Thursday Seeds | I’m Sorry, I made a Mistake.

It’s a topic.  From one email titled hard conversations, this is a statement that is true.

“ 2. Everyone owes somebody an apology—and when you do it, keep it simple. “

Apologies can go viral. If the Musk guy did one, it would. But he won’t and I don’t want to make this post about that.

How many apologies do you give? Do you end it with the phrase, “I won’t do it again.” And if you do, do you mean it? That is what gives an apology true weight. It’s not just acknowledging that you messed up to the person that you hurt, but also making a commitment not to do it again.

How many marriages would last if we did this?

Mine might have. It didn’t.

The other thing is that if you say you are sorry, like that Chicago song, then do it again and again, even if the person didn’t know you did it, they would know you did it. How?  Energy.

That’s how people grow apart. Not admitting flaws. We all have them. I have a new prayer on my board:  “God, mentor every flaw.”

Here’s another question:  Have you made apologies to yourself?

“I’m sorry, me. You deserved better with not waiting till after the deadline to figure out you need to do this…” 

Those are probably the best apologies of all. Because true growth that you can effect can happen then. “Why oh why did I wait so long to do this?”

That is what I was asking myself when I had been on a boat in open water testing if I got sea sick. I didn’t get sea sick. Sure, I took the Dramamine to be sure. That’s being responsible. But some still get sick. You can even play mind tricks and looks at the water from above on a bridge and tell yourself you get sick, don’t get on a boat.  But if you do, if you take the chance, face the fear, you get to swim with the whale sharks like the tour says. And THAT is worth the risk.  So take those risks early! Don’t wait until your health fails or its the very last moment. 

Do it now!

“I’m sorry that I let fear keep me from doing this, I won’t do it again.” (But we all fall back and take advantage.) The best thing to do is acknowledge it and then pick up to do it again.

Work in progress.  Maybe “I won’t do it again” isn’t a possible or plausible statement to make. 

“I won’t get angry again.”  Who are we kidding?  But there is still growth in this. We all have to try. We take the baby steps and keep it moving. 

I’m sorry this post is late, it wasn’t an easy one to write…