The words “I’m sorry” play a big part in our daily lives. You might apologize while squeezing through a crowd or spilling something at dinner. We tend to easily say the words in these circumstances, but genuine apologies are a different story.

Even if you feel guilty for hurting someone, you might have trouble finding the right way to express your regret. How do you give a meaningful and sincere apology? How do you ask for one? With these tips, you’ll find that “sorry” doesn’t have to be the hardest word.

For apologies to be effective, they have to be focused on the other person’s needs and feelings not your own

Laurie Poole, MS, LPC

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