Want to say you’re sorry, but don’t know the best way to worm your way back into their heart? Use these 17 sweet ways to say just how sorry you are!
Elton John once said that sorry seems to be the hardest word. In a
way, he’s right. Not everyone is instantly willing to swallow their
pride and admit that they’re wrong. But there needs to come a time when
you assess which you value more: your relationship or your pride.
When you’ve made a relationship boo-boo, you’ll definitely need to
make it up to your partner. Instead of laying the blame on him/her or
pretending nothing’s wrong, start working on fixing the problem with the
following ways of saying sorry:
5 ways to apologize with words
You can’t just whip out a peace offering without specifying why
you’re sorry and what you want to do about it. Sometimes, the simplest
way to apologize is by honestly expressing how you feel. Here are some
phrases you can say *and you must mean!* to help you craft the perfect
apology:
#1 “I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
#2 “I’m sorry for being so insensitive.”
#3 “I wish I could take back what I did/said. How can I make it up to you?”
#4 “I’m not perfect, but I try my best. Please accept my apology.”
#5 “You may not forgive me for what I’ve done, but I just want
you to know that I’m sorry and I want to make everything all right
again.”
Words may occasionally be enough to get you back into your partner’s
good graces. But just imagine the effect of your apology if you combine
it with something sweet, creative and memorable…
Let your actions speak volumes when you want to say sorry
#6 A handwritten note on some fancy paper that you can get from your local craft store. This
one just never gets old. Using your own words *and not a Hallmark
card*, tell your honey how sorry you are for what you did. If you’ve got
enough space, you can highlight some of the ways you can make it up to
him/her. You get plus points if you make your handwriting extra legible!
#7 Leave the note somewhere your significant other will see. If
your schedules don’t match, don’t worry, you can leave them a little
surprise for when they wake up. Leave your note on his/her nightstand,
bathroom mirror or even on the kitchen counter to make their day start
off with a slightly lighter heart.
#8 Make a list. Instead of writing long, verbose paragraphs of
text, try using lists. For example, you can make three separate lists
like “The Things I Did to Piss You Off,” “The Things I Will Do to Make
It Up to You,” and “The Reasons I Love You too Much to Let This Pass.”
#9 A message in a bottle. If you know that your partner will
be coming home tired, get out the bath salts and get a bath running! Add
in a bottle with your handwritten note to float around in the tub. Who
can resist an apology when it comes with a warm bubble bath?
#10 Apologize using a children’s book. So maybe a handwritten
note isn’t for those who don’t have an inner Shakespeare. If that’s the
case, you can use somebody else’s words as long as the sentiment is the
same. Children’s books are simple, sweet and oftentimes funny, the
perfect mix for tugging at your partner’s heartstrings.
#11 Play an apology tune. Bring out your inner bard and craft a
tune for your honey to hear. But in lieu of musical skills, you can
refer back to classics like “After All that We’ve Been Through” by
Chicago or even Elvis’ “Always on My Mind” to more modern tunes like
“Butterfly” by Weezer or “Forgive Me” by Evanescence. Like with using a
children’s book, you’re using others’ more poetic take on apologies,
but that doesn’t make your meaning any less poignant and sincere.
#12 Use food. If your honey’s a foodie, then the best way to
their heart is through their taste buds. Order some takeout from his/her
favorite restaurant and add in your apology within the package. If your
honey’s not a foodie, pizza with the toppings shaped into “I’m sorry”
can work too! If you got your honey to go out on a date with you, then
ask the restaurant if you can accommodate a request to add an “I’m
Sorry”-shaped squiggle to their cheesecake.
#13 Make food. If you’ve got some culinary skills, then now is
the best time to use them! Whip up your sweetheart’s favorite meal and
make him/her breakfast in bed, a surprise lunch or a romantic homemade
dinner. Let’s face it: it’s hard to reject an apology with the smell of
your favorite dish wafting in your home.
#14 Clean up. Chores can oftentimes be the cause of friction
between a couple. But they can lead to serious fights if you forget too
often or if you’ve promised to do it but got too carried away with
something else. If your boo-boo is forgetting to clean up, then the
first step to apologizing is by cleaning up more than what was expected.
Add in a note that says something along the lines of “I’m sorry. Let me
clean up my mess.”
#15 Attach a note to your pet and send it to him/her. The best
way to get puppy-dog eyes is to use an actual puppy! Attach an apology
note to his collar and send him over to your partner. But if your dog
isn’t particularly obedient, sometimes a photo can work too. This can
also work with well-trained cats, parakeets or even iguanas! Just make
sure you use something sturdy and non-distracting, lest your pet think
you’ve just attached a toy for him to play with.
#16 Tinker around social media. This may sometimes be
criticized by others as attention-whoring, but if you think only social
media will get your lover to forgive you, then by all means, go for it!
You can use your Facebook profile by posting images of yourself in an
apologetic stance or holding up an “I’m Sorry” sign. You can even
escalate this to Twitter or Reddit and watch as it goes viral!
#17 Get his/her friends in on it. No, we’re not saying you
should apologize through one of your partner’s friends. We’re saying you
can ask for their help or advice in coming up with the best way to
apologize. For example, if you’re the showy type, you can ask his/her
friends to lead your partner to the park after work where you’ll be
ready with a bouquet and petals shaped into a heart. Who says big
gestures should only be reserved for proposals?
After the apology
Of course, getting your partner to accept your apology is just the
first step. You also have to follow it up with genuine remorse and
restitution. There are some apologies that are merely accepted, but not
necessarily forgiven. That usually happens when they acknowledge your
apology and start to be more open, but their hearts aren’t completely
ready to really forgive you.
This is the case when what you did really hurt your partner so they
need time to heal and learn to trust you again. These situations call
for more than just flashy acts or sweet little gestures. They call for
real commitment and consistent action to remedy your wrongdoing.
On the brighter side, smaller transgressions like forgetting to do
some chores, getting a virus in your partner’s computer or forgetting to
take the dog out can be remedied by just undoing the wrong you did or
doing what you forgot to do. The sweet gestures, the notes and little
surprises are just an added touch to show that you really care about
making things okay again.
Use these 17 ways to say you’re sorry to your partner the next
time you see the need to apologize. We hope these tips help you get your
partner to forgive you for what you’ve done. Good luck!
