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Sorry, can I ask a stupid question?’, ‘Sorry, excuse me but can I suggest something?’, ‘Sorry, you’re standing on my foot.’
This is a five-minute snapshot of my day. Just writing this has irritated me as I realise just how much I seem to apologise without even realising it. Often, the first words out of my mouth are sorry. Why? Am I really apologising for having the audacity to speak?
Which is why I could totally relate to Pantene’s new video called ‘Not Sorry’, which has gone viral and been watched by over two million people. It features several women apologising throughout the day from a professional environment to just apologising to strangers. Watch with caution, it's cringeworthingly accurate (to me at least){
So why do we do it? In my case I just can't help myself. I’m a sorry-a-holic. I worry that what I say might be too direct and offend someone or that I might be perceived as rude. It just feels ingrained in me that saying sorry is somehow polite. Instead of what it really is which, after watching this video and analysing my own behaviour, is REALLY annoying.
It also got me thinking about how this incessant apologising can affect me both professionally and socially. How can I make myself heard or be taken seriously if I'm telling people before I even make a point that I'm sorry for it? Why should they listen to what comes next when I've already given off the vibe that I'm sorry about it?
If the amount of times I say sorry were a representation of how I view myself, it would seem I live in a constant state of sorrow at my very existence.
So, I’ve decided I’m going to make a stand and stop saying it… sorry, is that okay?
Let us know what you think - Is apologising an ingrained trait women need to shake off?- tweet us @Grazia_Live