Mistakes You Make When Apologizing
- By
Julia Austin
Source: Westend61 / Getty
Staying in your shoes
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can be useful for many complicated personal dynamics, as it certainly is when it’s time to apologize. Too often we go into an apology looking to be absolved, rather than to give comfort. We’re still looking at the incident from our point of view, rather than the other person’s, and as such, we’re still in defense mode. “When apologizing, do not try to explain yourself,” Dr. Jackson says. “While you may or may not be in the wrong, something you did hurt, offended, or distressed the other person. An apology is not the time for you to hope to explain yourself. Instead, try to hear and understand the other person’s point of view.”
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