"I'm sorry": How to say it right

As it's still Friday, we're still celebrating failure today.

One of the skills you should develop over a lifetime of failures is the skill to say "I'm sorry." If you're going to accomplish anything meaningful in life, you're going to fail. And if you're going to have a lifetime of accomplishments, you're going to have a lifetime of failures.  Sometimes you're going to fail not only yourself, but possibly those around you.

Now's the time to learn How to Say "I'm sorry. There's an excellent script at LifeScript on this simple, way-y-y-y-y too often overlooked, step in the failure and learning process on your way to success.

Why's it important to say I'm sorry? It communicates respect for that person. You acknowledge them and how your mistakes effected their day when you apologize. Acknowledgement = respect. "I'm sorry" said properly means you respect that person.

It's also vital for your own learning process.  You can't know your mistakes and learn from them until you acknowledge them...to yourself and those effected by them. It's a matter of ownership, integrity, responsibility. You can't take on more responsibility until you show you can own what's yours right now. And that starts with ...acknowledging your errors with I'm sorry.

I'm getting close to success. Know why I know? I've become very skilled and comfortable at saying I'm sorry. It sounds kinda cocky: I'm skilled and comfortable at saying I'm sorry. And what a reason to get all puffed up and strut like a little bantam rooster. Hey, I'm an expert at saying I'm sorry...flapping my wings, arching my neck and stretching to my full height...

But seriously folks. I've had a lot of practice.

I've found it's scary, yet cleansing psychologically, to just own up and say it. It's sorta like a thrill ride at the circus. You get in the cart. The cart's on a track and you can't stop it. You go into this dark space where it seems you're out of control....and then you come out on the other side into the sunlight.

It's the same way with saying I'm sorry...I commit to making that apology. The conversation starts and we  go into a dark place where the pain and hurt resides with myself and those effected, I  say I'm sorry...and...sometimes a few scary moments happen and then I'm into the sunlight. 

Happens every time. Honestly, I always forget before I do it. But every time, just like the circus ride, I always come out into the sunlight after a few moments of darkness and sometimes a few scary events happen. Ok, sometimes the darkness has been more than a few moments. And the scary events have been...really scary. But always, always, I come out with everyone into the sunlight.

It's important for that relationship with whomever I've wronged. It's as important for my own integrity.

And I wished I'd had read this article many years before. I could have saved some of my failures, aka learning lessons, for something else. Not that I had a lack of 'em. And I could have made some of the rides a little more enjoyable.