The Power of an Apology -- and the Cost of Not

Whether it's your parent, coworker, child, lover, or friend, we all sometimes say and do things we regret. We fret, get defensive, make excuses, and rationalize that what we did wasn't so bad. Or we simply put the blunder out of our mind hoping it went unnoticed. "It's no big deal." "Anybody could make that mistake." "Who would remember?" These are all stall tactics we resort to because we don't want to experience the discomfort associated with an apology.

Why? Pride. Self-righteousness. Embarrassment. It is hard to admit that we're human and fallible. Owning up to the fact that we said or did something we know was hurtful can put a dent in our self-esteem.

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