Everyday, there’s a quarrel or fight somewhere, mostly due to misunderstanding. While some are resolved quickly, others are not. In fact, some make it to the internet and blow out of proportion. The sad thing is, I’m sorry, is unarguably one of the most abused phrases of all time, because many people do not mean it when they say it. As a result, you sometimes need morethan saying I’m sorry to prove that you’re truly repentant or remorseful.
Although some offenses require time to be forgiven, others are quickly overlooked. Either way, forgiveness is dependent on what the offense is, who the offender is and their intent when apologizing. Also, some could be forgiven but are not welcomed back into the “fold”.
How do we gauge apologies? How do you apologize if I’m sorry isn’t enough?
Here are some ways:
Utilize their love language
If you are quite close to them, you ought to know their love language(s). Someone whose love language is an act of service may forgive you if you clean for them. Likewise, someone whose love language is physical touch may prefer you to hold their hands and look into their eyes sincerely while apologizing.
Show, don’t tell.
Show how sorry you are. This applies to if the situation at hand required you to do something that you refused to. For instance, if you were asked to empty the waste bin but you didn’t, your way of apologizing should be to empty the waste bin.
Also, for this, timeliness matters. It could be quite aggravating if you don’t empty the waste bin when it could have been incinerated. And perhaps, you can’t meet up the time now. It is therefore advisable to find ways to incinerate it yourself. This action would not only show how sorry you are but could also earn you forgiveness.
Desist from repeating
Nothing annoys anyone more than seeing who they forgave repeat the same thing over and over. If you apologize several times but aren’t listened to, give it time. Sometimes, people just want to see if you would repeat that thing or not.
In addition, If they eventually forgive you, repeating that offense could only make things worse. Learn not to take forgiveness for granted, otherwise, you could lose it for good.
Article written by Sola Tales.