Happy Tuesday! We all know someone who says she’s sorry all of the time, don’t we? What type of vibe does that put out to others? Most likely, it says that this person is unsure of herself and lacks confidence. It seems as if she lets people run all over her like a doormat, right? It almost becomes overused, so others don’t take it as a genuine “sorry” after a while. Does this sound like someone you know or does it sound like you?

Being over apologetic can actually stand in your way of weight loss. It can act as an obstacle between you and your weight loss goals. It also chips away at your self confidence by repeatedly telling yourself that you are sorry so often that you diminish your own empowerment. For example, a client of mine is always apologizing to her family for trying to eat healthier food to the point where her daughter actually told her to stop saying she was sorry for the healthy habits that she was adopting because there was no reason for her to apologize. My client hadn’t even realized what she was doing. She flipped her habit of saying sorry and started to say, “Thanks for supporting me when I eat this way.” instead. She felt more confident and her family was relieved to not keep hearing her broken record chatter. It was a win-win.

In our tennis group, we are all guilty of tossing around the word sorry far too often. Yes, it is a habit, and yes, you can change it. We are a work in progress as a group and are more aware of how many times we apologize. I’ve joked in the group that “ I’m sorry” needs to be saved if your ball hits someone (especially in the face) and “oops” is a better option for the other mistake moments. It feels so much better inside and keeps your self confidence in tact. We are still working on this!

Someone who apologizes ad nauseam often fears conflict and  offending others. Also, it points right to the fear of what others think. My clients know that one of my favorite quotes is, “WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF YOU IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.” by Jack Canfield. There are many versions of this quote, but the idea is the same! It connects well to not saying you’re sorry for every little thing. Save “I’m sorry” for the right moment; its meaning will have a greater impact that way, too.  

This week, I’d like to offer for you to pay close attention to how many times you say you are sorry, how you feel when you say it, and how people around you react. Do you overuse those words? How is it blocking your weight loss goals? Chances are you will feel more empowered and confident about your weight loss by cutting back on how many times you over apologize to people. Save it for the right moment…like when you (accidentally) hit your friend in the face with a tennis ball–just saying! Tearing down weight loss obstacles one at a time is a huge step to reaching your goal. Give it a try and let me know how it changes your perspective!

You’ve got this!

Georgette