Do you find yourself saying “I’m sorry,” all the time? For things that do not require an apology? You are not alone. Many of us have done this, and catch ourselves doing it so frequently that even we are wondering, “Why am I saying that?”
When we say this, and an apology is not needed we are feeding into an idea that we need outside validation of our existence. WE create an unequal power dynamic that assumes our inferiority. Then when we find ourselves in relationships with people who treat us as “less than,” we become confused.
We may need to “fake it, ’til we make it” in this instance, and starting acting as if we are worthy until we actually feel that truth in our bodies.
One way we can shift out of saying “I’m sorry” is by switching to “Thank you.”
Instead of saying, “I’m sorry I’m late, I had a family emergency,” we say, “Thank you for being so patient today. I was late because I had a family emergency.”
In the second sentence we are not looking for the other person to accept us, nor are we acting subordinate, instead we are assuming their graciousness and our equality.
