Do you say sorry too much?

The practice of eliminating repetitive “sorry” statements might not seem so harmful, or important, but hear me out. 

Research finds that women have a lower offense threshold, meaning that they tend to apologize significantly more than men.

This matters a lot because when women don’t say sorry at all or as much, they are perceived as too cold, not nice, b*!chy, or bossy. 

Always saying sorry is also used as a way to deflect tension and awkwardness and it is also used as a way to show uncertainty or self-doubt. 

Most importantly, when people overuse the word “sorry”, really apologies come off as insincere or meaningless. 

Eliminating this habit will help you become more assertive, develop a strong voice and increase your confidence. On a bigger scale, you will help change society’s view of what assertive women are like, and believe it or not, this helps us get closer to being treated equally.

So, here are some examples of how people overuse “sorry” and how you can reword the statement. 

🛑 Sorry, I had to step out because I had to take my medication. 

NEVER feel sorry for taking care of yourself). 

Instead, you can say: ✅  I had to step out to take care of something.

🛑 Sorry for asking again, but may I order another soda? (It is the job of restaurant servers to bring you food and drinks) 

Instead, you can say: ✅  May I have another soda?

🛑 Yeah, I'm sorry, I'll get that door for you. (Don't apologize for NOT doing something that is not your responsibility. ✅ Opening doors for someone is actually a courtesy, not an expectation. 

🛑 Oh, sorry, I don't know the area. ✅ I can't give you directions. (Don't apologize or say sorry for something out of your control or something that is not your fault). 

Instead, say: ✅  I'm not from the area. I don't know.  

🛑 I'm sorry you feel that way ✅  Is there anything that will make you feel better? ✅  How can I help you feel better?

🛑 I’m sorry, but…   ✅   That’s awful, but…

I hope you find these examples helpful. Are there other examples you’d like to share? Post them in the comments below.