Is this apology just offered to you a real one? or a fake apology?
“Just this once,” you say. “Just this once, I want a real, sincere apology.”
If you have a certifiable passive aggressive on your hands, you may have never experienced a real apology from them. PA mentalities restrict them from accepting their own wrongdoings or taking responsibility for the pain they may have caused you in an argument or altercation.
Apologies and a trading back and forth of acceptance and forgiveness is the core of a healthy relationship. Strong bonds are formed when people trust one another to say “I was wrong,” and move on.
What does a real, not fake, apology look like?
A real apology will not be rushed, and will honestly commit to doing something specific. It will say, “I’m sorry I said you don’t understand,” not, “I’m sorry you feel bad.”
Man or woman, there is a certain etiquette surrounding when to apologize, when not to, and how to approach a loving partner with an apology.
Slow down – a good apology can sometimes be ruined by hasty, mixed up turns of phrase.
Sincerity – State explicitly what you’re sorry for.
Take full responsibility – offer an apology for all the things you said, not half. Important here is not to apologize for something you didn’t do. That gives the other person an unfair power over you.
An apology that keeps things like these in consideration sounds true and principled, not trite and insincere. Let your emotional integrity speak for itself, or you will create more problems for yourself.
