“I’m sorry, but…”
(every non-apologetic apologizer)

Yesterday we looked at The 5th Worst Phrase You Can Say. Today it’s The 4th. I’ve written on this one before, but the gist is this: whenever we say “I’m sorry, but…,” we might as well spell it “butt,” ‘cause that’s what we’re calling the other person.

Take the classic apology to our kids: “I’m sorry Daddy yelled, but your behavior was so bad I had to do something to get your attention…”

The end purpose is to effectively promote ourselves as the good guys and to blame someone else as the real responsible party.

“You’re a butt, for not only doing what you did but for also making me feel guilty about my reactions to what you did.”

Try this instead:
• “I apologize for my behavior. You deserve better from me.”

Peace begins with pause,