Stop Apologizing

I’m not the first to use this statement, and I certainly won’t be the last. It seems like no big deal, but I gotta tell you - this simple statement might just be the one consistent thing that tells your subconscious to stay small. What do I mean?

Take for example stepping into the Yoga/Fitness studio where I go. 95% women attending most classes all going through the actions: arriving, taking off your shoes, heading into the room, gathering all of the equipment that you’re going to need for the class and then settling in. In that five minute timeframe I probably hear the words “I’m sorry” at least fifty times - and I’m not exaggerating. Sorry for needing a weight at the same time as you, sorry for needing to put my shoes in the same area as you, sorry, sorry, sorry. And then the class ends and the whole sequence starts all over again. Sigh.

But we all know it doesn’t stop there. Going down the aisle at a grocery store, starting out our emails with “sorry for…” and just about everything in between. It’s exhausting. But it’s also time we stop - because first and foremost you have nothing to apologize for.

This behaviour and pattern is keeping you small. How? I thought you’d never ask. Just from a physical sense, think about what the action of apologizing looks like and feels in your body. Shoulders curled in, facial expression changes and your body language - defeat. When you apologize (unnecessarily), you put yourself in an inferior position and tell yourself you are in the wrong. And as a reminder, our subconscious doesn’t know context so all it hears is: bad, wrong, and your fault to name a few. In short, it’s a big deal. So friend, you gotta stop.

Today's Theme in Action:

Take notice of when you lead with apologizing. Emails, texts, in person. Stop, get consciously aware and change your behaviour. 

As always, thanks for choosing to be here.

Susan