I have these statements in the Notes app on my iPhone that I write in every time I get angry or frustrated or feel the need to rant. I divided these statements into different categories so that each section starts with the same few words. I thought it'd be helpful to share these thoughts I have because I know that looking back on them has helped me or reminded me to put things into perspective. I think I'll post a different section each month, and this month's sentence starter is: Stop apologizing for...
Stop apologizing for your happiness. You do not owe it to anyone else to thank them for how you feel, either- YOU created your own happiness.
Stop apologizing for the way you feel. Do not let anyone try to validate your feelings for what they are not, and do not let someone try to make your problems seem smaller than theirs. you do not deserve to be "punished" for what is going on in your life just because someone else thinks what they have is worse.
Stop apologizing for feeling beautiful. Do not apologize for thinking "Wow, I look great today." Own that. Do not let anyone tell you that you are full of yourself.
Stop apologizing for what is not yours to apologize for. Do not feel like you have to take the blame for every little thing that could potentially hurt or annoy someone.
Stop apologizing for other people. They do not deserve to be saved on your account, and you do not deserve to be treated like it was your fault.
Stop apologizing for the things you can't control about yourself. You should not be shamed for how you look, or what you're good at/can improve on.
I think it's hard for people to stop apologizing for all of these things, whether it's to themselves or other people. Personally, I find it difficult to minimize the amount of times I say "I'm sorry" in one day, for things I'm not even responsible for/things that aren't such a huge deal. I can't express how important it is to only apologize when an apology is really needed, because if people pick up on the fact that you apologize and feel bad for little things, they can and will take advantage of that. But I think the more significant reason to stop apologizing for these things is for yourself- you shouldn't be living your life feeling bad for things you shouldn't feel bad for or that aren’t in your control. For the sake of bettering yourself mentally, stop apologizing.
- Evangeline
