Sorry – It’s such a common word. It’s intention and meaning vary from person to person. It could be nothing more than pre-conditioned response or a heartfelt, sincere understanding of wrongdoing. Regardless of what goes wrong, even in business and customer relationships, the first inclination is to say sorry.
It seems, this week, so many I know have lost something. Whether it’s a job, health, a relationship, or an expectation, loss is real. It’s emotionally hard. In some cases, it’s a crisis. Loss of a client can hurt or kill a business if a contingency plan isn’t in place. Losing a job or a partner can be life altering. So, how can you recover faster?
I used to say, “expectations are pre-meditated resentments.” I used to try to stop myself from having expectations, of myself, others, and outcomes. Every time I tried to stop myself, I waged a private war in my head. What I didn’t realize at the time is that I needed to stop communicating with myself so much and start communicating with others.
Life comes out of left field sometimes. I remember when I was laid off from my last full-time job. I had it all: a nice salary, stock options, insurance, and a 401k. By all auspices, I was set. More than set, I was really happy. I loved my co-workers. I really enjoyed the work I was doing. The boat was sailing on smooth seas. Then, the typhoon hit.
This morning on my radio show, I discussed the topic of forgiveness. It’s a tough subject, especially if you have been hurt. However, forgiveness is not for the person or situation being forgiven. It’s for you. And, sometimes, the person or situation isn’t the only thing that needs to be forgiven. You need to forgive yourself as well.