It’s easy to go wrong in a relationship. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of being stubborn and not willing to see things from the other person’s point of view. Other times, it’s a matter of acting stupidly or in an inconsiderate way. Learning to admit that you’re wrong is an important part of a relationship, and in doing so you’re more likely to see long term stability and success in that relationship. Admitting you’re wrong requires you to do more than just send flowers, however, and you need to understand what’s really involved in a sincere apology.
Here’s how to fess up and get back into those loving arms once again:
- Admit it to yourself, first. Before you can apologize to that special someone, you need to know what it is you did wrong. Beyond that, however, you need to understand why it was wrong. If you don’t, you’ll wind up with a half-hearted or even back-handed apology. Admit your mistake to yourself before you go any further.
- Be careful with your tone. The trick is to not sound patronizing or desperate when you’re apologizing to that special person. Even if you don’t mean to, it’s easy to come off as being less than sincere.
- Give it some time. Don’t try to admit you’re wrong right after the argument. Chances are pretty good that she’s going to need some time to cool down first. Don’t wait too long, of course, or you’ll wind up creating a different problem.
- Bring a gift. You can send flowers, for sure, but you might also consider bringing them with you. If you’ve really screwed up, bring some chocolates, too.
- Be ready for a fight. Sometimes, even when you know you’re wrong and ready to tell the other person, they’re not always in the mood to hear it. Sometimes, they won’t really accept your apology either. You need to be prepared for the possibility that the apology will turn into a power struggle or even an all-out fight.
- Forgive yourself. Even if the other person doesn’t forgive you, at some point you’ve got to move on.