How to accept an apology?

How to accept an apology: Accepting an apology can be difficult, especially if the person who is apologizing has hurt you. Maybe their apology is not sincere enough, maybe you need time to consider it, or maybe you just do not have the right words to describe your feelings. However, once you make up your mind to accept the apology, you can express so with your words and then work on forgiveness by yourself. If the apology appears sincere and genuine, for your peace and sake, try to accept the apology and then act on that by practicing forgiveness.

How to accept an apology:

Pay attention to the seriousness of an apology

Notice that if the person is taking responsibility for their actions. You can notice it by making eye contact with them (note that many people make eye contact if they are genuinely sorry about their actions) and noticing their body language. A genuine apology is direct and can be felt by the heart. 

Watch for any counter-blame phrasing in the apology

It can be a sign the apology is not genuine. If someone does not want to apologize, they may be fast to point out how you were wrong, or blame you for all that happened. This type of wording can be a sign that the apology is not heartfelt and is a way for the person to blame for what happened to you or to not have to deal with the outcomes of their actions.

Also Read: Side effects of repressed anger.

Depend on your gut instinct

Often your gut instinct can be a good meter of whether or not to accept the person’s apology. Take a moment to consider the apology and listen to your gut feelings about their apology. Is your gut suggesting you the person is being sincere and honest? Are they asking for forgiveness and promising to not repeat the behavior? These are two key factors that are critical to a sincere apology.

Ask yourself if you are ready to accept the person’s apology

If the person apologizing is a family member or a close friend who already has a history of bad behavior, ask yourself if they are using apologies to try to avoid facing outcomes. Prior bad behavior with commitments to change that did not happen can reveal a preference to use apologizing as a way to dodge taking accountability for their actions.

Give yourself time or have a longer conversation if want 

People make mistakes or hurt others for multiple reasons. You must be willing to move past the person’s mistake, particularly if they offer a real apology. If you are yet questioning whether or not to believe the person’s apologetic manner, you may need a longer conversation with them about your troubles. Having a longer conversation is a better approach than accepting an apology you do not believe is sincere. It also allows you to communicate clearly what has hurt you and to identify the harm they have caused that you would like them to manage.