I take full responsibility. 'I take full responsibility', is a phrase that can be used to substitute the word 'sorry', and essentially means that you acknowledge the mistake and take responsibility for it. ...
Here are sample expressions of a sincere and harmless apology: “I'm sorry that you had to make this call today.” “I'm sorry for any frustration you may have experienced.” “I'm sorry for any inconvenience this misunderstanding may have caused you.”
REGRET. Even though it may not have been your intention, acknowledge that your actions have caused upset. Say to the person “I want to apologise for (my actions). ...
RESPONSIBILITY. Take full responsibility for your actions. Resist the urge to give excuses. ...
Acknowledge the offense. Take responsibility for the offense, whether it was a physical or psychological harm, and confirm that your behavior was not acceptable. ...
A genuine apology shows that you feel sorry for your actions and want to do better. It also gives the other person a chance to process their own feelings. You've taken the first step to fix the damage.
Im sorry, Im sorry, Im sorry. This is a passive-aggressive apology done to silence the other person and move onto a different topic. It minimizes what the other person has experienced. Im sorry but But is a qualifier. If a person cannot say sorry without adding a but, then they are not sorry.
1 Apologize unconditionally. At the beginning of your apology letter, write “I'm sorry for . . .” or “I apologize for . . .” followed by what you're specifically remorseful about. ...
I'm so sorry that I hurt you and I'm going to work hard to never be so careless again. You are such an incredible partner and I love you so much. I feel awful that I ever let you down like this. I'm asking for your forgiveness and I promise to do better going forward.
Tell the person you're sorry for what you did, even if it wasn't on purpose.
Own what you did without trying to explain it away. It takes away from an apology if you follow up with an excuse or explanation for why you did what you did.
To keep their victims nearby, then, they'll make apologies left and right without taking any real actions to improve themselves or make amends. These are not real apologies—they are manipulation tactics. Any counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist in the world will attest that an apology without change is manipulation.
In narcissists' efforts to avoid blame, they often combine several fake apologies at once, such as, “I am sorry if I said anything to offend you, but I have strong opinions. Maybe you're too sensitive,” or, “I guess I should tell you I am sorry. But you know I would never deliberately hurt you.
So how do we build a worthy apology? Experts like Aaron Lazare and Nick Smith, in their book On Apology, point to four essential parts of the apology, and we can remember them as the 4 R's: Recognition, Responsibility, Remorse, and Reparation.
