorry honey, but no snack so close to dinner time…
and my favorite:
“I’m sorry, but I really just can’t do that work without compensation.” (my favorite because those words have actually (recently) come out of my mouth AND did I really apologize because I was unwilling to do work for free?
So, in solidarity with other women reading along and dear-goodness-because-I-need-to-stop-saying-it (if my husband was reading over my shoulder he would wonder why HIS nagging on the subject hadn’t been effective and yet this post got me moving….) I decided I would make it my mission to avoid saying, “I’m sorry” or “I apologize” unless it fits – meaning I have said or done something wrong.
I caught myself 7 times (no joke) both in conversation and via email just today after reading Stephanie’s psot.. Only one of those times was I unable to delete and/or stop myself before the words came flying out of my mouth…
I realize that it sounds polite, that “I’m sorry” has become mainstream, even code for something less than “It’s my fault and I will fix it…” but yet, I really have nothing to be sorry for when the words often tumble out of my mouth, or worse into an email.
So…. today… down with “I’m sorry”.
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