Can you guess which 5-letter word I feel is both misused and overused by women!
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S O R R Y- each time I hear a woman who is going around me at the grocery store (and not even close to touching me-God forbid) say, “oh so sorry,” in a meek, submissive voice, I CRINGE ?. When a woman comes up to meet me or ask me a question after I give a speech, and she says, “I’m so sorry to bother you but….” my heart sinks a little.
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I now speak back to the women and say, “ no need to be sorry, this is part of my job and I’m here to meet people and answer their questions.” Or if I’m feeling super sassy I say, “ why are you sorry (in a kind way)?” I’ve not ever had one woman be able to answer that question.
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Part of why this unnecessary apologizing affects me so much is I used to do it in my personal life all the time. I even apologized when I ran into a chair at my house! No, I’m not kidding. In my professional life, I actually had some self-confidence and respect, but in my personal life, I was that “sorry” girl. I didn’t want to bother, annoy, or interrupt anyone’s life with my needs or even curiosity. My self-worth was so low, I didn’t feel worthy of having my needs met, asking for help, or even a shoulder to cry on.
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Fast forward a mere 3 years, and I am no longer that girl. I am an empowered woman who is worthy of others time, attention, money, and love. So if you are that “sorry” person, do your best to catch yourself. You are just as worthy as I am, whether you are rich, poor, depressed, sick, happy, overweight, underweight, a trauma survivor (#metoo)… Instead of saying a weak “sorry,” replace it with an empowered “excuse me” or “pardon me” or better yet NONE OF IT, unless of course, you step on someone’s foot or something.
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If you don’t think you are worthy, how can you expect others to see your worth?